The Globalization (and Regionalization) of Wine

CIES Discussion Paper No. 0125

26 Pages Posted: 16 Aug 2001

See all articles by Kym Anderson

Kym Anderson

University of Adelaide - Centre for International Economic Studies (CIES); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Australian National University

Date Written: June 2001

Abstract

Virtually all industries and households are affected by what has come to be called 'globalization', even though the term connotes different things to different people. On the one hand, economists think of it rather clinically as simply the lowering of transaction costs of doing business across space, and therefore a 'good thing' because it conserves resources. In the more-specific case of business across national borders, economists refer more precisely to 'internationalization': to the growth in international trade in goods, services and the various forms of capital (human, physical, knowledge) relative to national output or expenditure.

For a vocal minority in many countries, on the other hand, one or more of the perceived consequences of globalization is considered a 'bad thing'. People in that set of anti-globalization groups may be concerned about such things as homogenisation of marketed products, a growing dominance of multinational corporations, or the disappearance of small firms with their individualistic goods or services. When applied to wine, they worry that what for centuries has been characterized as largely a cottage industry, with its colourful personalities and wide variety of wines that differ from year to year because of the vagaries of weather or the vigneron's experimentation, will soon be difficult to distinguish from any other high-tech industry with a small number of large firms churning out standardized products for global rather than just local markets.

This paper explores the possibility that in the case of wine at least, the forces of globalization and consequent market responses will be such as to please both the pro- and anti-globalization groups, while at the same time allowing the industry to prosper. One of the necessary ingredients for such a win-win outcome will be a stronger 'regionalization' or localization of the wine industry.

The paper begins with a brief exploration of the forces of globalization in general. It then looks historically at the globalization of the wine industry in particular and Australia's place in that, before turning to the prospects ahead. It concludes with a discussion of the future role of regionalization of the industry and its impact on Australia's wine producers and consumers.

Suggested Citation

Anderson, Kym, The Globalization (and Regionalization) of Wine (June 2001). CIES Discussion Paper No. 0125, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=280262 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.280262

Kym Anderson (Contact Author)

University of Adelaide - Centre for International Economic Studies (CIES) ( email )

School of Economics
Adelaide SA 5005
Australia
+61 8 8313 4712 (Phone)
+61 8 8223 1460 (Fax)

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Australian National University ( email )

Arndt-Corden Dept of Economics
Coombs Building
Canberra, AK ACT 2600
Australia
+61 8 8313 4712 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://publicpolicy.anu.edu.au/crawford_people/content/staff/acde/kanderson.php

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
1,169
Abstract Views
5,310
Rank
33,647
PlumX Metrics