Question

Recently, European Union (EU) governments approved a five-year EU trade protection against grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) from Russia, Japan, China, South Korea, and the United States. The protection would consist of minimum import prices on shipments of GOES from any of the five listed countries. This measure was enacted as a punishment for exporters in these countries for allegedly dumping their product (i.e., selling below cost) on the European market. The European Steel Association lauded the plan, noting it would help protect an important subdivision of the steel industry. However, transformer manufacturers, who use GOES as an input to their production, have protested the minimum prices. They argue minimum prices will result in prices for GOES that are too high and lead to some of these manufacturers to downsize or move production facilities outside the EU. Describe the various rivalries depicted in this scenario, and then use the five forces framework to analyze the industry.

Answer 1

Answer:

A producer - producer rivalry exists between the European Steel Association (ESA) and the GOES producers from Russia, Japan, China, South Korea, and the US. Both the ESA and the foreign firms produce the same product (GOES) and therefore compete against each other.  

A producer - consumer rivalry exists between the ESA ans the European transformer manufacturers, since the transformer manufacturers consume GOES and the lower the price the better for them. On the other hand, the ESA produces GOES and wishes to sell their products a higher prices.

In this specific case, the bargaining and political power of suppliers (ESA) was larger than the bargaining power of the buyers (European transformer manufacturers). The threat of substitute products was basically eliminated by imposing minimum prices on imported GOES. The threat of new entrants is also very limited since not very may countries produce GOES in large scale, probably Brazil and Argentina could start selling GOES there, but the major competitors have virtually been eliminated. In this market, it is basically the ESA against everyone, but in this specific case, ESA won at least for the next 5 years.