Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Economic aspects of Pastures'

Alternative grazing systems and pasture types for wool production in the south west of Western Australia were analysed using bio-economic modelling techniques in order to determine their relative productivity and profitability. After reviewing the experimental and modelling literature on perennial pastures and grazing systems, seven case studies of farmers were conducted in order to investigate the practical application of innovative grazing systems and use of perennial pastures. Together these case studies provided information for identifying relevant variables and for calibrating the modelling work which followed. The core of the work lies in a bio-economic model for investigating the comparative value of the three grazing systems and two pasture families mentioned above. A baseline scenario using currently available and reliable scientific data provides baseline results, after which a number of sensitivity analyses provide further insights using variations of four key parameters: persistence, heterogeneity, water soluble carbohydrates, and increased losses. Results show that perennial pastures are in the studied region more profitable than annual pastures. Under current baseline conditions, continuous grazing with perennial pastures is the most profitable enterprise, but this superiority is not robust under parameter variations defined by other scenarios. The more robust solution in terms of enterprise profitability is cell grazing with perennial pastures. The results indicate that intensive grazing systems such as cell grazing have the potential to substantially increase the profitability of grazing operations on perennial pasture. This result is an encouraging one in light of its implications for water uptake and salinity control. It means that economics and land care can go hand in hand, rather than be competitive. It is to be noted that it is the choice of the grazing system in combination with the pasture species, rather then the pasture species itself, that allows for such complementarity between economics and sustainable land use. This research shows that if farmers adopt practices such as cell grazing they may be able to increase the area that they can profitably plant to perennial pasture thus reducing the impacts of dryland salinity. This finding is consistent with the findings of the case studies where the farmers perceived that, provided grazing was planned, increasing the intensity of their grazing management and the perenniallity of their pastures would result in an increase in the profitability of their grazing operation. As a result this research helps to bridge a gap which has existed in this area of research, between the results of scientific research and those reported in practice.

Orientador: Mara de Andrade Marinho
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola
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Resumo: Esse trabalho aborda o tema da política de crédito rural no Brasil, tratando particularmente do Programa para Redução da Emissão de Gases de Efeito Estufa na Agricultura (Programa ABC), instituído pelo Governo Federal em 2010. O objetivo geral da pesquisa foi analisar as condições gerais de financiamento do Programa ABC. Os objetivos específicos foram analisar a oferta e contratação de crédito no período de 2010/2011 a 2012/2013, e realizar uma análise setorial sobre a bovinocultura de corte, uma das principais cadeias produtivas da agropecuária brasileira e maior emissor de gases de efeito estufa. Com relação ao objetivo geral, verificou-se o protagonismo da ação e a característica inovadora do Programa ABC, como uma política de crédito rural na qual o consentimento do recurso é condicionado à adoção de boas práticas de manejo. Variações anuais nas condições de financiamento do Programa ABC, a saber a taxa de juros e prazos de carência e pagamento, tornaram-no mais atrativo ao longo do tempo. A respeito da contratação do crédito, os dados de execução do Programa ABC evidenciaram uma crescente demanda. Do montante ofertado no período entre as safras 2010/2011 a 2012/2013, de R$13,05 bilhões, foram executados 37% distribuídos em 16.445 contratos. No entanto, foram identificados como fatores limitantes ao seu desenvolvimento, a escassez de informações acerca do retorno financeiro de práticas preconizadas como ILP e ILPF, as especificidades da elaboração e análise dos projetos, bem como os entraves decorrentes da regularização ambiental e fundiária das propriedades contratantes. Os resultados obtidos da análise setorial da bovinocultura de corte no âmbito do Programa ABC, permitiram concluir que os prazos estabelecidos ao crédito são adequados aos ciclos de produção; e que suas linhas apresentaram características competitivas em relação aos demais programas de crédito rural para investimentos na bovinocultura de corte. Foi verificado ainda que os estados de Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul e São Paulo podem vir a apresentar maior demanda para a contratação de recursos financeiros com vistas à implantação de sistemas integrados como ILP e ILPF. Contudo, a relação histórica entre a oferta de crédito oficial e o desenvolvimento da bovinocultura de corte brasileira sugere a necessidade de desenvolvimento de formas alternativas ao estímulo da mitigação da emissão de gases de efeito estufa, que não exclusivamente a oferta de financiamento. Neste contexto, ressalta-se a importância das pesquisas acerca das ações de coordenação da cadeia produtiva, a fim de sensibilizar consumidores quanto às externalidades positivas das atividades de baixo impacto, permitindo a precificação diferenciada dos produtos e consequente agregação de valor ao pecuarista
Abstract: This paper addresses the impact of rural credit policy in Brazil, in the area of Planning and Sustainable Rural Development, particularly in relation to the Federal-sponsored Program for the Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Emissions in Agriculture (so-called ABC Program). Established in 2010, the Program aims to set nation-wide targets for reducing greenhouse gases emissions. This research was based on the overall objective to analyze the general conditions of financing the ABC Program. The specific objectives were based on the analyzes of the supply financial credit and contracting credit in the period 2010/2011 a 2012/2013, and a sectoral analysis of beef cattle breeding ¿ the sector is a major emitter of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated). With respect to the results, there was the role of action and innovative feature of the ABC Program as a rural credit policy in which the resource is conditional upon adoption of good management practices. Changes on the financing conditions offered by the ABC Program (i.e. interest rates and payback schedule) made it more attractive over time. Performance data of the ABC Program showed increased supply and borrowing of credit. The amount offered by the ABC Program between the 2010/2011 and 2012/2013 crops was U.S. $ 13.05 billion, of which 37 % were non-perfoming loans, distributed in 16,445 contracts. The main barriers for hiring ABC Program credit are the lack of knowledge about the Program, difficulties for developing and analyzing the projects, and barriers related to environmental and land regularization. In the time frame of the study, the hiring of credit increased, and the conditions for concession were adequate to finance production cycles from breeding to the complete cycle. The ABC Program showed competitive characteristics comparing with the other rural credit lines offered for beef cattle production. It was found that the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo may present increased demand financing integrated systems such as Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems and Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry Systems, as advocated by the Program. However, the historical relationship between the supply of rural credit and development of beef cattle in Brazil suggests the need to develop alternative forms of stimulus for mitigating the effects of greenhouse gases emissions. In this context, it emphasizes the importance of researching supply chain coordination; alerting consumers about the positive externalities of low-impact activities and allowing for differentiated product pricing and, ultimately, adding value to the farmer
Mestrado
Planejamento e Desenvolvimento Rural Sustentável
Mestra em Engenharia Agrícola

Leading theme in this master’s thesis is adaptation and preparation to ever changing requirements of skills and knowledge in the working life. These changes of requirements in the working life are implied by the changes in the occupational structure in Finland that is presented in the thesis. The data used in thesis to show the changes in the occupational structure in Finland Finnish Longitudinal Employer-Employee Data, FLEED, which is gathered by Statistics Finland and it shows changes in occupational structure of Finland between years 1995 and 2007. Education is considered in this thesis so that its object is to prepare children and future generations for working life with suitable skills and knowledge. The variety of other, equally important, objects that education has and possibly contradictions as well as problems that might arise in the course of achieving all the objects is beyond of this study. Changing occupational structure arises a question that how education prepares itself to the unknown changes? To answer the question asked, I will introduce Economics of education and Educational planning and how these two relate to each other, especially how economics of education has affected education and educational planning. Therefore I will first take historical review of the economics of education and introduce two main theories; human capital theory and screening theory. The main difference of these two will be explained and also what kind of difference it would make to education if either one could be proved right. It would also have an effect on how education should be arranged in the society. Educational planning has had, in its course, different approaches to analyze and predict future. I will review those approaches; also these approaches have been influenced by economics of education. In the last part of the thesis I bring up studies in Finland has tried to prepare and project changing work life. Also I discuss about can education bring something new to economics of education
Tämän Pro gradu-tutkielman johtava teema on mukautuminen ja valmistautuminen muuttuviin vaatimuksiin tiedoista ja taidoista työelämässä. Ammattirakenteen muutos Suomessa viittaa siihen että vaatimukset erilaisille tiedoille ja taidoille työelämässä on tapahtumassa. Aineisto ammattirakenteen muutoksesta on Tilastokeskuksen yhdistetty työntekijä-työnantaja-aineisto (Finnish Longitudinal Employer-Employee Data FLEED). Ammattirakenteen muutos ajoittuu vuosien 1995 ja 2007 välille. Koulutus mielletään tässä Pro gradu-tutkielmassa sellaiseksi toiminnaksi jonka tavoite on valmistaa lapsia sekä tulevia sukupolvia työelämään oikeanlaisilla taidoilla ja tiedoilla. Yhtälailla tärkeät muut tavoitteet, mitä koulutukselle ja kasvatukselle on annettu, sekä mahdollisesti syntyviä ristiriitoja tavoitteita saavuttamisessa ovat tämän tutkielman ulkopuolella. Muutokset ammattirakenteessa luo kysymyksen, että miten koulutus on valmistautunut tällaisiin tuntemattomiin muutoksiin? Vastatakseni kysymykseen esittelen koulutusekonomian ja koulutussuunnittelun, sekä erityisesti miten koulutusekonomia on vaikuttanut koulutussuunnitteluun. Aluksi käyn läpi koulutusekonomian ja esittelen sen kaksi pääteoriaa: inhimillisen pääoman teorian ja siiviläteorian. Selitän millä tavoin nämä teoriat eroavat toisistaan ja mikäli jompikumpi voidaan todistaa oikeaksi millainen vaikutus sillä olisi koulutukseen. Koulutussuunnittelussa on käytetty monenlaisia analysointivälineitä tulevaisuuden ennakoimiseksi. Esittelen nämä eri tavat ja työkalut, sekä miten koulutussuunnittelu on historiansa aikana muuttunut ja miten taloudellinen ajattelu on muuttanut koulutussuunnittelua. Viimeisessä osassa tuon esille tutkimuksia siitä miten Suomessa pyritään ennakoimaan ja valmistautumaan muutoksiin työelämässä. Käyn myös keskustelua siitä voiko kasvatustiede tuoda jotain uutta koulutusekonomiaan

The main scope of the work is to support a wider understanding of the achievements and limitations of economic analysis in historical contamination issues. The work describes how various schools of economics focus their study on environmental problems, specifically on Brownfields redevelopment. It presents the ideas of environmental economics, resource economics, free market environmentalism, institutional economics, political economy and ecological economics. The work includes a case study from the region of Ralsko in North Bohemia.

To ensure that the resources of the health care sector are used effectively, new technologies need to be evaluated before implementation to examine if they generate health outcomes at an acceptable cost. This information can be collected by performing health economic evaluations in which the costs and health outcomes of different technologies are compared. To estimate the effect on health care budgets, there is also a need for information about the prevalence of the specific disease. Health outcomes in health economic evaluations are often measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), which are calculated by multiplying the remaining life years after an intervention by a weight representing the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) during those years. This thesis aims to provide deeper knowledge of the health economic aspects of diabetic retinopathy (DR), an eye complication that affects patients with diabetes and may in the worst case lead to blindness. The focus is on three empirical and two methodological health economic research questions. The empirical research areas cover prevalence, costs, and HRQoL related to patients with DR. The methodological research questions explore the performance of different methods for estimation of QALY weights. This is of interest since it has been argued that the most common methods for estimating QALY weights may not capture all relevant vision-related aspects of quality of life. The analyses comprehend the validity of different methods for estimating QALY weights among patients with DR and if the results of one of the specific methods for estimating QALY weights, the time trade-off (TTO) exercise, are affected by patients’ subjective life expectancy (SLE). The empirical results demonstrate that DR is seen in approximately 40% and 30% of patients with type I and type II diabetes respectively, indicating that the prevalence of DR has decreased in both of these patient groups. Healthcare costs vary considerably between different severity levels of the disease, being estimated at €26, €257, €216, and €433 per patient per year for background retinopathy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), diabetic macular oedema (DMO), and PDR combined with DMO respectively. Blindness due to DR is associated with an increased use of transportation services, caregiving services, and assistive technologies as well as productivity losses. This suggests that preventing the progression of DR may lower healthcare costs. Patients with vision impairment due to DR have lowered HRQoL in various dimensions, but the diagnosis of DR in itself has only a limited effect on HRQoL. The results on the methodological research questions show that different methods for estimating QALY weights seem to give different results. In comparison to EQ-5D, the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI-3) is the most sensitive method for detecting differences in QALY weights due to DR, and if decisions are to be made based on values from the general public, it can be recommended for use in cost-utility analyses of interventions directed at DR. Neither of the direct methods, TTO and the visual analogue scale, seems to be sensitive to differences in visual function, and more research is needed concerning the role of vision in people’s responses to the TTO exercises. In TTO exercises with time frames based on actuarial life expectancy, the patients’ SLE has an effect on their willingness to trade off years for full health. Thus, applying time frames deviating from patients’ SLE may result in biased QALY weights. Such bias may appear stronger within patient populations than within the general public. In conclusion, this thesis offers estimates for prevalence, costs, and QALY weights that can be used in economic evaluations of interventions directed at DR and as benchmarks for future DR research in order to follow up consequences of changes in diabetes care. In addition, it demonstrates that the choice of method for estimating QALY weights may have an impact on whether an intervention is considered cost-effective.

This thesis is composed of two parts; the first addresses theoretical aspects of the economics of targeting pollution control policy, whilst the second is an illustrative case study designed to embellish the more abstract insights of the first section.

FundaÃÃo de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do CearÃ
Objetivou-se com esse trabalho avaliar os efeitos da intensificaÃÃo da produÃÃo de leite, via nÃveis de intensificaÃÃo do sistema, em pastagens de capim-mombaÃa (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. MombaÃa) no trÃpico Ãmido, durante o perÃodo das Ãguas. Os tratamentos consistiram de quatro nÃveis de intensificaÃÃo, determinados pela combinaÃÃo de nÃveis de adubaÃÃo e nÃvel de produÃÃo dos animais. Foram eles, na sequÃncia crescente de intensificaÃÃo: 1  adubaÃÃo com 400 kg de NÃha-1Ãano-1, com vacas de baixa produÃÃo; 2 adubaÃÃo com 800 kg de NÃha-1Ãano-1, com vacas de baixa produÃÃo; 3 adubaÃÃo com 400 kg de NÃha-1Ãano-1, com vacas de alta produÃÃo; 4 adubaÃÃo com 800 kg de NÃha-1Ãano-1, com vacas de alta produÃÃo. As vacas eram sem raÃas definidas, em mÃdia de terceira cria, com partos ocorridos em outubro/novembro de 2009. No inÃcio das avaliaÃÃes de produÃÃo de leite, encontravam-se com aproximadamente 110 dias de lactaÃÃo. O perÃodo experimental foi de 24 de dezembro de 2009 a 10 de maio de 2010. Para as medidas relacionadas à morfogÃnese e estrutura, foi utilizado o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com medida repetida no tempo. Quatro tratamentos, com quatro ciclos e quatro repetiÃÃes (piquetes), avaliando a interaÃÃo entre tratamentos e ciclos. Para a avaliaÃÃo do comportamento dos animais, foi utilizado o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos, oito perÃodos e quatro repetiÃÃes (animais), avaliando a interaÃÃo entre tratamentos e perÃodos. Na avaliaÃÃo da distribuiÃÃo de fezes, foi utilizada a anÃlise geoestatÃstica, com quatro tratamentos e trÃs repetiÃÃes (piquetes). Nas anÃlises de produÃÃo dos animais, foi utilizado delineamento inteiramente casualizado simples (placas de fezes, total de fezes, consumo de forragem e consumo total), com medidas repetidas no tempo (escore de condiÃÃo corporal e peso vivo) e com medidas repetidas no tempo, sendo o tempo medida de controle local (produÃÃo de leite por vaca, peso vivo, taxa de lotaÃÃo e produÃÃo de leite por hectare). O perÃodo de descanso utilizado foi o necessÃrio para que fosse possÃvel a expansÃo de 2,5 novas folhas e o resÃduo equivalente ao IAF residual 2,0. O maior fornecimento de nitrogÃnio nÃo proporcionou elevaÃÃo nas variÃveis TAlF, TAlH, TSFant e TSFpost. NÃo foram observadas diferenÃas entre tratamentos em funÃÃo dos tipos de animais. A TAlF segue, em parte, a disponibilidade de Ãgua oriunda da precipitaÃÃo. NÃo houve diferenÃa na TAlH em funÃÃo dos tratamentos. Esse efeito, sendo reflexo do perÃodo de descanso adotado (2,5 novas folhas à perfilho-1), reduziu o nÃvel de interceptaÃÃo da radiaÃÃo fotossinteticamente ativa para valores inferiores a 95%. A intensificaÃÃo apresenta pouco reflexo nas variÃveis estudadas (MSFT, MSFV, MSLV e MSCV). A altura prÃ-pastejo apresentou crescimento do primeiro para o segundo ciclo e posterior declÃnio atà o Ãltimo ciclo, sendo esse o que apresentou os menores valores, para todos os tratamentos. A elevaÃÃo da oferta de nitrogÃnio proporcionou maiores nÃveis de produÃÃo em determinados momentos, quando da oferta de Ãgua em nÃveis adequados. A disponibilidade de Ãgua influenciou a resposta da produÃÃo das pastagens ao longo dos ciclos. Houve relaÃÃo do teor de matÃria orgÃnica do solo e o desempenho produtivo das pastagens. Quanto ao comportamento dos animais, foi observado interaÃÃo entre os tratamentos e os perÃodos do dia, com exceÃÃo do âcomportamento urinandoâ que sà apresentou efeito de perÃodo. A adubaÃÃo influenciou positivamente no âcomportamento pastejandoâ, elevando o tempo gasto na expressÃo do mesmo. Para Outras atividades, o efeito foi negativo, diminuindo o tempo de deslocamento dos animais. A adubaÃÃo e a interaÃÃo a adubaÃÃo à suplemento proporcionaram maior tempo de utilizaÃÃo de sombra pelos animais. A utilizaÃÃo de alimento concentrado elevou o nÃmero de defecaÃÃes, com concentraÃÃo durante os perÃodos de maior permanÃncia no pasto. O perÃodo do dia influenciou o âcomportamento bebendoâ, causando maior consumo de Ãgua nos perÃodos de maiores temperaturas, assim como os tratamentos intermediÃrios apresentaram maiores consumos. No que se refere à distribuiÃÃo de fezes, os dados apresentaram coeficientes de assimetria positiva e de curtose platicÃrtica. Para o coeficiente de variaÃÃo verificou-se uma elevaÃÃo acentuada, com as Ãreas de descanso, apresentando maiores valores e piquetes com maior nÃvel de adubaÃÃo e menores valores. Os fatores climÃticos radiaÃÃo, temperatura e umidade relativa influenciaram significativamente na dispersÃo e localizaÃÃo das fezes. No que se refere ao grau de dependÃncia espacial (GDE), foi verificado classificaÃÃo, variando de moderado a forte. O alcance foi de 14,0 e 12,7 m para as Ãreas de descanso e piquetes, respectivamente. A adubaÃÃo e o fornecimento de concentrado influenciaram a deposiÃÃo e a perda de nitrogÃnio via fezes, elevando seus valores na medida em que se elevou o aporte nutricional. Observou-se heterogeneidade na deposiÃÃo das fezes, ocorrendo zonas de maior concentraÃÃo, como sombra, entrada de piquetes e malhadouro, mostrando picos de deposiÃÃo que chegaram a 1.051,2 kg de N à ha- à ano- e mÃdia variando de 148,8 a 210,7 kg de N à ha- à ano-Â. Houve crescimento das produÃÃes diÃrias e por Ãrea de leite, na medida em que intensificou o sistema. Com a intensificaÃÃo houve maior persistÃncia da lactaÃÃo, observado por meio da relaÃÃo obtida pela divisÃo do coeficiente angular pelo intercepto, resultando em percentual diÃrio de diminuiÃÃo da lactaÃÃo. A persistÃncia da produÃÃo dos animais respondeu diretamente à intensificaÃÃo do sistema, como reflexo da maior intensificaÃÃo (melhoria da dieta). A produÃÃo por Ãrea respondeu mais fortemente ao nÃvel de produÃÃo individual diÃria e segue comportamento quadrÃtico, de acordo com a distribuiÃÃo das chuvas. A produÃÃo fecal cresceu no sentido do maior nÃvel de intensificaÃÃo, resultando em maiores estimativas de consumo. O maior aporte de nutrientes (mais intensivo) possibilitou elevar os nÃveis de produtividade por animal, por Ãrea, em relaÃÃo à mÃo-de-obra e à produÃÃo total diÃria. A maior intensificaÃÃo possibilitou elevar as receitas, todavia elevou os custos totais mensais, apresentando melhor relaÃÃo nos nÃveis intermediÃrios de intensificaÃÃo. Na medida em que se elevou a Ãrea utilizada, o nÃvel menos intensivo apresentou margem bruta positiva. Os custos operacionais efetivos elevaram-se com a intensificaÃÃo dos sistemas. Jà os custos operacionais totais diminuÃram com a intensificaÃÃo, voltando a crescer no nÃvel mais intensivo. A alimentaÃÃo representou por volta de 70% dos custos operacionais efetivos. Os sistemas apresentaram-se inviÃveis no mÃdio-longo prazo, e no curto prazo, foram menos atrativos que o observado na amostra de produtores utilizada nesse estudo.
This study aimed at analyzing the intensification effects via different enhancement levels of the system of milk production in Mombasa grass pastures (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. MombaÃa) in the humid tropics, during the water period. Treatments consisted of four enhancement levels, determined by combining fertilization levels and production level of the animals. Treatments were in increasing sequence of fertilization, as follow: 1Â Â fertilization with 400 kg of NÃha-1Ãyear-1, with low yield dairy cows; 2ÂÂ fertilization with 800 kg of NÃha-1Ãyear-1, with low yield dairy cows; 3ÂÂ fertilization with 400 kg of NÃha-1Ãyear-1, with high yield dairy cows; 4ÂÂ fertilization with 800 kg of NÃha-1Ãyear-1, with high yield dairy cows. It was used mixed breed cows, on average of third calving, and the births had occurred in October/November 2009. At the beginning of the evaluation of milk production, the cows had around 110 days of lactation. The experiment was conducted between December 24th, 2009 and May 10th, 2010. For the measures related to the morphogenesis and structure, we used a completely randomized design with repeated measurements over time. Four treatments, with four cycles, and four replicates (paddocks) were used to assess the interaction between treatments and cycles. To evaluate the behavior of the animals, we used a completely randomized design, with four treatments, eight periods and four replicates (animals) to evaluate the interaction between treatments and periods. In the evaluation of the distribution of feces, a geostatistical analysis was applied, with four treatments and three replicates (paddocks). In the analysis of animal production, a simple completely randomized design (feces patches, total feces, forage intake and total consumption), with repeated measures over time (body condition score and live weight) and with repeated measures over time; the time considered the measure of local control (milk yield per cow, live weight, stocking rate, and milk production per hectare). The rest period was the necessary to enable the expansion of 2.5 new leaves and the residue equivalent to the residual leaf area index 2.0 (residual LAI 2.0). The greater supply of nitrogen has not provided increase in the following variables: leaf elongation rate (TAlF), stem elongation rate (TAlH), anterior leaf senescence rate (TSFant) and posterior leaf senescence rate (TSFpost). There was no difference among treatments as a function of the type of animals. The TAlF partly had followed the availability of water from the rainfall. It was observed a variation in the organic matter content throughout the area, reflected in the ability to store water and nutrients, which influenced their availability to the pastures. No difference was detected in TAlH in function of treatments. This effect was a result of the rest period adopted (2.5 new leavesÃtiller-1), reducing the capture level of photosynthetically active radiation to values below 95%. The intensification has little consequence on studied variables (total forage dry mass, green forage dry mass, green leaf blade dry mass, and green stem dry mass). The pre-grazing height presented growth from the first to the second cycle and a subsequent decline until the last cycle, considering that this had the lowest values for all treatments. The increase in nitrogen availability promoted higher yield levels at certain moments, when water was supplied at suitable levels. Water availability influenced the yield response of pasture over the cycles. A relationship was verified between the soil organic matter content and yield performance of pastures. Regarding the animals behavior, it was registered interaction between treatments and day periods, except for urinating behavior that was only affected by the period. The fertilization had positive influence on the grazing behavior, increasing the time spent to expressing it. For the other activities the effect was negative, reducing the displacement time of animals. The fertilization and the interaction fertilization x supplement provided a longer use of shading by the animals. The use of concentrate feed increased the number of defecations, especially during the periods of longer permanence in the pasture. Day period influenced the drinking behavior, leading to a higher consumption of water in the periods with higher temperatures, as well as intermediate treatments presented higher consumption. In relation to the feces distribution, the data had coefficients of positive skewness and platicÃrtica kurtosis. For the coefficient of variation, we verified a great variation, with the rest areas presenting higher values, and paddocks with higher fertilization level presenting the lowest values. Climatic factors radiation, temperature and relative humidity have significantly influenced the dispersal and location of the feces. Regarding the degree of spatial dependence (GDE) it was verified classification ranging from moderate to strong, with higher proportion of GDE. The range was between 14.0 and 12.7m for rest areas and paddocks, respectively. The fertilization and supply of concentrate influenced the deposition and loss of nitrogen via feces, increasing its values to the extent that it increased the nutrient input. We observed heterogeneity in deposition of feces, with areas of higher concentration, as shadow, entrance of paddocks, and rest area, presenting peaks of deposition reaching 1,051.2kg NÃha-ÂÃyear-Â, and average varying between 148.8 and 210.7 NÃha-ÂÃyear-Â. There was increase in milk daily production and per area, as it intensified the system, via enhancement. With the intensification there was a greater persistence of lactation, observed through the relationship obtained by dividing the slope per intercept, resulting in a daily percentage of decrease in lactations. The persistence of animalsâ production responded directly to the system intensification, as a consequence of higher enhancement (improved diet). The production per area responded more strongly to the level of individual daily production and followed a quadratic trend, accompanying the rainfall distribution. The fecal production increased towards the highest level of enhancement, resulting in higher estimates of consumption. The greater input of nutrients (more intensive) allowed elevating the productivity levels per animal, per area, in relation to the labor and total daily production. The increase in area used for production improves the investment/production ratio, decreasing as enlarges the area. The greater enhancement enabled raising the revenues, but also raised the total monthly costs, presenting better relationship the intermediate levels of enhancement. To the extent that it has increased the area used, the lowest intensive level had a positive gross margin. The actual operating costs increased as the systems had been intensified. But the total operating costs decreased with the intensification, increasing again at the most intensive level. The feed represented around 70% of actual operating costs. Systems were unfeasible at medium-long terms, and at short term they were less attractive than observed in the sample of producers used in this study.

Information may resolve uncertainty and uncertainty is pervasive. Thus, seeking, producing and trading of information are common economic activities. This is also true in the economics of the environment and for the different stakeholders therein involved. The central aim of this research is to investigate some theoretical aspects of the value and effects of information in environmental economics. Information is valuable either as a decision aid in contexts where either health and environmental characteristics of goods are uncertain or as the object of direct valuation under different provision rules. In a choice context three questions arise providing grounds for empirical investigations.

In recent years the spatial dimension of economic development has attracted increasing interest in the development field. However there is still little analysis and evidence of the ways many spatial dimensions interact with other economic dimensions in the development process. This thesis aims to help filling this gap by bringing a geographical perspective into development economics frameworks. It is empirical in nature and uses data on different sub-national units from India and Uganda. The work is structured around four main papers (divided into six chapters). The first paper analyses two important aspects of the Indian urbanisation process. First it finds a U-shaped relation between rural-urban disparities in living standards and income per capita across Indian states in the Post-Independence period. Second, it shows that the urbanisation process in India has been characterised by convergence in the 20th century: smaller towns grow faster than large ones. The second paper examines the role of the agricultural sector in influencing the shape of the urban system. The analysis suggests that the elasticity of rural-urban labour supply increases both urban primacy and the urbanisation rate in Indian states during the Post-Independence period. The third paper tests for the impact of urban growth on rural poverty using a sample of Indian districts in the period 1981-1999. It finds that urbanisation reduces poverty surrounding rural areas. This effect is largely attributable to positive spillovers from urbanisation rather than to the movement of the rural poor to urban areas. The final paper examines the deteminants of rising returns to schooling in Ugandan districts during the 1990s. The findings suggest that both educational supply and demand factors influenced the wedge between skilled and unskilled labour. Moreover while trade opening reduced this wedge, pro-market reforms increasing inter-district trade raised returns to education in districts relatively abundant in skilled labour.

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’explorer plusieurs phénomènes liés à la migration en prenant en considération différents aspects de la réalité économique contemporaine : l’importance du secteur non-échangeable, l’asymétrie entre les flux migratoires et les flux des investissements, ainsi que les problèmes persistants entre différentes communautés ethniques. Dans le premier chapitre introductif, nous explorons la littérature sur la politique économique de l’immigration et nous étudions les différentes voies par lesquelles les immigrés peuvent affecter le bien-être des résidents domestiques. Dans la deuxième partie, nous développons un cadre théorique afin d’analyser les effets de l’immigration sur le bien-être individuel dans une petite économie ouverte avec le secteur non-échangeable. Nos résultats expliquent pourquoi les résidents domestiques sont généralement opposés à l’immigration peu qualifiée et favorisent l’influx des immigrés hautement qualifiés. Dans le chapitre trois, nous faisons une extension du modèle élaboré dans le chapitre deux, en prenant en compte les flux internationaux du capital. D’abord nous cherchons à décrire le lien entre la migration peu et hautement qualifiée et les investissements directs à l’étranger. Puis, nous analysons le changement dans les attitudes envers l’immigration suite à l’introduction de la mobilité internationale du capital. Dans le quatrième chapitre, nous démontrons comment la diversité ethnique peut affecter les intentions d’émigrer. Nous traitons le cas de la Lettonie où les minorités ethniques constituent 40% de la population. Nous pouvons constater que les individus appartenant aux minorités ethniques sont plus probables d’émigrer et que cette probabilité augmente avec le revenu. Les individus appartenant à la majorité ethnique, au contraire, sont plus probables d’émigrer si leurs revenus sont plus bas
The objective of this thesis is to contribute to a better understanding of migration-related economic issues in the world today. We concentrate both on immigration and emigration and at various stages of our work address all three parties involved in migration process : people hosting immigrants, people left behind and the migrants themselves. We account for several important features of today’s rapidly globalising life : the importance of the non-traded sector, asymmetry between capital and labour flows, and persisting problems between ethnic communities. The first chapter in an overview of the political economy of immigration literature and addresses the multiple ways in which immigrants may affect natives’ welfare. In particular, we discuss the role of economic and non-economic arguments in shaping immigration attitudes and summarise main labour market and welfare-state effects of immigration. Chapter two develops open economy with a non-traded sector. Our finding provide additional understanding of why native population is generally opposed to low-skilled immigrants and favouring high-skilled foreign workers. The third chapter extends the model developed in chapter two to accommodate internationally mobile capital. First, we investigate whether immigration of high-skilled and low-skilled labour leads to positive or negative FDI. Then, we find out how would immigration attitudes change if a country allows international capital movements. Chapter four investigates how ethnic diversity at home may influence emigration intentions of an individual. We explore the case of Latvia where ethnic minorities constitute 40% of the population. We find that ethnic minorities are more likely to emigrate and are positively self-selected on the basis of income, while the opposite is true for ethnic majority population

Mestrado em Engenharia Eletrónica e Telecomunicações
The breadth of availability and variety of online video contents has helped to encourage a far more mobile experience, which has proved particularly popular among younger generations. Over The Top (OTT) services, particularly those on-demand video platforms, became more and more attractive to consumers when compared with the current main TV packages. This document describes how the video OTT Ecosystem works from a technical side. The description presented reaches both ends of the distribution chain: from how the video signals are acquired and processed, thru all the way to how they are delivered to the client, passing by the challenges and consequences that such services have on the network. The main objective of this dissertation is to understand the possibility to create in Portugal a new operator where the core business is video delivery using only OTT services.
A amplitude e variedade de conteúdos disponíveis online têm ajudado a promover uma experiência cada ver mais móvel da televisão, serviço que se tem revelado particularmente popular entre os mais jovens. Serviços Over The Top (OTT), sobretudo aqueles disponíveis através de plataformas de video on-demand, têm-se tornado cada vez mais atraentes para os consumidores, em comparação com os atuais pacotes de televisão. Este documento descreve como funciona, do ponto de vista técnico, o ecossistema do vídeo sobre OTT. A descrição apresentada abrange ambas as extremidades da cadeia de distribuição: desde a forma como os sinais de vídeo são adquiridos e processados até ao modo como eles são entregues ao cliente, passando pelos problemas e consequências que tais serviços podem ter na rede. O principal objectivo deste trabalho é contribuir para compreender se é possível criar em Portugal um novo operador onde o core business seja a distribuição de vídeo utilizando apenas serviços OTT.

Abstract The aim was to determine the association between baseline factors, such as oral health-related behavior, attitudes, knowledge and beliefs in relation to caries increment during a randomized clinical trial (RCT). A further aim was to evaluate treatment costs and health outcomes during and after the RCT. In Pori Finland, 11- to 12-year-old children with active initial caries lesion(s) participated in the RCT in 2001–05. The experimental group (n=250) received multiple measures for controlling caries. The control group (n=247) received standard dental care. In 2005–08, all received standard dental care. Regression analyses were used to study the associations between behavioral factors and caries increment. Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted (trial period), and costs and health outcomes as well as dental service utilization were evaluated (post-trial period). In the experimental group, brushing teeth twice a day was indicative of developing no new caries lesions, whereas eating candy at least once a day, predicted new lesions. In the experimental and control groups, lack of concern about cavities and lack of knowledge about mother’s dental health predicted new caries lesions. The average incremental cost for averting one DMF surface was €34. The experimental regimen was more effective and more costly than the standard dental care. The total costs decreased year after year. The mean total cost per adolescent was lower and the clinical outcome was better among the former participants in the experimental group. The utilization of dental services was significantly more regular among the former participants in this group. It may be feasible to control caries more effectively by affecting toothbrushing, candy eating and oral health-related attitudes, as preventive procedures may be ineffective if those factors are not in order. It is important to discuss oral health-related topics in families, because this may improve the oral health-related behavior of children. Cost-effectiveness of regimen used for the experimental group may be improved by division of work or by selective reduction of preventive procedures. Well-timed caries control can decrease treatment cost and yield long-term improvement of dental health
Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää satunnaistetun kliinisen kokeen alussa rekisteröityjen suunterveyteen liittyvien tapojen, tietojen, asenteiden, uskomusten ja karieskertymän välisiä yhteyksiä. Lisäksi arvioitiin hoitokustannuksia ja hoidollisia tuloksia sekä kokeen ajalta että kokeen jälkeiseltä ajalta. Ne 11–12-vuotiaat lapset, joilla oli ainakin yksi alkava aktiivinen kariesvaurio, osallistuivat kokeeseen Porissa vuosina 2001–05. Koeryhmän lapset (n=250) saivat tehostettua ehkäisevää hoitoa ja kontrolliryhmän lapset (n=247) tavanomaista hammashoitoa. Kaikki saivat tavanomaista hammashoitoa vuosina 2005–08. Käyttäytymisellisten tekijöiden ja karieskertymän välisiä yhteyksiä tutkittiin regressioanalyysien avulla. Kustannusvaikuttavuusanalyysi tehtiin kokeen ajalta. Hoitokustannuksia ja hoidollisia tuloksia sekä palveluiden käyttöä arvioitiin kokeen jälkeiseltä ajalta. Lapsilla, jotka harjasivat vähintään kaksi kertaa päivässä, oli yleensä ehjät hampaat, kun taas lapsilla, jotka söivät päivittäin makeisia, oli useasti reikiä. Huolettomuus reikiintymistä kohtaan ja tietämättömyys äidin hampaiden kunnosta näkyi lasten hampaiden reikiintymisenä. Yhden hammaspinnan säästyminen paikkaukselta maksoi keskimäärin 34 €. Koeryhmän saama hoito oli vaikuttavampaa, mutta kalliimpaa kuin kontrolliryhmän saama hoito. Kokonaiskustannukset laskivat vuosi vuodelta. Keskimääräiset hoitokustannukset olivat pienemmät ja hammasterveys parempi entisen koeryhmän jäsenillä kuin kontrolliryhmäläisillä. Myös palveluiden käyttö oli säännöllisempää koeryhmässä. Karieksen hallintaa voidaan todennäköisesti tehostaa vaikuttamalla hampaiden harjaukseen, makeisten syöntiin ja suunterveyteen liittyviin asenteisiin. On tärkeää varmistaa, että nämä asiat ovat kunnossa, koska ehkäisevät toimenpiteet saattavat muuten jäädä tehottomiksi. Suunterveyteen liittyvistä asioista olisi hyvä keskustella perheissä, koska asioiden esillä pitäminen voi vaikuttaa suotuisasti lasten terveystapoihin. Koeryhmän saaman hoito-ohjelman kustannusvaikuttavuutta voisi todennäköisesti parantaa muuttamalla suunterveydenhuollon henkilöstön työnjakoa tai karsimalla valikoiden ehkäisevien toimenpiteiden määrää. Oikea-aikainen karieksen hallinta voi vähentää hoitokustannuksia ja lisätä hammasterveyttä pitkällä aikavälillä

Recent trends to develop farmland into improved irrigated pastures raise questions regarding the profitability of creep supplementing terminal-sired calves on these production systems. This study was initiated to answer these questions. Two previously established adjacent sprinkler-irrigated plots were separated into 2 paddocks. One plot (3.4 ha) consisted of a monoculture of Seine tall fescue while the other plot (3.9 ha) consisted of a mixture of Seine tall fescue, AC Grazeland Alfalfa, and Norcen birdsfoot trefoil. The mixture of the second plot consisted of 50% tall fescue, 37.5% alfalfa, and 12.5% birdsfoot trefoil. Plots were designated as monoculture no-creep supplement (MONOC) (1.7 ha), monoculture with creep supplement (MONOS) (1.7 ha), mixed forage no-creep supplement (MIXC) (1.95 ha), and mixed forage with creep supplement (MIXS) (1.95 ha). Twenty-four spring calving cow-calf pairs were stratified into 4 groups based on calf body weight, sex, breed, dam body weight, dam BCS, and breed. Management-intensive grazing practices were implemented with cattle receiving a new allotment of forage at 0800 daily. Cattle grazed in a west-to-east direction across the pasture completing a grazing circuit every 24 to 30 d. Pasture forage production was estimated using a 0.163 m2 clip-plot. Forage production each period was highest for cattle grazing MIXS (4492 kg DM/ha) followed by MIXC (4116 kg DM/ha) (P=.58). Production from the MIX plot differed from MONO plot (P<.0001). Similar to MIX pasture production MONOC (3154 kg/ha) and MONS (3058 kg/ha) did not vary (P=.4324). Carrying capacity differed among all treatments. The highest carrying capacity was observed in the MIXS group with 3.37 pair/ha. The next highest carrying capacity was in the MIXC group at 3.05 pair/ha, which differed from MIXS (P=.0404). There was a difference between MIXC and MONOS (2.38 pair/ha) (P=.0051). The lowest carrying capacity was observed in the MONOC group (2.07 pair/ha), differing from MONOS (P=.0450). Calf end weight was highest for the MIXS group (343 kg) and differed from MONOC group (298 kg) (P=.0272); no other groups differed. Profitability did not follow pasture productivity completely. Due to high supplemental feed costs MIXC was the most profitable management strategy ($72.03 cow/yr) and was $137.50 cow/yr more profitable than the least profitable strategy, MONOS. Results from this study show that grass-legume mixtures are much more productive than grass monocultures under irrigation and management-intensive grazing of cow-calf pairs. In addition, on these forage resources the practice of supplying creep supplementation to high-growth, terminal calves is not economically profitable.

This thesis examines several issues that arise in restructured electricity markets. These issues include production, scheduling and forward contract decision making, capital investment decisions in uncertain environments, and equilibrium bidding in wholesale electricity auctions. In the chapter, "Supply Function Equilibria with Pivotal Suppliers", we study the impact of pivotal suppliers in supply function bidding settings. Observers of these markets have noted the important role that pivotal suppliers, those who can substantially raise the market price by unilaterally withholding generation output, sometimes play. However the literature on SFE has not considered the potential impact of pivotal suppliers on equilibrium predictions. This is a potentially important deficiency of applications of SFE to electricity markets, given the large role that pivotal suppliers sometimes play in these markets. We formulate a model in which generation capacity constraints can cause some suppliers to be pivotal. In symmetric and asymmetric versions of the model we show that when pivotal suppliers are present, the set of SFE is reduced relative to when no suppliers are pivotal. In the chapter, "Dynamic Oligopolistic Games Under Uncertainty: A Stochastic Programming Approach", we study several stochastic programming formulations of dynamic oligopolistic games under uncertainty. It is well known that if the number of state variables increases, dynamic programming becomes computationally intractable. For such games, we show that under certain symmetry assumptions, players earn greater expected profits as demand volatility increases. The key to our approach is the "scenario formulation" of stochastic programming. The examples presented in this paper illustrate that this approach can address dynamic games that are clearly out of reach for dynamic programming, the common approach in the literature on dynamic games. In the chapter, "Scenario-based Electricity-Gas Forward and Spot Pricing and Load Formulations", we propose load models and price and return formulations in specific energy markets. Existing energy models do not consider inter-relations between the trio: spot price, derivative price and electric load. Also these models, which are in the spirit of the models proposed in financial and commodity markets, ignore special characteristics of electricity, which may make the proposed models useless. In our formulations we consider these characteristics and correlations between these variables. Simulation results that we run support our modeling approaches.

This thesis provides one of the first (to the author's knowledge, the first) micro-economic analyses of audit regulation and auditor liability. The analysis draws on insights from the economics and law literature that liability and regulation affect behaviour of individuals and organisations. The major research questions addressed in the thesis are the following: 1) How is demand for external audit services affected by joint and several liability of directors and external auditors? 2) How do auditor liability and professional audit standards affect audit quality? 3) Is it in the public interest to use auditor liability and professional audit standards jointly to monitor audit quality? The analysis is general, in the sense that a number of alternative regulatory scenarios are considered, and therefore hopes to be of relevance to various legal environments. Propositions about audit demand and production behaviour are drawn, as well as corollaries about the welfare implications of audit regulation and liability. Some major conclusions from the economic analysis are the following. 1) Consistency in judicial reasoning should be promoted. Certainty about what constitutes 'due care' leads to compliance by directors and auditors. 2) Uncertainty about due care crucially affects behaviour, both of auditors and directors. 3) Liability insurance arguments are irrelevant for audit demand when the due care level for directors is fairly certain. 4) Statutory audit requirements should only be imposed under limited circumstances. 5) More prescriptive professional audit standards have a positive effect on audit quality, but one standard for all client situations can never lead to social efficiency. 6) Liability restriction has a negative effect on audit quality. It may however promote socially efficient behaviour when there is overproduction of audit quality. 7) The joint use of liability restriction and more prescriptive professional audit standards may lead to a status quo in terms of audit quality produced, and therefore not welfare improving.

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There is much talk about the low productivity of Brazilian cattle ranching and the enormous extent of degraded pastures that the country has, including regions of sandy soils with less agricultural potential. Public and private institutions invest in research to find alternatives on how to increase productivity and mitigate the environmental impacts caused by cattle production. The objective of this study is to analyze the economic viability of pasture recovery systems in sandy soils, considering the model of production in degraded pastures, the production model with the São Mateus integrated system, and a model considering pasture renovation and maintenance with fertilizers and correctives. From the main models, alternative scenarios have been created modifying the main variables to understand under which condition a system is economically attractive or not. The results indicate that the São Mateus integrated system is the most profitable in the proposed scenario, followed by the production model in degraded pastures. The model considering renovation of pastures on sandy soils with fertilization and maintenance of fertility resulted to be economically unfeasible.
Muito se fala sobre a baixa produtividade da pecuária de corte brasileira e a enorme extensão de pastagens degradadas que o país possui, inclusive em regiões de solos arenosos com menor potencial agropecuário. Instituições públicas e privadas investem em pesquisa para buscar alternativas de como incrementar a produtividade e mitigar os impactos ambientais causados pela produção de bovinos. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a viabilidade econômica de sistemas de recuperação de pastagens em solos arenosos, considerando o modelo de continuidade de produção em pastagens degradadas, o modelo de produção com o sistema iLP (integração lavoura-pecuária) São Mateus, e um modelo considerando reforma e manutenção de pastagens com fertilizantes e corretivos. A partir dos modelos principais, foram criados cenários alternativos modificando as principais variáveis para entender sob qual condição um sistema é ou não atrativo economicamente. Os resultados indicam que o sistema iLP São Mateus é o mais rentável no cenário proposto, seguido do modelo de produção em pastos degradados. A reforma de pastagens em solos arenosos com adubação e manutenção da fertilidade se mostrou economicamente inviável.

Acceptance sampling plans by variables are a basic quality control technique. These plans provide economical procedures to determine the acceptability of batches of product. Most of these plans are based on a single quality characteristic and are of the classical type. This work concentrates on Bayesian variable acceptance sampling plans for fraction defective. Both destructive and non-destructive sampling procedures are considered. A set of decision points are estimated and employed to make decisions about the inspected lots. Techniques to dispose of the rejected lots are provided. Components of the expected total cost relative to various decisions are estimated. The sample size required to obtain the expected optimum cost is found. An untrue assumption implicit in the measurement of the quality characteristic of items sampled is that the observed dimensions are error free. The distributions, means, and variances of a set of parameters for error free and error prone sampling is listed. Computer programs written in FORTRAN 77 are developed to compute the decision points and the costs for both destructive and nondestructive testing. Precise Bays estimate of the costs and other economic parameters involve the moments of the fraction defective p raised to the kᵗʰ power. Mathematical expressions for the conditional expectations of p|x and p|ẋ are derived and a computer program to estimate these moments is provided. Producing quality items with minimum cost requires keeping a production process under control. The quality characteristic X of each item produced is determined and the sample means are plotted on an Ẋ-control chart. A production process is assumed to start in control at time t = 0 with specific values of the mean and standard deviation. The occurrence of a single or multiple cause-failures shift the process mean outside the control limits. During the search for the causes of failure, the process is either allowed to continue in operation or shut down until the assignable cause or causes are discovered. The expected duration of time during which the process is shut down and the additional time to be taken to repair the process are considered. Computer programs are provided to estimate the optimal sample size, the interval between successive samples, the control limits, the probability of type I error, the power of the chart, and the average time the process operates in the presence of an assignable cause. The parameters estimated are employed to estimate the optimal loss-cost. The economic design of Ẋ -charts assumes one quality characteristic of interest. However a product quality in most industrial products and processes is characterized by more than one quality characteristic where the application of a Ẋ -control chart for each variable is inappropriate. In this work a Hotellings T² control chart is employed to handle cases of where products are tested relative to several quality characteristics.

The main purpose of this report is to conduct an analysis with a view to determine the potential role and contribution of agriculture in region E. This report emphasises the agricultural impact in determining an economic development strategy for region E. It is therefore the aim of this report to provide a brief situation analysis and an interpretation of existing problems affecting development. The importance of the sector, implications of the spacial distribution, the structure, potential growth and the policy environment will be addressed. From the above, constraints, bottlenecks, the likely future demand, etc will be pointed out. The interpretation of the above and its implications for development is necessary to determine objectives for the aimed strategy. The strategy for region E is necessary in determining policies stressing economic growth and fair distribution of resources to enable the mass of the population to share in increased wealth and economic opportunities.
Region E economic development study

In these papers I discuss the causal estimation of the effects of fertility and fertility planning developments on mother and child outcomes. A number of concerns are raised with existing identification techniques, and alternative methodologies to consistently estimate the effect of interest are proposed. These concerns and new techniques are illustrated using microdata on slightly more than 43,000,000 births ocurring between 1972 and 2013. In the first substantive chapter (written with Sonia Bhalotra), we discuss the validity of the use of twin births in fertility research. We demonstrate that twin births are not random. Successfully taking twins to term depends upon positive maternal health behaviours and investments in the periods preceding birth. We show that this is of considerable concern for estimation techniques which rely on twin births being (conditionally) randomly assigned to identify causal effects. To illustrate, we consider the estimation of the child quantity-quality (QQ) trade-off, and show that existing instrumental variable estimates are inconsistent in the contexts examined. Upon partially correcting for the fact that twin births are not random, a statistically significant QQ trade-off begins to emerge. We close by examining a number of partial identification techniques to bound the true effect of fertility on child outcomes. In the second substantive chapter, I examine the effect of fertility control policies on the fertility decisions and outcomes of women. I consider the case of the emergency contraceptive pill in Chile. The staggered arrival of this technology to Chile over the last decade has resulted in the availability of the first safe and legal post-coital birth control policies. In a context of high teenage pregnancy rates, difference-in-difference (DD) style estimates suggest that this policy has accounted for reductions in short-term teen childbearing by as much as 7%, an effect similar to the arrival of abortion in the USA. This policy is also shown to reduce fetal deaths reported in early gestation with no similar reduction in late gestation: suggestive evidence that an alternative fertility control policy may reduce costly and dangerous illegal abortions. Finally, I turn to the use of DD estimators as a policy-analysis tool. I discuss how such estimators perform in the case of reforms which may not be sharply demarcated to treatment and control clusters, but rather subject to local spillovers or externalities. I propose an extension of the typical DD estimator: a spillover-robust DD estimator. This methodology is applied to estimate the effect of two localised fertility control reforms in Mexico and Chile, where women close to treatment clusters who were not themselves subject to the reform may nonetheless travel to access treatment.

In the novel, Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe examines a wide range of complex issues. Defoe takes the typical adventure theme and transforms it into a thought-provoking reflection of many issues involving society. A blending of economic and religious issues is created by first focusing on economy, then bringing the issue of religion in, and finally allowing for the portrayal of the interpenetration between each. Defoe proves that it is possible to live by economic practices and monetary values while still maintaining a good, moral character. The emphasis on economic issues is extremely apparent, as Defoe calls into question the concept of money and its value, as well as its place in society. Crusoe is first portrayed as a man defined by money and ruled by economic principles. Even when removed from society, he is impelled to practice many economic conventions, such as investment, moderation and the idea of profit. Defoe creates Crusoe to be so greatly influenced by money and the economy in the beginning so as to better emphasize the intertwining of his economic side with his religious side. The Christian values and morals of Crusoe dominate the latter part of the novel. He rediscovers the Bible and its teachings and learns the importance of repentance and giving thanks. The provocative progression in unveiling the many layers of Crusoe allows for the reader to see that the man they thought to be defined by money is rather a man trying to live by the Word of God.

It is evident that human activity has an important impact on climate. Constantly increasing energy demand is one of the biggest causes of climate change. The fifth assessment report of the Inter-governmental panel on climate change states that decarbonisation of electricity generation is a key component of climate change mitigation. Increased awareness of this fact and escalating concerns around energy security has brought public attention to the energy industry, especially sustainable power generation systems. Future energy systems may need to include hydrogen as an energy carrier in order to achieve necessary levels of CO2 emission reductions, and overcome the challenges renewable energy systems present. Fuel cells could be a corner stone of future hydrogen inclusive energy solutions. New solutions like fuel cells have to compete with existing technologies and overcome the shortcomings of emerging technology. Though these shortcomings are well-recognised, fuel cells also have many advantages which makes continued research and development in the field highly worthwhile and viable. Key to their adoption is the identification of a niche market to utilise their advantages while overcoming their shortcomings with continuous research and development. This thesis aims to evaluate some of the stationary fuel cell applications and determine whether one could become the niche market as an entry point for fuel cells. This is achieved by economic evaluations of real and hypothetical applications. Results of the studies here imply that to decrease the total life cycle impacts of fuel cells to more acceptable levels, resource use in the manufacturing phase and recycling in decommissioning should be shown more attention. Results also present a picture showing that none of the applications investigated are economically feasible, given the current state of technology and energy prices. However, fuel cell-based combined cooling, heating and power systems for data centres show the potential to become the niche market that fuel cells need to grow. A further conclusion is that a broad market, longer stack lifetime, the possibility of selling electricity back to the grid and governmental subsidies are essential components of an environment in which fuel cells can permeate through the niche market to the mainstream markets.

QC 20151210

With the move to a more market-oriented economy in China, there is evidence of increased inequality in the incomes earned by men and women. To explore this outcome, we turn to an aspect of Chinese society that is pervasive in both economic and social contexts, namely, the Chinese variant of social capital, guanxi. It appears that in an imperfect labour market characterised by frictions, such as restricted mobility, costly job search, and limited employment alternatives, the cultivation of guanxi is important in reducing these transaction costs. The notion that investing in social capital can enhance an individual's opportunities leads to the development of a theory of discrimination that may explain the gender inequalities accompanying marketisation in China, and might be more generally relevant. The model of earnings discrimination is premised on imperfect product and labour markets. Under these conditions, we show that differential wages for similarly productive workers is a profit maximising outcome for firms. We apply this theory in an attempt to explain the trend of increasing gender inequality in earned income in urban China during the current reform period. First, pre-labour market gender inequality is investigated through developing a model of parental investment in children's human capital to discern whether there are productive differences between men and women prior to entering employment. In 1995, household expenditure on children's education is affected by perceived future earnings differentials and support of parents in retirement. Regarding labour markets, an original survey designed to test our model of social capital was administered in urban China in early 2000 and pertained to 1999. We find that there are differences between men and women in their investment in guanxi that correspond to gender inequalities in earned income and rates of re-employment. Both empirical chapters provide evidence in accordance with the predictions of the theory.

L’objectif sous-jacent aux trois chapitres qui composent cette thèse, est une meilleure compréhension de l’incidence des politiques publiques dont les impacts diffèrent entre secteurs hétérogènes. Nous déclinons cette analyse à trois types de politiques publiques au cœur de la macro-économie contemporaine : (i) une politique environnementale (ii) une politique d’aide au développement et (iii) une politique de déficits jumeaux. A travers ces trois chapitres, nous soutenons que les impacts sectoriels des politiques jouent un rôle crucial dans l’évaluation des politiques et dans la détermination de la politique optimale. Le premier chapitre se concentre sur la taxe sur la pollution. Il fournit un modèle théorique qui explique pourquoi il existe une relation négative entre le revenu des ménages et leur soutien pour la taxe sur la pollution. Dans le deuxième chapitre, j’étudie les impacts macroéconomiques d’une politique d’aide au développement et je considère deux secteurs: secteur des biens échangeables (T-secteur) et le secteur des biens non-échangeables (N-secteur). Je considère deux types d’aide étrangère: (i) une aide distribuée par des transferts forfaitaires aux ménages et (ii) une aide destinée à financer les investissements publics. J'étudie l'impact de la libéralisation du marché des capitaux sur la forme optimale et la performance de l'aide au développement. Le troisième chapitre est centré sur les déficits jumeaux : un déficit de la balance courante induit par un déficit de l'équilibre budgétaire. L'analyse économétrique du papier montre que les pays ayant adopté une négociation salariée centralisée présentent des déficits jumeaux plus faibles que les autres. Ce chapitre fournit aussi un modèle théorique pour expliquer ces résultats empiriques
In this dissertation, I study the implications of policies with heterogeneous sectoral impacts in three separate research fields of macroeconomics: (i) environmental policy, (ii) foreign aid and (iii) the political economy of the twin deficits. Through the three chapters of this thesis, it is argued that, in all these three contexts, the sectoral impacts of policies play important roles in the policy evaluation and in the determination of optimal policy. In the first chapter, the policy of concern is the pollution tax. The paper provides a theoretical model to explain why in top income percentiles, there can be a negative relationship between household's income and their support for pollution tax. In the second chapter, I study the macroeconomic impacts of foreign aid and I consider two sectors: tradable sector (T-sector) and non-tradable sector (N-sector). I consider two forms of foreign aid: (i) aid which is transferred to the households and (ii) aid which is used to finance public investment. I investigate the impact of the liberalization of capital market on the optimal form and on the performance of foreign aid. In the third chapter, I consider the same sectors as in the second chapter : T-sector and N-sector. The focus of this chapter is rather on the political economy of the twin deficits: a deficit in current account induced by a deficit in fiscal balance. Econometric analysis of the paper finds evidence that wage centralization, in a cross-section of industrialized economies, is significantly associated with lower deficits in current account and budget balance. The paper provides a political economy framework to explain this empirical finding

Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide and has a detrimental impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and personal and social functioning. Despite this, there is insufficient knowledge of the costs, HRQoL implications relevant to BD, and the cost-effectiveness of current treatments for BD in the UK. This thesis aims to inform decisions about local and national service provision by applying a variety of health economic tools to build an economic case for BD. First, economic evaluations of BD management strategies are systematically reviewed. A cost-of-illness study is then conducted to estimate the societal burden of BD in the UK and explore the factors that drive variations in these costs. The appropriateness of applying the EQ-5D-3L outcome measure in BD is assessed, and the feasibility of mapping disease-specific measures to the EQ-5D-3L is explored. Finally, a cost-utility analysis (CUA) is conducted to bring together evidence on the costs and outcomes associated with alternative psychological interventions in BD management. This thesis makes critical contributions to multiple research domains, informing the allocation of scarce healthcare resources in this context. There is a sheer dearth of evidence on cost-effectiveness strategies for the long-term management of BD in the UK, especially the evidence for psychological therapies is limited. The annual societal costs associated with BD in the UK are estimated to be £5.14 billion, demonstrating the significant economic burden associated with this disease. The EQ-5D-3L instrument is found to be useful in measuring HRQoL in BD patients who predominantly experience depressive symptoms but is not sensitive enough to detect changes in individuals with mania. More psychometric evidence is therefore required before this instrument can be widely applied in economic evaluations of BD-related interventions. Finally, the CUA indicates that a novel structured psychoeducation intervention in individuals on remote mood monitoring in the UK is not cost-effective.

The thesis addresses the economic impacts of construction safety in Greece. The research involved the development of a methodology for determining the overall costs of safety, namely the sum of the costs of accidents and the costs of safety management failures (with or without accident) including image cost. Hitherto, very little work has been published on the cost of accidents in practical case studies. Moreover, to the author’s belief, no research has been published that seeks to determine in real cases the costs of prevention. The methodology developed is new, transparent, and capable of being replicated and adapted to other employment sectors and to other countries. The methodology was applied to three construction projects in Greece to test the safety costing methodology and to offer some preliminary evidence on the business case for safety. The survey work took place between 1999 and 2001 and involved 27 months of costing work on site. The study focuses on the overall costs of safety that apply to the main (principal) contractor. The methodology is supported by 120 discrete cost categories, and systematic criteria for determining which costs are included (counted) in the overall cost of safety. A quality system (in compliance with ISO9000 series) was developed to support the work and ensure accuracy of data gathering. The results of the study offer some support for the business case for safety. Though they offer good support for the economics of safety as they demonstrate need for cost effectiveness. Subject to important caveats, those projects that appeared to manage safety more cost-effectively achieved the lowest overall safety cost. Nevertheless, results are significantly lower than of other published works for two main reasons; first costs due to damages with no potential to injury were not included and second only costs to main constructor were considered. Study’s results are discussed and compared with other publish works.