<p>The aim of this paper is to theoretically establish a framework for the basics of international trade between countries creating competitiveness. Since the environment in which trade takes place is changeable so is the concept of competitiveness. It is therefore argued in the paper that in order to understand the underlying factors of competitiveness one have to understand the environment in which trade takes place in. Today the concept of competitiveness will therefore be better understood by employing an industrial perspective. This approach can answer questions, which national aggregate estimates cannot. The question asked in the paper is; which industries in Europe, based on the assumptions of international trade theories is competitive? The European industries that came out as competitive were the one using high-skilled labor and produced or used ICT intensively in their production. The question also provided some answers to the always up-do-day wonder namely, in which direction European competitiveness is heading.</p>

<p>This essay investigates the development of the cash crop coffee. It gives a historical background of the good and shows how it developed to be one of the most important and traded community in the world. Tanzania’s position and how it came to that position in the world market is shown. During a three week field study in the Babati District in 2004, some interviews with coffee farmers were made. These interviews were made with interpreters and were gathered with the help from the LAMP project. The connection to Swedish coffee consumption is also shown. One of the results was that if farmers move on to grow organic coffee they could get a larger profit. There is also an increasing demand after organic coffee in countries as Sweden so LAMP instructs the farmers in Babati to start growing organic coffee. Another result was that the farmers in the Babati district intercropped their coffee with other crops to spread the risks and lower the dependence to the world coffee market.</p>

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar a evolução e os determinantes participação da agropecuária nos países da América do Sul (Argentina, Bolívia, Brasil, Chile, Colômbia, Equador, Guiana, Paraguai, Peru, Suriname, Uruguai e Venezuela) no período de 1960 até 2014, com foco nos anos a partir de 1990. Buscou-se avaliar por meio de modelos econométricos os determinantes da participação da agropecuária no crescimento econômico desses países de 1990 até 2014. Para tanto, considerou-se as vantagens comparativas dos países sul-americanos, levando em conta a disponibilidade de terras e a formação geológica desses países. A disponibilidade de capital e trabalho, outros fatores de produção além das terras, também foram incluídas na análise da evolução do setor agropecuário nos países supracitados. Analisou-se também a produção e balança comercial agrícola e pecuária desses países, importantes variáveis macroeconômicas de desempenho da atividade agropecuária. Outro ponto importante do trabalho é a comparação entre os dados de participação da renda de mineração e petróleo no PIB dos países da América do Sul com a participação da agropecuária nesse PIB, dando atenção especial à análise dessas participações na primeira década dos anos 2000. Os resultados obtidos na dissertação mostram que a Argentina, o Brasil, o Paraguai e o Uruguai (considerados como primeiro grupo) possuem inclinação para o setor agropecuário, apesar de que os dois primeiros países citados nesse grupo apresentarem relevante participação da mineração e do petróleo na renda desses países. Por outro lado, a Bolívia, o Chile, a Colômbia, o Equador, a Guiana, o Peru, o Suriname e a Venezuela, apresentaram aumento da participação dos setores de mineração e/ou petróleo em seus PIBs após os anos de 2000 e queda após a crise de 2008. Por fim, as regressões econométricas desenvolvidas comprovam que a participação da agropecuária no PIB dos países da América do Sul (com exceção da Argentina, da Guiana, do Suriname e da Venezuela) depende positivamente da relação entre preços agropecuários e preços não agropecuários. Há indícios de que essa relação depende inversamente da produtividade do setor industrial e positivamente da própria produtividade do setor agropecuário. / The purpose of this study is to analyze the evolution of agriculture in the countries of South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela) after the 1960s until 2014, focusing on the years from 1990. We pursue to evaluate through econometric models the determinants of agriculture\'s contribution to economic growth in these countries from 1990 until 2014. It was analyzed the comparative advantages of the South American countries, considering the land resources and geological formation of the countries. The availability of the resources capital and labor, other factors of production in addition to the land, were also included in the analysis of the evolution of the agricultural sector in the countries mentioned above. Another topic of this research is the agricultural production, agricultural and livestock trade balance in these countries, relevant macroeconomic variables that measure the performance of agricultural activity. Another point of the study is the comparison between the participation of mining and oil income in the GDP of the South American countries with the participation of agriculture and livestock in this GDP, paying special attention to the analysis of these participations in the first decade of the 2000s. This analysis proves that Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (considered as the first group) are inclined to the agricultural sector, although the first two countries mentioned in this group present a significant participation of mining and oil in the income Countries. On the other hand, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela showed an increase in the share of mining and / or petroleum sectors in their GDPs after the After the crisis of 2008. Finally, the developed econometric regressions show that the share of agriculture in GDP of South American countries (except Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela) depends on positively the relationship between agricultural prices and non-agricultural prices and the actual productivity of these sectors. There are indications of that this relationship depends inversely on the productivity of the industrial sector and positively on the productivity of the agricultural sector.

This thesis examines labour conditions in Vietnam, and the impact of Swedish investments and trade on these conditions. The thesis is a qualitative investigation that includes a theoretical and an empirical part. The theories we use are international trade theory, focusing on comparative advantage and the Heckscher-Ohlin theory. We also utilise Solow’s growth model and the theory about FDI. The concept of social dumping and the effect of imposing a social clause is also discussed. We are using the ILO’s eight core conventions about minimum standards on labour conditions as a measuring instrument. Three Swedish lead multinational corporations have been chosen for the investigation, namely ABB, Ericsson and IKEA. Swedish companies currently have only small investments in Vietnam, but co-operation between the two countries have existed for a long time. Sweden is known to have good labour conditions and it is interesting to see if these are transferred through the Swedish companies. To investigate the labour situation in Vietnam, we have also conducted interviews with people working on these issues at ministries, UN organisations and representatives for trade unions.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine Turkey&rsquo / s export competitiveness in the first 15 members of the European Union (EU-15 market) against non-EU-15 competitors. The study covers the recent period since the Customs Union agreement signed between Turkey and the EU at the end of 1995. Turkey&rsquo / s position in the EU-15 market is analyzed in detail by focusing upon major dimensions of export competitiveness / such as &lsquo / export similarity&rsquo / , &lsquo / export diversification&rsquo / , &lsquo / intensive and extensive margins&rsquo / , &lsquo / revealed comparative advantages&rsquo / , &lsquo / dynamic market positioning&rsquo / and &lsquo / competitive threat&rsquo / . We use various indexes from the literature and develop some original indexes as our own contributions. In terms the subject-matter, time dimension and data-detail of our study, all indexes utilized in this thesis are applied to Turkey&rsquo / s case for the first time. Examining price and quantity differences across countries and within each industry, Turkey&rsquo / s competitive position in the EU-15 market is analyzed as compared to 30 countries for more than 3000 export-product groups classified according to their technological characteristics. Based on the results, suggestions at the levels of countries, products and technological categories are made for Turkey to improve its export strategy in terms of seizing the existing but unexploited opportunities in the EU-15 market against its competitors. Policy possibilities are also discussed for directing Turkey&rsquo / s competitiveness towards higher value-added products in a rational and strategic way.

This essay investigates the development of the cash crop coffee. It gives a historical background of the good and shows how it developed to be one of the most important and traded community in the world. Tanzania’s position and how it came to that position in the world market is shown. During a three week field study in the Babati District in 2004, some interviews with coffee farmers were made. These interviews were made with interpreters and were gathered with the help from the LAMP project. The connection to Swedish coffee consumption is also shown. One of the results was that if farmers move on to grow organic coffee they could get a larger profit. There is also an increasing demand after organic coffee in countries as Sweden so LAMP instructs the farmers in Babati to start growing organic coffee. Another result was that the farmers in the Babati district intercropped their coffee with other crops to spread the risks and lower the dependence to the world coffee market.

<p>This thesis examines labour conditions in Vietnam, and the impact of Swedish investments and trade on these conditions. The thesis is a qualitative investigation that includes a theoretical and an empirical part. The theories we use are international trade theory, focusing on comparative advantage and the Heckscher-Ohlin theory. We also utilise Solow’s growth model and the theory about FDI. The concept of social dumping and the effect of imposing a social clause is also discussed. We are using the ILO’s eight core conventions about minimum standards on labour conditions as a measuring instrument. Three Swedish lead multinational corporations have been chosen for the investigation, namely ABB, Ericsson and IKEA. Swedish companies currently have only small investments in Vietnam, but co-operation between the two countries have existed for a long time. Sweden is known to have good labour conditions and it is interesting to see if these are transferred through the Swedish companies. To investigate the labour situation in Vietnam, we have also conducted interviews with people working on these issues at ministries, UN organisations and representatives for trade unions.</p>

The aim of this paper is to theoretically establish a framework for the basics of international trade between countries creating competitiveness. Since the environment in which trade takes place is changeable so is the concept of competitiveness. It is therefore argued in the paper that in order to understand the underlying factors of competitiveness one have to understand the environment in which trade takes place in. Today the concept of competitiveness will therefore be better understood by employing an industrial perspective. This approach can answer questions, which national aggregate estimates cannot. The question asked in the paper is; which industries in Europe, based on the assumptions of international trade theories is competitive? The European industries that came out as competitive were the one using high-skilled labor and produced or used ICT intensively in their production. The question also provided some answers to the always up-do-day wonder namely, in which direction European competitiveness is heading.

O mercado da carne bovina na China sofreu grandes transformações nos últimos anos, quando o país passou a ser um dos maiores importadores mundiais, apresentando assim oportunidades para os países exportadores. A competitividade de Austrália, Brasil e Estados Unidos, os três principais players que participaram deste mercado nos últimos 20 anos, foi avaliada utilizando o índice de Vantagens Comparativas Reveladas (IVCR). Consideraram-se as importações de carne bovina in natura realizadas via China continental, via Hong Kong e no total de ambos. Os resultados mostraram que o Brasil foi o país mais competitivo ao longo da série, mas seus resultados devem-se às exportações de carne congelada realizadas via Hong Kong. A Austrália é competitiva em ambos mercados, em especial na China continental, se mostrando também o mais competitivo fornecedor de carne resfriada, enquanto que os Estados Unidos tiveram sua competitividade comprometida pela ocorrência do surto de EEB em 2003. Os resultados mostram que a ocorrência de adversidades sanitárias foi o evento mais importante da série, sendo capaz de causar alterações duradouras na competitividade de todos os players. / Beef market in China has undergone major changes in recent years as the country has become one of the largest importers in the world, thus offering opportunities for exporting countries. The competitiveness of Australia, Brazil and the United States, the three main players that participated in this market during the last 20 years, was evaluated using the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index. For this analysis were considered imports of fresh beef imported by mainland China, Hong Kong and the Total of both. The results showed that Brazil was the most competitive country during the series, but its performance is linked to exports of frozen beef made through Hong Kong. Australia is competitive in both markets, especially in mainland China, and is also the most competitive supplier of chilled beef. The United States had its competitiveness in both markets jeopardized by the occurrence of a BSE outbreak in 2003. The results show that the occurrence of sanitary adversities was the most important event of the series, being able to cause long-lasting changes in the competitiveness of all players.

O mercado da carne bovina na China sofreu grandes transformações nos últimos anos, quando o país passou a ser um dos maiores importadores mundiais, apresentando assim oportunidades para os países exportadores. A competitividade de Austrália, Brasil e Estados Unidos, os três principais players que participaram deste mercado nos últimos 20 anos, foi avaliada utilizando o índice de Vantagens Comparativas Reveladas (IVCR). Consideraram-se as importações de carne bovina in natura realizadas via China continental, via Hong Kong e no total de ambos. Os resultados mostraram que o Brasil foi o país mais competitivo ao longo da série, mas seus resultados devem-se às exportações de carne congelada realizadas via Hong Kong. A Austrália é competitiva em ambos mercados, em especial na China continental, se mostrando também o mais competitivo fornecedor de carne resfriada, enquanto que os Estados Unidos tiveram sua competitividade comprometida pela ocorrência do surto de EEB em 2003. Os resultados mostram que a ocorrência de adversidades sanitárias foi o evento mais importante da série, sendo capaz de causar alterações duradouras na competitividade de todos os players. / Beef market in China has undergone major changes in recent years as the country has become one of the largest importers in the world, thus offering opportunities for exporting countries. The competitiveness of Australia, Brazil and the United States, the three main players that participated in this market during the last 20 years, was evaluated using the Revealed Comparative Advantage Index. For this analysis were considered imports of fresh beef imported by mainland China, Hong Kong and the Total of both. The results showed that Brazil was the most competitive country during the series, but its performance is linked to exports of frozen beef made through Hong Kong. Australia is competitive in both markets, especially in mainland China, and is also the most competitive supplier of chilled beef. The United States had its competitiveness in both markets jeopardized by the occurrence of a BSE outbreak in 2003. The results show that the occurrence of sanitary adversities was the most important event of the series, being able to cause long-lasting changes in the competitiveness of all players.