Cette dissertation aborde le concept mondialisation comme résultat d'une compétition politique, à travers une analyse des sources et conséquences de conflit, tout en mettant en lumière sa dimension socio-culturelle. Dans le cadre thématique de l'économie politique et de l'économie du développement, nous adressons un large éventail de sujets qui sont actuellement au centre du débat public. En particulier, j'explore les liens entre migrations et attitudes, aide et conflit, ainsi que les conséquences intergénérationnelles des conflits dans le développement économique. Je traite ces sujets de façon théorique et empirique, en utilisant un grand nombre de stratégies économétriques. La composante empirique de cette dissertation comprend une analyse de la migration et de la proximité culturelle sur plusieurs pays; une analyse à l'échelon sous-national de l'aide Chinoise en Afrique, et une analyse sur les conséquences de la guerre en Irak au niveau des ménages. / This dissertation sheds light on the concept of globalization as a result of political competition, analyzing the sources and consequences of conflict, as well as highlighting the socio-cultural dimensions of globalization. Under the thematic umbrella of political economics and economic development, I address a broad range of topics that have been at the center of the public debate in recent years. ln particular, I explore the links between migration and culture, attitudes, aid and conflict, and the inter-generational consequences of conflict for economic development. I address these subjects both theoretically and empirically, using a broad set econometric strategies. The empirical component of this dissertation comprises a global cross-country analysis of migration and cultural proximity, a sub-national analysis on Chinese aid in Africa, and a household-level analysis on the consequences of war in Iraq.

This thesis investigates three important themes within the development economics literature that link children, women and economic development. In the first essay we present an analysis of child labour among agricultural households in rural Nepal. We first examine the monetary contribution of child labour to family farms. For this purpose, within a non-separable agricultural household model we estimate a farm production function to obtain shadow wages for both children and adults employed on the farm. Our results reveal that the relative contribution of child labour to family income is not negligible. We then analyse child labour supply to explore whether it is driven by poverty or other reasons such as imperfections in the labour market. We estimate both a reduced form model and a structural equation model. This latter includes the estimated shadow wages and income from the previous analysis. Both models allow for an examination of how child labour supply reacts to a change in the opportunity cost of time and wealth. The reduced form results suggest that an increase in household's wealth (measured by land endowments) reduces child labour, specifically of girls. This result is consistent with the hypothesis of poverty-induced child labour in the presence of perfect labour markets. This decline, however, occurs for sufficiently high levels of wealth. Imperfections in the labour market may play a role in explaining child labour of boys and in households that are not at the top-end of the land distribution. Estimates of the structural labour supply model, however, yield results on wage and income elasticities that partly contradicts the theoretical predictions. In the second essay we analyse whether and how an increase in the participation of women in a key decision making body of local collective action institutions - the Executive Committee (EC) of Community Forest User Groups (CFUG) in Nepal - aspects forest protection, specifically household firewood collection. In many developing countries women are responsible for the collection and management of forest products essential to the daily lives of their household. Therefore they have stronger interests than men in ensuring the availability of these products. Despite this, women are often excluded from the decision-making process that sets out the rules to access and collect forest products within community forests. We account for the potential endogeneity of female participation and exploit an amendment made to the guidelines for CFUG formation that sets a higher threshold for women representation in the Executive Committee to evaluate the impact of women on firewood extraction. The results indicate that higher female participation in the ECs of CFUGs leads to a decrease in firewood extraction. This evidence is suggestive that women are prioritising conservation to ensure sustainable firewood extraction for their daily needs. In the third essay we analyse the short and long-term impact of violence on education in Timor Leste. Specifically, we examine the effect of the 1999 violence on school attendance in 2001 and its longer-term impact on primary school completion of the same cohorts of children observed again in 2007. We compare the educational impact of the 1999 violence with the impact of other periods of high-intensity violence during the 25 years of Indonesian occupation. The short-term effects of the conflict are mixed. In the longer term, we find evidence of a substantial loss of human capital among boys in Timor Leste exposed to peaks of violence during the 25-year long conflict. The evidence suggests that this result may be due to household trade-offs between education and economic welfare.

A number of developing countries have been on a quest to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) with the intention of increasing capital inflow through technological spillovers and transfer of managerial skills. FDI can increase economic growth and development of a country by creating employment, and by doing so, increasing economic activity that will lead to economic growth. South Africa is one of the economies that strive to attract more FDI inflows into the country to be able to improve its economy, and the country has adopted policies that drive the motive to attract FDI inflows. This study investigated the effect of FDI on sectoral growth over the period 1970–2014. The purpose was to find out where in the three key sectors of South Africa FDI is more significant. The review of theoretical and empirical literature on FDI revealed that FDI has a diverse effect on economic growth, both in developed and developing countries. Theoretical literature analysed the behaviour of multinational firms and the motive behind multinationals investing in foreign countries. According to Dunning (1993), firms have four motives to decide to produce abroad, namely natural resource-seeking, market-seeking, efficiency-seeking and strategic asset-seeking. Empirical studies on sectors show that FDI inflows affect different sectors in different ways, and that the agricultural sector does not usually gain from FDI inflows, whereas subsectors in the industry and services sector grow from receiving FDI inflows. Sectoral analysis revealed that the services sector receives more FDI inflows, when compared to the agriculture and industry sector. The study followed an econometric analysis technique to test the effect of FDI inflows on the agriculture, industry and services sectors. The augmented Dickey–Fuller and Phillips–Perron tests were used to test for unit root. Both tests revealed that variables were not stationary at level, but that they become stationary at first difference. Vector autoregressive (VAR) models were estimated, and four types of diagnostic tests were performed on them to check the fitness of the models. The tests showed that residuals of the estimated VARs were robust and well behaved. The Johansen cointegration test suggested there is cointegration and that there is a long-run relationship between variables. Following the existence of cointegration, the estimated Vector error correction model (VECM) results showed that FDI has a significant effect on the services and industry sector, but has a negative effect on the agricultural sector. Impulse response analysis results revealed the correct signs, and confirmed the VECM results. FDI inflows explain a small percentage of growth in agriculture and industry, but a sizable and significant percentage in the services sector. / Economics / M. Com. (Economics)

New technology and new innovations have for long been considered as a spring for growth. Conservation farming (CF) is a new production method introduced in rural Zambia and previous research shows that it increases yields and improves soil fertility. Even though the method is proven more efficient than conventional agriculture, only approximately 10 % of Zambia’s farmers have adopted the method. The purpose of this study is to discuss the implications of the introduction of CF on the capabilities of farmers and on economic growth. Furthermore, the study aims to explore why CF, which is proven to be more economically efficient than the conventional method, is not adopted to a larger extent in Zambia. A qualitative study of 25 farmers, farming with either CF or conventional methods, was performed in the region of Mumbwa, Zambia. The results were divided depending on whether the farmers were using the new method or not. To analyze the selected material theories were chosen that regard economic growth and technological change, the adoption process of new innovations, incentive creation and the expansion of capabilities. The two groups showed differences in age, the size of their land, how many crops they grew and to what extent they were working for others or hiring labor. The conclusion from the small sample of farmers is that the farmers using CF had been able to expand their capabilities in different ways. They had food for all the year, the new method allowed them to plan their time better and it was more environmentally sustainable than the old method. The negative aspect of CF is that it is not compatible with the old method in terms of social norms. CF leads to a more efficient use of capital and labor and therefore it can increase the economic growth. In terms of a new innovation, CF seems to have a relative advantage over the old method but it must be spread to a larger group of farmers to reach a breakthrough. To create a higher adoption rate of the method the farmers’ perception must be taken into account. / Minor Field Study (Sida)

In this study an analysis of the long-term equilibrium relationship between economic growth measured as real GDP growth and private capital inflows is explored. The link between private capital inflows and economic growth is well-documented in the literature. However, a void in the literature relates to examining the cointegrating relationship between private capital inflows and economic growth particularly for South Africa. It is widely claimed that private capital inflows foster economic growth by closing the savings/investment gap. However, clarity on this point is necessary because of the seemingly unclear nature of the relationship in the literature. The exact form of this relationship as well as the nature of capital flows that could impact on real growth requires further investigation. Moreover, what exactly happens to this relationship in an economic crisis such as recently recorded in the global financial crisis is not clear. The analysis is undertaken by employing cointegration and vector error correction modeling approach using quarterly data for the period 1989q4-2009q4. This study employs the Johansen (1998) cointegration test. This technique distinguishes itself since it establishes the long run relationship between variables. Thereafter, residual diagnostic checks are performed on the variables. Our results show among others, that private capital inflows have impacted positively on the growth of the South African economy. The areas for further research that emerge from this study include the effect of some government policies on economic growth that should also receive more attention in the future since political instability slows down investment.

Der Klimawandel ist eine globale Herausforderung, aber seine Auswirkungen sind besonders stark in Entwicklungsländern zu spüren. So erleiden arme Menschen deutlich höhere Verluste, weil sie Extremereignissen stärker ausgesetzt sind und weniger Ressourcen für Anpassung und Schockbewältigung haben. Trotz der weitreichenden Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf Haushalte in Entwicklungsländern ist die aktuelle Forschung zum Zusammenhang zwischen Klimawandel, Armut und Entwicklung begrenzt. Insbesondere die langfristigen Folgen von Wetterextremen für betroffene Haushalte sind wenig erforscht. Diese Arbeit soll dazu beitragen, die komplexen Zusammenhänge zwischen veränderten klimatischen Bedingungen und Entwicklung auf Haushaltsebene besser zu verstehen. Kapitel 2 befasst sich mit den unmittelbaren Folgen eines extremen Wetterereignisses für die Ernährungssicherheit, wobei Nahrungsmenge und -qualität untersucht werden. Es analysiert, inwieweit die Selbstversorgung mit Nahrungsmitteln die Einkommenselastizität für Ernährung verringern kann und zeigt die negativen Folgen eines Wetterschocks auf die Ernährungsqualität auf. Kapitel 3 befasst sich mit der Schockpersistenz. Basierend auf einem theoretischen Modell zeigt es negative Wachstumseffekte eines einmaligen extremen Wetterereignisses, zusätzlich zu den unmittelbaren Verlusten. Es zeigt auch, dass die Folgen von extremen Wetterereignissen stärker sind als die von anderen Schocks auf Haushaltsebene. Kapitel 4 analysiert das Einkommenspotenzial in der nicht-landwirtschaftlichen Kleinstselbstständigkeit. Selbst in diesem Kontext unvollständiger Märkte existieren robuste Bildungsrenditen. Das Kapitel zeigt außerdem verschiedene Übertragungskanäle auf. Zusammengenommen fordern diese Ergebnisse politische Maßnahmen, die den Nexus Klimawandel - Entwicklung auf unterschiedlichen Ebenen adressieren: Unmittelbare Katastrophenhilfe sowie längerfristige Anpassungsunterstützungen. / Anthropogenic climate change is a global challenge, but its effects are felt disproportionally in developing countries. As such, poor people incur significantly higher disaster-induced losses due to higher shock exposure and vulnerability as well as fewer resources for adaptation and recovery. Despite the far-reaching impacts of climate change on households in developing countries and the predicted aggravation of climate change outcomes, there is still little research focusing on the link between them. In particular, the long-term consequences of weather-related disasters on the livelihood of poor households are not well understood. This thesis aims to help our understanding of the complex links between changing climatic conditions and development for affected households. It sheds light on three different stages of the climate-change – development nexus. Chapter 2 is concerned with the immediate consequences of an extreme weather event for food security, focusing on dietary quantity and quality. It analyses to what extent food self-provisioning can help reduce the income elasticity of consumption and shows the negative effects of a weather-related disaster on dietary quality. Chapter 3 looks at shock persistence. Based on a theoretical model, it provides robust evidence for negative growth effects of a one-off extreme weather event, in addition to the immediate losses caused. It also demonstrates that the effects of extreme weather events are stronger than those of other household-level shocks. Chapter 4 analyses the income-earning potential in non-agricultural micro self-employment. It provides robust evidence for the existence of returns to education even in a context of petty self-employment, highlighting different transmission channels. Put together, these results call for policy action addressing all stages of the climate change – development nexus: Immediate disaster relief as well as longer-term mitigation and adaptation efforts.

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This dissertation empirically studies the interplay of government policies, finance, and economic development. More specifically, it considers the impact of corporate taxes on employment, of bank regulation on financial information sharing on banking stability and of banking crises on democracy. Two of the chapters focus on Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. The third one takes a more global perspective. Chapter 1 evaluates the impact of corporate income tax rates (CIT) on employment at the firm level for a sample of SSA countries. It finds that on average, firms employ more workers in countries with higher CIT rates. This is consistent with the fact that corporate tax revenues allow governments to provide public goods and infrastructure which are crucial to firm activities. We report estimation results to support this assumption. More specifically, while the marginal effect of CIT decreases with income level or with government expenditures, it increases with the level of democracy. Furthermore, we also find that the effect of CIT rates on employment works partially through improvements in the business environment in which firms operate. Chapter 2 assesses the effects of government policies setting the extent to which credit information on the credit history of borrowers is shared among lenders. It shows that credit information sharing stabilizes banks. Moreover, despite foreign banks having an informational disadvantage over domestic banks due to information frictions and would hence benefit more from credit information sharing, the results indicate that both types of banks are affected in the same way. This suggests that foreign banks rely on alternative strategies to compensate for their informational disadvantage in local markets. Lastly, Chapter 3 documents the impact of banking crises on the level of democracy. It provides evidence that democracy improves in the 10-year window following the occurrence of a banking crisis. The results also highlight the presence of several non-linearities. First, severe banking crises have larger effects on democracy than moderate ones. Second, the positive effect of banking crises on democracy is mostly driven by non-democratic countries. Finally, the bulk of the effect materializes from the third year after the crisis occurred. / Cette thèse étudie empiriquement l'interaction des politiques gouvernementales, de la finance, et du développement économique. Plus précisément, il examine l'impact de la fiscalité des entreprises sur l'emploi, de la réglementation bancaire relative au partage d'informations sur le crédit sur la stabilité bancaire, et des crises bancaires sur la démocratie. Les deux premiers chapitres se focalisent sur les pays d'Afrique subsaharienne. Le troisième adopte une perspective plus globale pour couvrir. Le premier chapitre évalue l'impact des taux d'imposition des sociétés (IS) sur l'emploi au niveau de l'entreprise pour un échantillon de pays d'Afrique subsaharienne. Ses résultats montrent qu'en moyenne, les entreprises emploient plus de travailleurs dans les pays où les taux de taxation des entreprises sont plus élevés. Cela s’explique par le fait que les recettes de l'impôt sur les sociétés permettent aux gouvernements de financer des biens publics et des infrastructures qui sont essentiels aux activités des entreprises. Nous présentons des résultats d'estimation pour soutenir cette hypothèse. Plus précisément, alors que l'effet marginal de l'IS diminue avec le niveau de revenu ou avec les dépenses publiques, il augmente avec le niveau de démocratie. En outre, nous constatons également que l'effet des taux d'IS sur l'emploi s'explique en partie par l'amélioration de l'environnement des affaires dans lequel opèrent les entreprises. Le second chapitre évalue les effets des politiques gouvernementales fixant la mesure dans laquelle les informations sur les antécédents de crédit des emprunteurs sont partagées entre les prêteurs. Il montre que le partage d'informations sur le crédit permet de stabiliser les banques. De plus, bien que les banques étrangères aient un désavantage informationnel par rapport aux banques nationales en raison de frictions d'information et bénéficieraient donc davantage du partage d'informations sur le crédit, les résultats indiquent que les deux types de banques sont affectées de la même manière. Cela suggère que les banques étrangères s'appuient sur des stratégies alternatives pour compenser leur désavantage informationnel sur les marchés locaux. Enfin, le chapitre 3 documente l'impact des crises bancaires sur le niveau de démocratie. Il fournit la preuve que la démocratie s'améliore dans la fenêtre de 10 ans suivant l’occurrence d'une crise bancaire. Les résultats mettent également en évidence la présence de plusieurs non-linéarités. Premièrement, les crises bancaires graves ont des effets plus importants sur la démocratie que les crises modérées. Deuxièmement, l'effet positif des crises bancaires sur la démocratie est principalement attribuable aux pays non démocratiques. Pour finir, l'essentiel de l'effet se matérialise à partir de la troisième année après la survenance de la crise. / Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

This research, has relevance in the wake of dwindling aid channelled to the third world rural poor. This study has explored ways of breaking away from benevolence and economism. The research explores four objectives that are focussed on scanning the boundary, in terms of challenges and possible solutions. This provides some in-depth understanding of challenges that face the process of establishing self-sustaining institutions of development. In the last two objectives, the research explores some programming alternatives that would enhance the establishment of democratic and participatory organisations that maximise social capital and grassroots democratisation. A list of guidelines specific to institutions has been drawn. The results of the survey reveal that sustainability cannot be predicted due to the uncertainties and ambiguities associated with project success. The hypothesis that participation and grassroots democratisation facilitates project success has been validated and there was greater project success in participatory organisations, given the baseline context. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

This thesis shows how the Process Analysis Method (PAM) can be applied to assess technologies used to mitigate arsenic from drinking water in rural India, using a set of sustainability indicators. Stakeholder perspectives, gathered from a fieldwork survey of 933 households in West Bengal in 2012, played a significant role in this assessment. This research found that the ‘Most Important’ issues as specified by the technology users are cost, trust, distance from their home to the clean water source (an indicator of convenience), and understanding the health effects of arsenic. It was also found that none of the ten technologies evaluated are economically viable, as many do not charge user-fees, which creates reliance upon donations to meet recurring costs. Utilisation of a technology is strongly related to sociocultural capital, but in many cases, features that contribute to sociocultural value, like regular testing of the treated water, are not included in the financial budget. It is suggested that increased awareness might change attitudes to arsenic-rich waste and its disposal protocols. This waste is often currently discarded in an uncontrolled manner in the local environment, giving rise to the possibility of point-source recontamination. All technologies proved to have difficulties in dealing with waste, except the Tipot and Dug wells which produce no waste. Of the methods considered, the BESU technology scored highest, but still only with 47-62% of the maximum scores achievable within each domain. This explains the widespread failure of mitigation projects across the region. The indicators and metrics show where improvements can be made. A model scheme based on these findings is outlined which could be applied with the objective of increasing utilisation and improving sustainability. It can be concluded that a product stewardship approach should be taken in regard to design, implementation and operation of the technologies, including the creation of a regulated toxic waste collection and disposal industry.