本研究は中国農村部における貧困問題、特に2000年代以降の南西部少数民族地域の貧困と経済発展、および政府の貧困削減政策について研究するものである。世界銀行や中国国家統計局などの公的機関が公開したデータ、および研究対象地域で収集された農家家計や地域経済発展に関するデータを用いて、農村貧困の実態、政府による「精準扶貧」政策の実施と効果、少数民族地域貧困地域の生活と貧困、および自力で貧困状況を改善した地域の事例について分析した。 / This study sheds a light on the poverty issues in rural China from the 2000s, with a specific focus on the poverty and economic development in ethnic areas in south-western China, and the poverty alleviation policies implemented by the government. Utilizing the data published by organizations such as World Bank and National Bureau of Statistics of China, and the data collected from the research area, the following research questions are discussed: the actual conditions of poverty in rural China; the implementation and the effect of the governmental poverty alleviation policy, named Targeted Poverty Relief Strategy (jingzhun fupin); the livelihood and poverty of ethnic minorities living in deprived area; and the case study of a region which has lifted themselves out of poverty. / 博士(現代アジア研究) / Doctor of Philosophy in Contemporary Asian Studies / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

This thesis sheds light on the functioning and characteristics of payment systems to serve as a foundation for understanding the drivers for higher payment system efficiency. Its central goal is to develop insights into the determinants of collective payment choice suitable to lower payment costs to society. So far, the institutional environment, as potential important influence on the payment instrument mix, has not been focused on in the literature. Therefore, particular emphasis is laid on the empirical analysis of the impact of institutional factors on the share of card payments on consumer spending at the point of sale (POS). For this, a unique panel data set is constructed covering the eight most important European payment markets ranked by non-cash transaction volumes. The empirical results allow formulating conditions necessary to achieve a more efficient payment mix. They also form a basis for the assessment of related policy measures with a focus on the SEPA project in terms of their efficiency enhancing effect. Future research could possibly build upon the panel data collected.

This thesis sheds light on the functioning and characteristics of payment systems to serve as a foundation for understanding the drivers for higher payment system efficiency. Its central goal is to develop insights into the determinants of collective payment choice suitable to lower payment costs to society. So far, the institutional environment, as potential important influence on the payment instrument mix, has not been focused on in the literature. Therefore, particular emphasis is laid on the empirical analysis of the impact of institutional factors on the share of card payments on consumer spending at the point of sale (POS). For this, a unique panel data set is constructed covering the eight most important European payment markets ranked by non-cash transaction volumes. The empirical results allow formulating conditions necessary to achieve a more efficient payment mix. They also form a basis for the assessment of related policy measures with a focus on the SEPA project in terms of their efficiency enhancing effect. Future research could possibly build upon the panel data collected.:1 Introduction 1.1 Payment behaviour in selected European countries 1.2 Research question and approach 2 Foundations: Payment systems and markets 2.1 Functioning of payment systems 2.1.1 Payments, market participants and payment system 2.1.2 Payment instruments and methods 2.1.3 Clearing and settlement arrangements 2.1.4 First observations on obstacles to payment systems development 2.2 Network character of payment markets 2.2.1 Theories of networks 2.2.2 Demand-side network effects in payment markets 2.2.3 Two-sided markets and payment cards 2.2.4 Supply-side economies of scale and open access to infrastructure 2.2.5 Obstacles to payment system development 3 Efficiency of payment systems 3.1 Research on payment infrastructure costs 3.1.1 Efficiency of interbank retail payment systems 3.1.2 Efficiency of intrabank payment processing 3.1.3 Factors influencing infrastructure efficiency 3.2 Research on payment instrument costs at the POS 3.2.1 Methodology and classification of the literature 3.2.2 Estimates of payment costs at the POS 3.2.3 Indicative efficiency ranking of payment instruments 4 Research on payment instrument choice at the POS 4.1 Data sources and categorisation of payment choice determinants 4.2 Price characteristics of payment instruments 4.3 Non-price characteristics of payment instruments 4.4 Transaction attributes 4.5 Constraints on payment choice 4.6 Developing an institutional view of payment choice 5 Empirical analysis: Institutional determinants shaping the POS payment mix 5.1 Two-step modelling approach 5.2 Panel construction and exploration of key data series 5.2.1 Panel data collection and overview of variables 5.2.2 Card usage and cash holding 5.2.3 Payment card diffusion and POS terminal density 5.3 European card schemes and markets 5.3.1 Institutional data collection 5.3.2 Description of European card markets 5.3.3 Overview of institutional data series 5.4 Payment decision 5.4.1 Development of the model and possible extensions 5.4.2 Discussion of the regression results 5.4.3 Diagnostic tests 5.5 Sourcing decision 5.5.1 Diffusion of payment cards 5.5.2 Density of POS terminals 5.5.3 Cash holding and availability at ATMs 5.6 Conclusions: Institutional determinants of payment choice 5.6.1 Linking empirical and theoretical analysis 5.6.2 Route for further research 6 Prospects for an efficient European payment mix 6.1 Objectives for establishing a European payment markets 6.2 SEPA for cards regulatory framework 6.2.1 Regulatory ecosystem 6.2.2 Regulatory framework set by European authorities 6.2.3 Standardization industry initiatives 6.3 Remaining obstacles for an efficient payment mix and outlook Appendix 6.3.1 A–1: Credit- and debit-based payment mechanism 6.3.2 A–2: Multilateral settlement: Access, settlement assets and methods 6.3.3 A–3: Statistical properties of variables 6.3.4 A-4: Unit root tests References

Eine große Herausforderung für Verkehrsmodelle stellt die korrekte Abbildung der Entscheidungsmuster bei der Zielwahl dar. Diese bestimmt die räumlichen Strukturen der Nachfrage und steht in engem Zusammenhang mit zentralen Ergebnissen der Nachfragemodellierung. Rund ein Drittel der Alltagswege in Deutschland sind Einkaufs- und Erledigungwege. Zahlreiche Arbeiten zeigen die Bedeutung von habitualisierten Verhaltensmustern bei der Wahl eines Einkaufsortes. Die Motive der Geschäftswahl gelten als sehr vielfältig. Besondere Bedeutung wird zudem den Primäraktivitätenorten zugeschrieben. Gleichwohl erfolgt die Abbildung der Zielwahl in der Nachfragemodellierung zumeist sehr vereinfachend. Gewöhnlich wird von einem Versorgungseinkauf mit der Geschäftsgröße und der Anreisezeit ausgegangen. Diese Arbeit zeigt anhand empirischer Auswertungen Möglichkeiten einer verhaltensorientierten Abbildung der Einkaufszielwahl in mikroskopischen Personenverkehrsmodellen auf. Im Fokus stehen die Variabilität der Geschäftswahl, die ausschlaggebenden Motive sowie die räumlichen Bezugspunkte der Suche. Am Beispiel des Erwerbs von Nahrungs- und Genussmitteln, von Textilien sowie von Unterhaltungselektronik werden Unterschiede zwischen Einkaufswaren verschiedener Fristigkeit, aber auch zwischen verschiedenen Personengruppen herausgearbeitet. Simulationsrechnungen mit dem Nachfragemodell TAPAS zeigen, dass eine Differenzierung der Einkaufsart sowie die Nutzung eines motivgestützen Erreichbarkeitsmaßes die Modellierungsergebnisse stark verbessern. Die Arbeit stellt erweiterte Indikatoren für eine Berücksichtigung der räumlichen Bezugspunkte bei der Beurteilung der Modellierungsergebnisse bereit. Auch stehen mit den Analysen der Aktivitätenräume, der Umwegfaktoren, der Lage der Einkaufsorte sowie der kumulierten Reiseweiten Informationen zur Verfügung, die generell für die Definition adäquater Suchräume und Bezugspunkte für die Modellierung städtischer Untersuchungsgebiete genutzt werden können. / A major challenge in travel demand modelling is the correct representation of decision patterns underlying the choice of destinations. This choice determines the spatial structures of demand and is closely related to central modelling results. Around one third of everyday trips in Germany are for shopping and errands. Numerous studies show the importance of habitualised behavioral patterns when choosing a shopping location. The motives for choosing a shop are considered to be very diverse. Particular importance is attributed to primary activity locations. Nevertheless, the representation of the target choice in demand modelling is usually very simplified. Usually, a supply purchase is implicitly assumed, with the size of the shop and travel time from the previous location being the most important choice criteria. Using empirical analyses, this dissertation shows possibilities for a behavior-oriented depiction of shopping location choice in microscopic passenger transport models. These are discussed in terms of their usability for modeling. The analyses focus on the variability of destinations, the decisive motives and the spatial reference points of the location search. Using the example of the purchase of food and beverages, textiles and consumer electronics, differences between shopping goods of different periodicity and also different groups of people are presented. Simulation calculations with the demand model TAPAS show that a differentiation of the type of purchase and the use of a motive-based accessibility measure greatly improves the modelling results. The dissertation provides extended indicators for a consideration of spatial reference points in the evaluation of the modelling results. Furthermore, the analyses of activity areas, diversion factors, the location of shopping locations and cumulative travel distances provide information that can be generally used to define adequate search areas and reference points for the modelling of urban study areas.Einkaufsverhalten

In this paper, market participants’ tendency to form investor herds in the stocks listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market of Sweden is examined for the period from 2018 to 2023. The models used in this study to detect herd behavior in stocks consist of two measures of dispersions, Cross-Sectional Standard Deviation of returns (CSSD) and Cross-Sectional Absolute Deviation of returns (CSAD), which were proposed by Christie and Huang (1995) and Chang, et al. (2000), respectively. An equally-weighted index consisting of all of the stocks that have traded on this market during the period is created and a quantitative analysis is conducted. Evidence showed absence of herd behavior when using both models, as well as when accounting for robustness tests consisting of small, mid-and large cap portfolios. Our results also support the prediction of rational asset pricing models, which suggest that stock return dispersions around the market returns increase during periods of market stress.