This thesis looks at some important issues on applied microeconomic theory and industrial economics relating to two real industries: the Chinese TV-media market and the British home-energy market. The first chapter presents the main distinctive features of the Chinese TV media market that will be used as building blocks for the formal models that follow in chapters 3 and 4. We focus on the features of the Chinese TV channels, TV viewers and advertisers. The second chapter is a selective review of research which is relevant to the study of TV media. We present the definitions, features and intuitions of previous work which we combine to generate the new insights of our subsequent chapters, as well as the areas where further research is needed. The third chapter builds a formal model to study the competition in the Chinese TV advertising market. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the competition among different types of platforms in the TV-Advertising market and the Chinese context. The fourth chapter adds two-sided market features to existing political models in media economy as well as a focus on strategic pricing and quality decisions. We look into program quality and price competition in a two-sided market framework and how media competition affects the government's decision on political advertising. The fifth chapter is an independent chapter which investigates the competition and consumer behaviour in the UK home-energy market. We analyze a realistic long term contract structure observed on this market and focus on the effect of commitment to profitability and social surplus.

This thesis considers the impact of NAFTA on the Mexican economy primarily in relation to the perfomlance of the automobile indus.try (period 1993-2002), its impact on manuf;1cturing price cost margins (period 1994-2001) and its effect on inter-industry wage differentials (1994-2004). The first chapter describes Mexico's path to liberalization focusing on the trends of foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade flows in the post-NAFTA period. The second chapter studies the impact of trade on productivity and profitability of the Mexican automobile industry. The third chapter analyzes the dynamics of manufacturing price cost margins in the post-NAFTA period. The fourth chapter analyzes the effect of trade and FDI on inter-industry wage differentials. The main results of this thesis are: 1) productivity in the Mexican automobile industry did increase after NAFTA but this was due to the exiting of the least efficient firms from the industry. Furthermore, profitability in this industry decrease~ during the post NAFTA period. 2) NAFTA disciplined the Mexican manufacturing sector in the sense that price cost margins decreased gradually in the period under study. 3) Trade and FDI liberalization led to an increase in inter-industry wage differentials in the post NAFTA period.

No description available.

No description available.

This study seeks to explore the current understanding of the nature of failure in relation to an individual's zone of tolerance in the resort hotel context. Specifically, it aims to explore the acceptability of service problems based on the influence of attributes extracted from critically reviewing the service failure and zone of tolerance literatures. The main approach of the study involves developing a conceptual framework, based on a preliminary study and the previously reviewed literatures. These results show that different individuals have different perceptions with different variability in their zone of tolerance. Failure is seen as a difficult concept to judge as individuals have diverse perceptions of what constitutes a failure and when it starts. In addition, an initial negative encounter will predispose customers to future negative encounters. The research used two different approaches in the main study. The first used a qualitative study involving Critical Incident Technique (CIT), with the purpose of verifying the constructs identified in the proposed conceptual framework. The results confirmed the constructs tested and also identified a number of newly emergent constructs. This led to a revised conceptual framework to be tested in a larger scale, quantitative study. The quantitative study applied choice-based conjoint analysis via problematic scenarios where respondents performed a calculus in identifying which factors were perceived as the most important in leading to failure in resort hotels. The most significant findings are the identification of the salience of the attributes that have been shown to influence individuals' determination of the unacceptability of service problems, hence contributing to what is seen as failure. These are identified as issues relating to employee errors, problems being attributed internally, problems encountered in the later stage of the service experience, problems concerning high value for money, negative incidents encountered - especially on a repeat visit, for guests staying more than six nights and travelling with a spouse or friends. In addition, interaction effects between attributes and demographic segmentation analysis were also generated.

No description available.

No description available.

One of the most noticeable trends in the international economy since the 1950s, has been the emergence of regional economic blocs. Such blocs operate at varying levels of economic integration and cover all regions of the world. Since the collapse of the soviet union these trading blocs are dominated by the industrialised and developed nations, although developing countries in south America and Africa have initialised the process towards regional economic integration. These attempts are based on the belief that encouragement of free trade, reduction of trade barriers and increasing market freedom leads to increases in economic welfare of participating members. One noticeable omission to this process of regionalisation has been the countries of north Africa and the Middle east. These countries are marked by cultural, religious and political affiliations which would seem to provide a platform for economic co-operation. Egypt is a major economy within this potential regional grouping. To date little substantial progress has been made towards economic co-operation in the region. The thesis provides a summary of the background to economic union and considers, from an Egyptian perspective, the possible benefits of increased levels of economic integration within the region.

This study, conducted in the freight distribution market, aims to improve the management and understanding of service quality in an industrial context. A random sample of data collected from a large industrial service-providing organisation and its industrial customers is used to develop and test two major scales. The first, INDQUAL, measures industrial service quality, while the second, INDPROB, measures service quality in freight-specific problem areas. Using the scales, differences in service expectations, perceptions of performance and perceived service quality between and within organisational hierarchies are examined. A conceptual model illustrating potential discrepancies at the strategic, administrative and operational levels of the buyer-seller interface serves as a basis for the analysis. The possibility of profiling industrial customers based on their perceived service quality evaluations is also addressed. The results of the study are discussed, with particular emphasis being placed on their managerial implications. Finally, a number of suggestions for future research are outlined.

Contraband Trade can be defined as illicit trade between any two countries. For the purposes of this study Contraband Trade is divided into 'Technical Contraband Trade' (TCT) and 'Physical Contraband Trade' (PCT). TCT is defined as false invoicing of international trade, i.e. under-/over-invoicing of exports/imports. PCT is defined as complete unrecording of international trade. Thus TCT is partial evasion of tariffs and PCT is total evasion of tariffs. This is a quantitative and qualitative assessment of Indo-Sri Lanka Contraband Trade and Capital. The central research questions of this study are; (i) What is the extent of two-way Contraband Trade between India and Sri Lanka? (ii) What are the <I>modi operandi</I> of Indo-Sri Lanka Contraband Trade? (iii) What are the causes of Indo- Sri Lanka Contraband Trade? (iv) What are the effects of Indo-Sri Lanka Contraband Trade? (v) What are the policy options that can be derived from the causes and effects? TCT is detected at the partner-country data comparison method. This is an exercise in statistical detection of Contraband Trade. PCT is detected by the market price comparison method. Further, air passenger traffic data between India and Sri Lanka is used to estimate the total number of Contraband traders and the value of Contraband carried by air and sea are estimated by an interviewing method. By these methods the total value of two-way PCT between India and Sri Lanka is estimated. A study of Narcotic Drug (Heroin) Contraband Trade is undertaken using official data which is a one-way traffic from India to Sri Lanka. Further, a qualitative study of Corruption and Law Enforcement in Contraband Trade in Sri Lanka is undertaken using anecdotal evidence. Having established the quantitative and qualitative significance of Indo-Sri Lanka Contraband Trade the causes of such illegal trade are investigated employing an interviewing method. Next, the effects of Contraband Trade are studied applying the existing theories of economic welfare effects of Contraband Trade. Finally, from the causes and effects some policies to regularise or decriminalise Indo-Sri Lanka Contraband Trade are prescribed.