The return of Māori land to a productive role in the New Economy entails the innovation and diffusion of technologies relevant to the sustainable development of this land. Sustainable development requires substantive changes to current land and resource use to mitigate environmental degradation and contribute to ecological and sociological resilience. Such innovation is emerging in 'New Economic Space' where concerns for cultural resilience have arisen as political-economic strategies of the New Economy converge within a global economic space. New Economic Space comprises policy, technology and institutional innovations that attempt to influence economic activity, thus directly engaging with local 'place-based' expressions of geohistorically unique knowledge and identity. This thesis approaches contemporary Māori development from three perspectives. First, by viewing the changing links between ecosystems and communities as examples of innovation diffusion, the evolution of relevant policies, technologies and institutions can be examined for their impact upon Māori resilience. Second, such innovation diffusion can be described as a form of regional development, acknowledging the integral role of traditional territories in Māori identity and culture as well as the distinct legislative and governance contexts by which this land is developed. Third, by incorporating the geohistorical uniqueness of Māori ideas, values and beliefs, standard concepts of political-economy can be reformulated to show an explicit cultural economy – Māori Traditional Economic Space – in which Māori horticulturalists participate in parallel with the New Economy. Two methods are used in the analysis of the participation by Māori horticulturalists in New Economic Space. Fuzzy set/Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fs/QCA) allows the rigorous investigation of small-N studies of limited diversity for their partial membership in nominated sets. This thesis uses fs/QCA to organise theoretical and substantive knowledge of each case study to score its membership in agri-food networks, Māori institutions and post-production strategies, allowing the identification of causal configurations that lead to greater resilience for Māori growers and their communities. The second method is Actor-Network Theory (ANT) that incorporates elements of nature and society, showing the extensive and dynamic entwinement that exists between the two. ANT describes the enrolment of diverse 'actants' by a range of eco-social institutions and the subsequent translation of the resulting assemblages into resilience strategies. The results of this research first show a 'System of Provision' (SOP) in which Māori development strategies converge with non-Māori attempts to expand research and marketing programmes. These programmes seek to implement added-value strategies in supplying novel horticultural products within New Economic Space; parallel 'cultural logics' ensure food is supplied to traditional Māori institutions according to the cultural logics of Māori. In addition to this finding, results also show that the participation of Māori growers in New Economic Space can paradoxically lead to an expansion of the Traditional Economic Space of Māori. This expansion is not simply contingent upon configurations of policy, technology, and institutional innovations that originate in New Economic Space but is directed by Māori cultural logics, located in Māori territories but seeking innovations from an amorphous universal 'core'. The interface between the global New Economy and the localities of a Māori cultural economy is defined by the 'interrogation' of these innovations, and innovators, through eco-cultural institutions in their diffusion to and from Māori land, Māori resources and Māori people. Within the boundaries of this interrogation border resides a malleable assemblage of actants, enrolled by Māori as components of resilience strategies, which can lead to the endurance of Māori culture.

In his assessment of the theory development within international market entry mode, Cumberland (2006) outlines the importance of devoting more attention to the research linking the theoretical level and the operational level. Other researchers have shown the performance of a firm is highly affected by its internationalisation process and selecting the right entry mode is one of the most critical managerial decisions. Despite many years of interest from researchers, the entry choice strategy area is still considered a frontier issue. Researchers have suggested that managing risk is one of the major strategic objectives for managers of multinational firms. Furthermore, risk is regarded as a key determinant in relation to entry mode choice. Research has found that the various risk variables should be regarded as an integrated measure in relation to entry mode choice and not single measures. By looking at a single risk variable, the firm might analyse the situation incorrectly, which may lead to an incorrect entry mode. This study investigates the relationship between entry mode choice, perceived risk and risk tolerance for Danish firms entering Central and Eastern Europe by using a probabilistic model. The results indicate risk should be regarded as an integrated measure in relation to entry mode. Despite not all risk variables showing significant correlation with entry mode, some relations were found. The preferred model for predicting entry mode included years of CEE experience, number of competitors, cultural difference, consumer taste and future market potential. In addition, the analysis showed that Danish firms generally are relatively risk averse. Regardless of entry mode, the analysis showed that Danish firms regard CEE as politically stable and do not see a potential risk in government involvement in their activities. Furthermore, Danish firms experience relatively high and increasing competition in CEE, however, they indicate the same methods are available for marketing in CEE as in Denmark.

Notable structural changes have taken place in the world sheepmeat market over the 1960-80 period. Imports into the major consuming countries of the EEC are declining as a result of changing tastes, higher import barriers and other factors. World exports have steadily increased however, and sales diversified into a number of alternative, expanding markets. Little quantitative information exists on these markets. An econometric model was constructed to analyse the changes on a global basis. The model covers production, consumption and trade in the main importing and exporting regions over a twenty one year period. These components form a dynamic, simultaneous system which solves for the world price. It allows the impact of changes in any particular market to be evaluated in terms of the effect on other markets and international prices. Simulation analysis is employed to test the effects of various shocks to the market, and to evaluate the impacts of certain policy changes, such as those recently implemented in the EEC. The changes are assessed against a Base simulation, which also provides a forecast of the market situation through the 1980's. From the conclusions various policy implications are drawn with respect to NZ's exports.

Este estudo teve como meta propor uma metodologia que permitisse avaliar, quantitativamente, os impactos de barreiras não-tarifárias (BNTs), em especial as técnicas e sanitárias, sobre os volumes e preços das vendas externas de carne bovina brasileira. O período de análise compreendeu desde o mês de janeiro de 1992 a dezembro de 2000, tendo-se considerado dois mercados especificamente: o dos cortes especiais de traseiro e dianteiro destinados à União Européia e o do corned beef para os EUA. Os dados básicos utilizados foram cedidos pela Associação Brasileira de Indústrias Exportadoras de Carnes Industrializadas (ABIEC). A hipótese deste trabalho foi a de que as questões técnicas/sanitárias interferem nas vendas externas de carnes bovinas do Brasil. Essa interferência dá-se sobre os volumes transacionados, os preços de negociação ou sobre ambos. Para a consecução do objetivo exposto foi, inicialmente, realizado um levantamento dos métodos já utilizados para mensurar efeitos de barreiras comerciais. Não foi encontrado um instrumental específico que atendesse à proposta deste trabalho. Assim, optou-se por construir um modelo reduzido para vendas externas desses produtos. Foram estimadas regressões visando identificar a influência das principais variáveis de oferta e demanda domésticas e da demanda internacional. A partir desses modelos, foi conduzida uma análise do comportamento dos resíduos, para identificação de outliers que pudessem refletir impactos de eventos de natureza sanitária ou de outros com caráter exógeno, não captados pelas variáveis explicativas. Uma vez constatados resíduos anormais, associados a eventos de interesse para este estudo, foram ajustados modelos de intervenção, de forma a permitir obter estimativas desses impactos diretamente sobre as séries de preços e volumes e estabelecer o padrão de influência da intervenção. Para a seleção das variáveis explicativas e dos eventos de interesse elaborou-se uma descrição detalhada sobre o mercado exportador do produto e seus fatores determinantes, domésticos e externos. Além da revisão de literatura, foram aplicados questionários e realizadas entrevistas junto ao setor exportador dessas carnes. Verificou-se que grande parte das variações nos volumes e preços das vendas externas foram explicadas pelas variáveis representativas dos fundamentos do mercado, como taxa de câmbio, preço do boi gordo, renda do Brasil, preços de países concorrentes, entre outras. Foram obtidos coeficientes de determinação elevados tanto para os modelos para cortes especiais quanto para os de corned beef. Para o volume e preços de exportação do corned beef destinado aos EUA também mostraram-se significativos os coeficientes dos preços médios de exportação brasileira desse produto para a UE. A maior parte da variação naqueles preços foi explicada por variáveis da demanda externa. No caso do modelo de intervenção para preços dos cortes especiais, a intervenção em março de 1995 mostrou-se significativa, com efeito de reduzir os preços, durante três meses. Este efeito pode estar relacionado à proibição das importações européias de carne de São Paulo e Minas Gerais naquele período. De modo geral, as intervenções relacionadas a eventos sanitários não se mostraram significativas ou não apresentaram resultados conclusivos. Possivelmente, a utilização de dados regionalizados para Circuitos Pecuários poderia gerar resultados mais claros sobre os impactos desses eventos. / This research aimed to develop a methodology to evaluate quantitatively non-tariff barriers impacts, mainly technical and sanitary, on the quantities and prices of Brazilian beef foreign sales. The analysis was implemented for the period from January/1992 to December/2000, considering two specific markets: European Union market for special beef cuts (chilled or frozen.) and the United States market for corned beef. Export basic data were provided by Associação Brasileira de Indústrias Exportadoras de Carnes Industrializadas (ABIEC). This study’s hypothesis was that technical/sanitary issues influence the Brazilian beef exports. The impact is expected either on transaction volumes, prices or both. In order to reach the objective the methods already employed to measure trade barriers effects were reviewed. No specific instrument to apply to this study proposition was found. Then, a reduced form model was built to explain the products external sales. Regressions were estimated in order to identify the influence of main domestic supply and demand variables as well as international demand factors. The residuals of those models were analyzed to indentify the outliers that could reflect impacts of sanitary and other exogenous events, not measured by the explanatory variables. Since abnormal residuals were found, that could be related to relevant events. Intervention models were adjusted to permit to obtain impact estimates directly on prices and quantities series and stablish the intervention influence pattern. A detailed description on beef export market and its determinants, both internal and external was presented. Besides the literature review, questionnaires were applied to beef exporting industries. Results show that a great part of external sales volume and price variations were due to market fundamental variables, like exchange rate, cattle price, Brazil income, prices of competitive countries and others. High determination coefficients were observed both for special cuts and corned beef models. Coefficients for average prices of Brazilian corned beef exports to European Union were significant to explain prices and volumes of corned beef exports to USA. Most of those prices variations were due to external demand variables. In the intervention model analysis for special cuts, the 1995 March point was significant, indicating a reduction effect on those product prices, for three months. This effect can be related to the embargo of European imports to the São Paulo and Minas Gerais States beef exports, during that period. In general, interventions results related to sanitary events were not significant or conclusive. Possibly, data regionalization for Cattle Circuits could generate clear results on those events impacts.

<div> <p>First Essay: We study the effect of entry of ethanol plants on the spatial pattern of corn prices. We use pre- and post-entry data from corn elevators to implement a clean identification strategy that allows us to quantify how price effects vary with the size of the entrant (relative to local corn production) and with distance from the elevator to the entrant. We estimate Difference-In-Difference (DID) and DID-matching models with linear and non-linear distance specifications. We find that the average-sized entrant causes an increase in corn price that ranges from 10 to 15 cents per bushel at the plant’s location, depending on the model specification. We also find that, on average, the price effect dissipates 60 miles away from the plant. Our results indicate that the magnitude of the price effect as well as its spatial pattern vary substantially with the size of the entrant relative to local corn supply. Under our preferred model, the largest entrant in our sample causes an estimated price increase of 15 cents per bushel at the plant’s site and the price effect propagates over 100 miles away. In contrast, the smallest entrant causes a price increase of only 2 cents per bushel at the plant’s site and the price effect dissipates within 15 miles of the plant. Our results are qualitatively robust to the pre-treatment matching strategy, to whether spatial effects are assumed to be linear or nonlinear, and to placebo tests that falsify alternative explanations.</p><p><br></p></div> <p>Second Essay: We estimate the cost of transporting corn and the resulting degree of spatial differentiation among downstream firms that buy corn from upstream farmers and examine whether such differentiation softens competition enabling buyers to exert market power (defined as the ability to pay a price for corn that is below its marginal value product net of processing cost). We estimate a structural model of spatial competition using corn procurement data from the US state of Indiana from 2004 to 2014. We adopt a strategy that allows us to estimate firm-level structural parameters while using aggregate data. Our results return a transportation cost of 0.12 cents per bushel per mile (3% of the corn price under average conditions), which provides evidence of spatial differentiation among buyers. The estimated average markdown is $0.80 per bushel (16% of the average corn price in the sample), of which $0.34 is explained by spatial differentiation and the rest by the fact that firms operated under binding capacity constraints. We also find that corn prices paid to farmers at the mill gate are independent of distance between the plant and the farm, providing evidence that firms do not engage in spatial price discrimination. Finally, we evaluate the effect of hypothetical mergers on input markets and farm surplus. A merger between nearby ethanol producers eases competition, increases markdowns by 20%, and triggers a sizable reduction in farm surplus. In contrast, a merger between distant buyers has little effect on competition and markdowns.</p><p><br></p> Third Essay: We study the dynamic response of local corn prices to entry of ethanol plants. We use spatially explicit panel data on elevator-level corn prices and ethanol plant entry and capacity to estimate an autoregressive distributed lag model with instrumental variables. We find that the average-sized entrant has no impact on local corn prices the year of entry. However, the price subsequently rises and stabilizes after two years at a level that is about 10 cents per bushel higher than the pre-entry level. This price effect dissipates as the distance between elevators and plants increase. Our results imply that long-run (2 years) supply elasticity is smaller than short-run (year of entry) supply elasticity. This may be due to rotation benefits that induce farmers to revert back to soybeans, after switching to corn due to price signals the year the plant enters. Furthermore, our results, in combination with findings in essay 2 of this dissertation, indicate that ethanol plants are likely to use pricing strategies consistent with a static rather than dynamic oligopsony competition.

Risk, and how one proceeds with uncertainty, are key indicators of behavior. In particular, in observing farmers, risk perception is found to influence the decision to innovate and adopt new crops (Ghadim et al., 2005). Farmers who are more risk-averse tend to be later adopters of new crops, while risk-loving farmers tend to be first adopters (Barham et al., 2014). As such, the recent legal shifts in hemp production laws have prompted many growers eager to test out the crop to do so. A vast majority of current licensees planted less than 50 acres to start, despite being mostly corn and soy producers—implying large acreage access. The American ‘hemp rush’ provides us with a real-time display of adoption behavior and its gendered implications.

<p>\textbf{Chapter 1}\\</p> <p>This paper explores the implications of the mismatch hypothesis in the context of the labor market using a survey on newly licensed US lawyers called the After the JD Study. Using a triple difference approach, I measure the impact of diversity quotas on marginal minority workers’ future salaries, promotion rates, and leaving rates for occupation and job. With middling statistical power, my findings are in line with the mismatch hypothesis in that beneficiaries of the diversity quota policy are made ex-ante worse off. My findings are also in line with recent literature on diminishing racial outcome gaps by skill.</p> <p><br></p> <p>\textbf{Chapter 2}\\</p> <p>In this paper, we provide theoretical framework for three models of Digital Media Firm behavior called \textit{Premium}, \textit{Free-to-Play}, and \textit{Play-to-Earn} as well as suggest an empirical measure of firm ponzi-likeness. First, we study a baseline model optimal price and quality of a digital product, the premium model. Second, we extend the baseline model where some customers, called minnows, receive the product for free and other customers, called whales, pay a price for a better version of the product, this is the free-to-play model. Finally, we explore a model where customers receive a security-like asset from the firm and this asset acts like a negative price while also subsidizing the firm's revenue. This final model provides an environment for much research. We show that, even when firms are ponzi-schemes in this final model, quality of the product need not be at a minimum. We also briefly discuss how one would measure the ponzi-likeness of a digital media firm in the third model setting. </p> <p><br></p> <p>\textbf{Chapter 3}\\</p> <p>In this paper, I explore unique measures of racial prejudice and their impact on black wages in the labor market using the General Social Survey, Current Population Survey and the NLSY79. I generate two variables to proxy for racial prejudice which are extracted from the GSS and the NLSY79. The first variable, drawn from the GSS, measures prejudice sentiment towards blacks and the second, drawn from the NLSY79, measures individual experience with racial discrimination. I use these measurements to proxy for racial prejudice and its impact on the black-white wage gap. I find that these variables are two distinctly different measures of racial discrimination in the labor market, providing a powerful instrument for measuring racial discrimination in the labor market. They also provide the insight that, while racial prejudice may be high in certain occupations and regions, this sentiment does not directly impact black outcomes. Specifically, wages are more sensitive to racial prejudice in WC jobs than in BC jobs. </p>

<h2><br></h2> <p>This dissertation consists of distinct but related essays that delve into the impacts of changing economic conditions and climate mitigation policies on household consumption, health, and welfare outcomes. The first essay examines the effect of variations in economic factors, such as home values, on unhealthy consumption behaviors in the U.S. The second essay examines the distributional effects and possible health advantages of climate mitigation policies in India. The findings in this dissertation have significant implications for preventive health and environmental justice policies, particularly concerning vulnerable populations. </p> <p>The first essay of this dissertation investigates the impact of home value fluctuations on household tobacco and alcohol consumption in the U.S., specifically focusing on consumption based on homeownership status. First, we utilize high-frequency household transaction panel data and ZIP code-level home values to estimate the causal effect of home value fluctuations (or the housing wealth effect) on household tobacco and alcohol consumption for all U.S. households. Second, we predict household homeownership status by supplementing our primary household panel transaction data with a secondary household survey dataset; this allowed us to estimate the housing wealth effect separately for homeowners and renters. Home values are a leading economic indicator and effectively represent variation in housing wealth, whereas prior literature mainly focuses on lagging economic indicators, such as the unemployment rate. Housing wealth is a significant component of household net worth in the U.S. We leverage temporal and geographic fluctuations in household transactions and local home values to show that changes in housing wealth have a causal effect on household tobacco and alcohol consumption. Our findings show that declining home values increase tobacco and alcohol consumption among homeowners, with no effect on renters. Beer and cigarettes mainly drive this effect. Declining home values substantially increase annual consumption of nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, and alcohol by volume, exacerbating public health concerns. In contrast, unemployment shocks increase tobacco and alcohol consumption among homeowners and decrease it among renters. The housing wealth effect is most pronounced among bubble states households, heavy-use consumers, low-income, and white households. The study emphasizes the importance of targeted policy interventions to mitigate the negative effects of fluctuations in housing wealth on unhealthy consumption, especially amid the current unpredictable economic environment and volatile real estate market. </p> <p>The second essay of this dissertation analyzes the distributional impacts of climate mitigation policies consistent with India’s 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution and 2070 net-zero target, using a dynamic global computable general equilibrium (CGE) model with heterogeneous Indian households. Specifically, we expand the CGE model to incorporate ten rural and ten urban household income deciles. Additionally, we link the CGE model with a global atmospheric source-receptor model to derive health co-benefits from reduced premature mortality due to lower air pollution. Several policy levers are considered in this study, including carbon pricing, enhanced coal consumption tax (or coal cess), and fossil subsidies phaseout. These are further combined with five alternative revenue recycling options. Our results suggest the potential welfare costs of such mitigation policies are rather moderate and do not exceed 0.5% over 2023-2050, not accounting for health and environmental co-benefits and damages avoided by successfully limiting global temperature rise to well below 2°C. However, health co-benefits from lower air pollution can potentially outweigh the mitigation costs. Combining carbon pricing and fossil subsidy removal is more efficient than carbon pricing alone, generating progressive medium-term welfare gains due to reduced market distortions. Raising coal cess rates is the least efficient policy. Inequality and distributional impacts vary significantly based on the chosen revenue recycling approach. Equal transfer of tax revenue across households proves to be the most efficient and equitable, followed by labor tax subsidies, leading to a Gini index and S20/S80 ratio reduction of 0.01%-1.7% and 0.1%-7%, respectively. Recycling revenues to stimulate green energy investments yields the least favorable distributional impacts and worsens inequality. Trade-offs exist between reducing inequality and fostering investment-driven economic growth when choosing revenue recycling options. Policymakers should prioritize policy mixes and revenue-recycling methods based on their objectives to effectively combat climate change while promoting sustainable growth and reducing income inequality in India. </p>

<p>This dissertation is a collection of three papers, each one being a chapter. In the first chapter, I examine how career interruptions related to child-raising duties affect married women’s labor market trajectory, lifetime earnings, and Social Security retirement benefits. To address this question, I develop and estimate a dynamic life-cycle model of female labor supply, savings, and Social Security benefit claiming. I explicitly model the Social Security benefits system and the federal and payroll tax structure in the United States. The framework, thus, allows me to unravel the complex interdependencies between women’s participation decisions, accumulated work experience, lifetime earnings, and public pension benefits. I estimate the model using the Method of Simulated Moments and match data for the cohort born in 1943-1954. I use the model to simulate labor supply behavior of married women in a revenue-neutral counterfactual scenario where I introduce Social Security caregiver credit that covers the lost earnings during the first 5 child-rearing years through changes in retirement benefits. I find that the model predicts that introducing the provision of earning credits for child care in the Social Security system would reduce participation of married women during the child-rearing years, but the contributory nature of the caregiver credits creates incentive to work in the post-childrearing period.</p> <p><br></p> <p>In the second chapter, I evaluate the implication of introducing Social Security caregiver credit by examining whether and to what extent implementing this child-related policy to the existing Social Security system would help reduce the motherhood earnings penalty over the life cycle. I utilize the dynamic lifecycle model developed in Chapter 1 and conduct revenue-neutral counterfactual policy experiments by introducing caregiver credits in in various settings. First, I analyze the effect of the policy at different generosity levels; and second, I implement the policy in the presence as well as in the absence of the marriage-based noncontributory Social Security benefits (spousal and survivors benefits). Third, I conduct an alternative counterfactual policy experiment where mothers could drop five additional work years from the average career earnings (or equivalently Social Security benefits) calculation. The model predicts that lifetime pre-tax labor earnings of married women increase significantly under when the caregiver credits are introduced in a setting where spousal and survivors benefits are eliminated, and there is a sizeable reduction in gender gap in average career earnings at the Social Security Early Retirement Age. The alternative policy of computing average career earnings based on a mother's 30 years of earnings has significantly smaller impact on offsetting motherhood earnings penalty through retirement benefits compared to the provision of Social Security caregiver credits.</p> <p><br></p> <p>In the third chapter, I examine the effect of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work requirement reinstatement on food insecurity outcomes of able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). The policy restricts SNAP benefits of ABAWDs to 3 months in a 36 month period if they are not working or participating in any work program for at least 20 hours a week. In the aftermath of the 2008 recession, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 waived work requirements nationwide, and many states reimplemented the work rule at different times beginning in 2011. I employ a difference-in-differences approach utilizing this cross-state variation in the reimplementation of the policy. Using rich information on food affordability and food intake behavior from the Food Security Supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS-FSS), I find that promoting work for food assistance improved the overall food security status of ABAWDs by reducing disruptions in food intake, anxiety over food affordability and dependency on emergency food receipt. Subsample analyses indicate that effects are stronger for never married and less educated ABAWDs.</p>

Geographical indications (GIs) are one form of protective labelling used to indicate the origin of food and alcohol products. The role of protected geographical indicators as a promising sustainable rural development tool is the basis for this research. The protection of geographical indications is a rather controversial subject and much research is still required for both sides of the debate. The research method employed for this study is qualitative critical social science. Two Case studies are used to investigate the benefits brought to rural areas through the protection of GIs. The case studies include the GIs Jersey Royal and Welsh Lamb both from the United Kingdom a member of the European Union (the EU is in favour of extended protection of GIs for all agro-food products under the 1994 WTO/TRIPS agreement on geographical indications). Twenty-five indepth interviews were conducted for this study the duration of the interviews was approximately one hour. The study identifies predominantly indirect links between GIs and sustainable rural development, through economic and social benefits bought to rural areas by the GIs investigated - less of a connection was found to ecological elements. No considerable cost for GI protection was discovered. This finding suggests that GIs are worthwhile for implementation in New Zealand as a rural development tool.