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The main purpose of this paper was to explore the role economic partnership agreements play in regional integration. The whole paper was premised on identifying the nature of economic partnership agreements that is conceived as a free trade arrangement. Therefore the paper discussed the feasibility of the reciprocal principle between the European Union and ACP countries, and further indicated that there is no need to implement the principle of reciprocity at present. The paper also discovered that, due to the fact that unequal trade relations between the EU and the ACP countries still exist, the implementation of the EPAs is most likely to generate the complementary but non-competitive trade relations between the EU and the ACP countries. Such a situation could result in the ACP countries over-independence on the EU's market. ACP countries are not expecting to such integration. In addition the paper ascertains that the EPAs themselves could contain the intrinsic negative impacts such as discrimination against the third countries on regional integration.

The main purpose of this paper was to explore the role economic partnership agreements play in regional integration. The whole paper was premised on identifying the nature of economic partnership agreements that is conceived as a free trade arrangement. Therefore the paper discussed the feasibility of the reciprocal principle between the European Union and ACP countries, and further indicated that there is no need to implement the principle of reciprocity at present. The paper also discovered that, due to the fact that unequal trade relations between the EU and the ACP countries still exist, the implementation of the EPAs is most likely to generate the complementary but non-competitive trade relations between the EU and the ACP countries. Such a situation could result in the ACP countries over-independence on the EU's market. ACP countries are not expecting to such integration. In addition the paper ascertains that the EPAs themselves could contain the intrinsic negative impacts such as discrimination against the third countries on regional integration.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / The objective of the economic dispatch problem of electrical power generation is to schedule the committed generating unit outputs to meet the required load demand while satisfying the system equality and inequality constraints. The thesis formulates single area and multi-area Combined Economic Emission Dispatch (CEED) problem as single criterion, bi-criterion and multi-criteria optimisation problems based on fuel cost and emission criterion functions, constraints over the operational limits of the generator and the tie-lines, and requirements for a balance between the produced power and the system demand and power loss. Various methods, algorithms and softwares are developed to find solution of the formulated problems in single area and multi-area power systems. The developed methods are based on the classical Lagrange's and on the meta-heuristic Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) techniques for a single criterion function. Transformation of the bi-criteria or multi-criteria dispatch problem to a single criterion one is done by some existing and two proposed in the thesis penalty factors. The solution of the CEED problems is obtained through implementation of the developed software in a sequential way using a single computer, or in a data-parallel way in a Matlab Cluster of Computers (CC). The capabilities of the developed Lagrange's and PSO algorithms are compared on the basis of the obtained results. The conclusion is that the Lagrange's method and algorithm allows to receive better solution for less computation time. Data-parallel implementation of the developed software allows a lot of results to be obtained for the same problem using different values of some of the problem parameters. According to the literature papers, there are many algorithms available to solve the CEED problem for the single area power systems using sequential methods of optimisation, but they consume more computation time to solve this problem. The thesis aim is to develop a decomposition-coordinating algorithm for solution of the Multi Area Economic Emission Dispatch (MAEED) problem of power systems. The MAEED problem deals with the optimal power dispatch inside and between the multiple areas and addresses the environmental issue during the economic dispatch. To ensure the system security, tie-line transfer limits between different areas are incorporated as a set of constraints in the optimisation problem. A decomposition coordinating method based on the Lagrange's algorithm is developed to derive a set of optimal solutions to minimize the fuel cost and emissions of the multi-area power systems. An augmented function of Lagrange is applied and its decomposition in interconnected sub problems is done using a new coordinating-vector. Task-parallel computing in a Matlab Cluster is used to solve the multi-area dispatch problem. The calculations and tasks allocation to the Cluster workers are based on a shared memory architecture. Implementation of the calculation algorithm using a Cluster of Computers allows quick and simpler solutions to the multi-area CEED problem. The thesis applied the developed algorithms for the various problem formulation scenarios, i.e. fuel cost and emission function with and without valve point loading effect, quadratic and cubic fuel cost and emission functions. The various IEEE benchmark models are used to test the developed Lagrange's and PSO algorithms in the sequential, data-parallel, and task-parallel implementations. Developed methods, algorithms and software programmes can be applied for solution of various energy management problems in the regional and national control centres, smart grid applications, and in education and research institutions.

University of Macau / Faculty of Business Administration / Department of Finance and Business Economics

The purpose of the paper is to develop projections of occupational employment in the Dallas and Fort Worth Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA) using Area Projection Method A, developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) . An objective of the paper is to determine whether reasonable projections can be made for the Dallas and Fort Worth areas using the method. The projections and results can be used by local manpower and education planners to satisfy their planning requirements. The final chapter concludes that Method A does produce reasonable projections, but points out that the projections lack detail. Their value lies in projecting the overall trend and direction of the composition of employment, and their usefulness is primarily in policy making.

本文除第一章緒論及末章結論外，全文共分四章。第二章為產業結構變動之文獻回顧，針對產業結構變動之相關理論與實證文獻做整理分析，再導入產業政策之理論，最後指出本文之最適研究之基礎；第三章為台灣產業結構變動之時序性分析，將民國四十二年來分為四個階段︰第一階段的進口替代期、出口擴張期、第二階段的進口替代與出口擴張期及產業轉型暨升級期，分別討論各階段之產業結構變動；第四章為國內外環境變遷對台灣產業結構變動之影響，主要探討國內產業變化、兩岸經貿交流問題及投資、與國際區域經濟整合趨勢對台灣產業結構及產業環境的影響；第五章為台灣產業政策對產業結構變動之影響，利用實證分析結果來探討產業政策對結構變動之影響，再與產業政策最成功的日本做比較，視我國產業政策之優劣成敗，以期能展望未來的產業政策最適方向。

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1996.

Most low cost housing beneficiaries either work in the informal sector with little income to meet all their basic needs, or do not work at all. They live in poverty because many of them are unskilled, unemployed, poorly represented economically, politically and socially. Hence the new South African Housing Policy is said to be enabling the housing environment to play a more meaningful role in job creation and employment sustainability. This is said to be achieved through skills transfer and giving support to small businesses which are geared towards more labour intensive opportunities. Job creation, in the context of this study, means training ,and the use of housing beneficiaries in housing construction. The provision of skills enhances beneficiaries to engage in self-employment programmes. Sustainability, on the other hand, looks at the use of dwelling units for small business purposes, the proximity of housing projects in relation to areas of employment, and the transfer of skills from place to place when required. After conducting a survey of 98 beneficiaries, the study revealed a lack of an effective mechanism for job creation and employment sustainability within greenfields housing projects. In order to provide both guidelines and recommendations for the effective implementation of housing projects, this dissertation assesses the extent to which greenfields housing projects have been able to create and sustain employment opportunities for housing beneficiaries. Case studies used to assess this aspect are Wiggins uMkhumbane in Cato Manor and Westrich in Newlands West. This study outlines failures and successes in the manner in which the above mentioned housing projects were implemented in relation to the creation and sustainability of income generating activities. This dissertation is structured as follows: The first chapter introduces the research problem, research question hypothesis, and the research method used to conduct the study. The second chapter provides both the conceptual framework and the literature review for the topic being investigated. International, national and local case studies are used to support the flow of the argument. Chapter three introduces the geographical and historical background of case studies in which the study was conducted. This historical background is linked to the topic of study to help to understand the phenomenon of employment. Chapter four deals with the presentation and analysis of data collected. The conclusion drawn from the findings and recommendations are found in chapter five. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

When the Government of National Unity (GNU) came to power in South Africa in 1994, it inherited a housing sector with severe abnormalities as a result of the policies and political turbulence of the apartheid era (Department of Housing/DOH, 2000a). One of the main problems was and is still the enormous housing backlog facing large sections of the country's population both in rural and urban areas. The housing crisis in South Africa has received extensive attention by the South African government, non-profit organizations and international actors such as research and aid organisations since the demise of apartheid. This shows the historical and present interest on the SUbject. The most significant development in housing policy in 1990 was the creation of the Independent Development Trust (lOT). The lOT, was a parastatal, a government created institution in 1991, which was to address the housing needs of the country's poor. As one form of housing subsidisation, housing consolidation subsidies have been used in housing projects for households to build new houses or improve existing structures on the serviced sites that were previously subsidized through the Independent Development Trust (lOT) in the 1990's. The realisation that between 20%-30% of beneficiaries do not take occupancy at the end of a specific project, has brought a serious concern to the Housing Department, local community structures and Project Managers. This study, focuses on the Durban Metropolitan Area; it intend to increase one's understanding of why consolidation housing projects only reach 70%-80% of intended beneficiaries on closure of the projects. The housing consolidation projects in Luganda and Savannah Park, Southern Pinetown, Durban, which are the sUbject of the present stUdy, were initiated in 1996 and 2000 respectively with the intent to deliver over 2000 houses in both study areas. These are being investigated. The study takes a form of a wholes tick approach and tries to make a link between the absent beneficiaries and those who informally transfer their property to new owners. The reason is simply that the 20-30% originally intended beneficiaries are not benefiting from the Consolidation Housing Subsidy. The study aims to look at alternative, cheaper and affordable ways of obtaining title deeds for people who have bought sites informally from the authentic officially recognised beneficiaries. Lastly, the study will contribute by data gathering and analysis, to the understanding of the phenomenon of low-occupancy and informal or de facto transfer of property. / Thesis (M.Housing)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.