Esta tese de doutorado explora uma faceta ainda obscura nos estudos sobre a democracia e a participação, que consiste na difusão internacional de ideias e tecnologias de governança participativa. As pesquisas recentes sobre este tema têm insistido na influência de atores diversos para explicar o fenômeno da difusão, atribuindo ênfase especial às Organizações Internacionais. A indicação de modelos específicos da parte de tais instituições é frequente, como no caso do Orçamento Participativo (OP), que hoje conta com mais de 2800 experiências ao redor do globo. No entanto, seriam suficientes as orientações de instituições internacionais para explicar a difusão de ideias e tecnologias de governança participativa? Situada entre a análise de políticas públicas e o estudo das relações internacionais, a proposta da pesquisa de doutorado foi de examinar o processo de difusão do OP, por meio de metodologia qualitativa, combinando entrevistas em profundidade, observação participante e análise de documentos. O estudo foi desenvolvido a partir da análise de um caso de origem, Porto Alegre, e diversos casos de transferência na África Subsaariana e na América Latina. Os resultados de pesquisa apontam para a existência de um fluxo global, movimentos de difusão regional, como na região dos Andes, e movimentos pontuais de transferência, em que o OP se desloca de uma instituição à outra, como de Porto Alegre, no Brasil, para o município de Cotacachi, no Equador, ou ainda para Maputo, no Moçambique. Foi possível constatar que a ação de um conjunto de indivíduos foi fundamental para inserir o OP na agenda internacional, bem como para auxiliar nos processos de transferência no exterior. Uma vez que o OP se legitima no plano externo, as Organizações Internacionais passam a fazer mais diferença, pois financiam experiências, organizam oficínas de capacitação de quadros e produzem manuais de implementação. A técnica utilizada para realizar este estudo foi a do rastreamento do processo, que procura identificar as cadeias de mecanismos causais que afetam um determinado fenômeno. A dimensão empírica da pesquisa foi composta por fontes primárias. Para este estudo foram feitas mais de 120 entrevistas em profundidade em nove países (África do Sul, Brasil, Equador, Espanha, Estados Unidos da América, França, Moçambique, Peru, Senegal). Além disso, foi realizada observação participante em eventos internacionais e também foram coletados materiais in loco, como documentos oficiais, artigos da imprensa e arquivos multimídia. / This thesis explores an obscure facet in studies about democracy and participation, namely the international diffusion of ideas and technologies on participatory governance. Recent researches on the topic highlight the influence of various actors to explain the diffusion phenomenon, drawing particular attention to international organizations. These institutions often recommend the use of specific models, as in the case of the Participatory Budgeting (PB), which currently accounts over 2800 experiences worldwide. Nonetheless, do recommendations from international institutions suffice to explain the transfer of ideas and technologies on participatory governance? Situated between public policy analysis and the study of international relations, this doctoral research seeks to examine the transfer of Participatory Budgeting through a qualitative methodology, combining in-depth interviews, participant observation and document analysis. This research is based on the analysis of the key case of Porto Alegre and several cases of transfer in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Research findings indicate there is a global flow, a regional diffusion, as in the Andes, and also isolated transfers, in which PB streams from one institution to another, as exemplified on the transfer from Porto Alegre, Brazil, to the municipality of Cotacachi, Ecuador, or to Maputo in Mozambique. It was found that the actions of a group of individuals were crucial to make PB part of the international agenda. These actors have also assisted to promote transfers abroad. Once Participatory Budgeting becomes legitimate abroad, international organizations play a bigger role since they finance these experiences, organize training workshops for staff and develop implementation manuals. The technique used to conduct this study was the process-tracing, which seeks to identify chains of causal mechanisms that affect a particular phenomenon. The empirical dimension of this research is composed of primary sources. For this study, over 120 in-depth interviews in nine countries (South Africa, Brazil, Ecuador, Spain, United States, France, Mozambique, Peru, Senegal) were made. Furthermore, there were participant observations in international events and the collection of materials on-site, such as official documents, press articles and multimedia files.

當前政府為了因應21世紀的挑戰，莫不積極從事行政改革。在行政改革的制度當中，美國聯邦政府的政府績效與成果法（GPRA）已成為美國各機關執行的核心。我國為因應近年來國內外社會、經濟、政治的急遽變遷而推行政府再造，在這過程中，如何進一步提高施政規劃與財政管理績效已成為刻不容緩的課題。美國聯邦政府的政府績效與成果法自1993年通過以來，在執行上的相關經驗有值得我國借鏡與學習之處。 本文採文獻分析。此法的通過乃是根據不斷改革經驗而來，因此，本文介紹美國改革潮流之演變，詳述績效預算改革之內容，使吾人對GPRA產生的背景與來源較為瞭解。在其理論基礎方面，以策略管理與績效管理闡釋其理論基礎，探討其理論精神。此外，以美國人事管理局為例，摘要部分1997-2002年策略計畫書，1999年績效報告以及2000年之年度績效計畫以為參考，並以GAO的報告為基礎針對其內容予以分析。 有關GPRA執行建議方面，本文列出美國會計總署（GAO）以及美國國家行政學院以及績效協會針對GPRA所做出相關研究而提出的建議。挑戰部分則從管理技術面、決策面以及政治面出發來加以探究。 最後整理本研究結果並以試辦計畫、策略目標之制定、績效目標之制定、指標之制定、年度績效報告、機關心態調適與組織文化的建立等議題提出對我國現行制度與改革的建議。

本研究的目的有二： 1. 針對台灣前五百大製造業做研究，了解環境不確 定程度對公司使用資本預算方法精密程度的影響，及資本預算程序精細程 度和公司績效的關係。 2. 針對環境不確定程度、資本預算程序精密程度 、公司績效三者，進行假說檢定，以了解在何種環境不確定程度下，應採 用何種資本預算程序，以提高更多的績效，幫助經理人選擇合適的資本預 算方法。主要的研究方法有四： 1. 文獻探討，包括資本預算理論及國內 外的實證研究。 2. 問卷調查，以郵寄方式寄給國內前五百大製造業廠商 的財務部門。 3. 人員深度訪談，於問卷回收後，針對有寄回問卷的廠商 ，以隨機抽樣方式，抽取數家廠商，作深度的訪談，以確定回收問卷資料 的正確性。 4. 統計分析，主要以複迴歸模式來驗證假說。研究結果顯示 如下：（一）國內製造業者傾向於使用較不精細的資本預算程序。國內製 造業者除了在專案的事先規劃方面有較多的努力外，不論在管理科學工具 的使用、敏感性分析與電腦模擬技術及事後的稽核與檢討等重要的資本預 算程序，似乎沒有特別的重視與執行。再者，在專案的評估技術方面，還 是以會計報酬率法、回收期間法較受製造業者的歡迎。（二）上市公司比 非上市公司採用較精細的資本預算程序。而推估其原因可能是上市公司的 規模較大，有足夠的資源及評估專案來支持專責部門的成立與運作，而且 受到投資大者的監督，因而採用較精細的資本預算程序。（三）環境不確 定程度愈高的公司傾向於使用愈精細的資本預算程序。無論以經理人對環 境的主觀知覺或是資產報酬率的標準差來衡量環境的不確定性，公司所面 臨環境的不確定程度與公司所使用資本預算精細程度間存有顯著的正向關 係。（四）環境不確定性較高的公司採用愈精細的資本預算程序將可產生 愈高的公司績效。故對於環境不確定性較高的公司應採用較精細的資本預 算方法，而環境不確定性較低的公司則在成本效益的考慮下，只需作基本 的分析即可達到一定的績效水準。

Die Anwendung eines Mikrosimulationsmodells als Instrument der wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Forschung erfreut sich großer Beliebtheit. Die Verwendung dieses Modelltyps hat vor allem zwei Gründe. Zum einen sind die in den letzten Jahren extrem gesunkenen Kosten der Informationsverarbeitung ursächlich für die mittlerweile häufige Verwendung. Zum anderen besitzt diese Analyseform Eigenschaften, die kein anderes Instrument aufweist. Insbesondere für die Abschätzung der Verteilungswirkungen von Steuer- und Transferreformen ist die Mikrosimulation eine nahezu ideale Methode. Durch die Einbindung eines Nachfragesystems kann sowohl das Anwendungsgebiet eines Mikrosimulationsmodells erweitert als auch dessen potentielle Leistungsfähigkeit gesteigert werden. Die Arbeit hat im Wesentlichen die Beantwortung der Fragestellungen aus den folgenden zwei Fragenkomplexen zum Ziel: - Wann ist die Einbindung eines Nachfragesystems in Mikrosimulationsmodelle sinnvoll und wie kann ein solches System in das eigentliche Mikrosimulationsmodell integriert werden? - Welche Nachfragesysteme können aus den in Deutschland in Querschnittsform vorhandenen Mikrodatensätzen geschätzt werden und welche theoretischen Eigenschaften besitzen diese Systeme bzw. deren in einem zweistufigen Budgetierungsprozess einsetzbare Kombinationen? / The application of a microsimulation model as an instrument for economic research enjoys great popularity. The use of this type of model primarily has two reasons. In the first place the decreasing costs of data processing led to the frequent usage. Furthermore this type of analysis has unique characteristics compared to other instruments. Particularly microsimulation is an almost ideal method for the estimation of the impact of tax and allocative transfer reforms. With the integration of a demand system the field of application of a microsimulation model can be enlarged as well as its potential capacity increased. This paper has the aim to answer basically two batteries of questions: - In what case the integration of a demand system in a microsimulation model is reasonable and how can such a system be integrated in the model? - Which demand systems can be estimated from the microdata available in Germany and which characteristic properties do such systems offer, especially the combinations applicable in a two-stage budgeting environment?

Bakgrund och problem: Vindkraftens tillförlitliga fastställelse av lönsamhet påverkas av olika osäkerheter, främst vindförhållanden men även ekonomiska faktorer. Vanligtvis används de traditionella metoderna så som nuvärdesmetoden, pay-back metoden och IRR för att värdera en investerings lönsamhet. Dessa metoder är dock otillräckliga vid värdering av riskfyllda projekt. Reala optioner tar hänsyn till flexibilitetens värde och är en komplettering till de traditionella metoderna vid värdering av riskfylla investeringar. Reala optioner möjliggör att fatta beslut efter iakttagelser av hur utvecklingen utvecklas. Genom flexibilitet kan osäkerhet minskas. Syfte: Syftet är att beskriva och analysera hur reala optioner tar sig uttryck i vindkraftsprojekt i Sverige. Detta för att skapa förståelse för om reala optioner används för att hantera den osäkerhet som föreligger i vindkraftsprojekt. Metod: Studien kännetecknas av en metod som är av hermeneutik, induktiv och kvalitativ karaktär. Studien blir därmed av tolkande art och vi utgår från empiri i studien. Semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med tre bolag i vindkraftsbranschen. Slutsats: Utifrån vår forskningsfråga: ”Hur tar sig reala optioner uttryck i vindkraftsprojekt?” kunde vi finna tre av fem reala optioner i de studerade bolagen. Dessa är: optionen att skjuta upp investeringar, optionen att göra stegvisa investeringar och optionen att expandera. Trots att begreppet reala optioner inte används i de studerade bolagen kan slutsatser ändå dras att reala optioner existerar i vindkraftsprojekt. Uppsatsens bidrag: Vår förhoppning med uppsatsen är bland annat att den ska bidra med ökad förståelse för användningen av reala optioner i vindkraftsprojekt. Förslag till framtida forskning: Vår studie behandlar fem reala optioner. Trigeorgis (2005) redogör åtta reala optioner i artikeln: Making use of real options simple: an overview and applications in flexible/modular decision making. En studie som inkluderar alla åtta reala optioner i vindkraftsprojekt hade varit intressant. Detta för att undersöka om det finns fler reala optioner än de tre denna studie identifierat i vindkraftsprojekt. / Background and problem: The reliable determination of the wind power profitability is affected by various uncertainties, mainly wind conditions but also economic factors. Generally the traditional methods are used, such as net present value method, the pay-back method and the IRR when it comes to evaluate an investment's profitability. These methods are insufficient to valuing risky projects. Real options considering the value of flexibility and is a complement to the traditional methods when it comes to valuation of risky investments. Real options allow making decisions based on observations of how the evolution develops. Through flexibility, the uncertainty can be reduced. Purpose: The purpose is to describe and analyze how the real options are reflected in windpower projects in Sweden. This is to create an understanding if the real options are used to manage the uncertainty that exists in wind power projects. Method: The study is characterized by a method of hermeneutic, inductive and qualitative character. The study is therefore interpretive and the starting point of the study is empirical data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three companies in the wind power industry. Conclusion: Based on our research question: "How do the real options find their expression in wind power projects?" are we able to find three of the five real options in the studied companies. These are: the option to defer investment, the option to stage investment and the option to expand. Although the concept of real options is not used in the studied companies, conclusions can still be drawn that real options exists in wind power projects. The grants in the essay: Our hope, among other things, is that the essay will contribute to increased understanding for the use of real options in wind power projects. Proposals for future research: Our study deals with five real options. Trigeorgis (2005) describes eight real options in the article: Making Use of Real Options Simple: an overviewand applications into flexible/modular decision making. A study that includes all eight real options in wind power projects would be interesting. This is to investigate whether there are more real options than the three this study identifies in wind power projects.

This study investigates the phenomenon of a communal Jewish organization, the National Budgeting Conference (NBC). In essence, the NBC is in charge of allocating money to national organizations through contributions collected from each local community. This unique arrangement doesn't exist in other Jewish communities around the globe; the common procedure is that every local federation allocates money for the local needs. / The objective of this dissertation is to follow the activities of the NBC from a strategic management point of view. So far, almost the entire body of literature on Jewish organizations stem from a political science and an ethnicity point of view. My assumption is that by conducting the study from a management perspective, I have been able to research topics that usually do not receive a lot of attention in literature about Jewish organizations; some of these topics include whether and to what extent environmental elements in the community, as well as power relations, influence the decision-making process. I also focused on the NBC's structure, outcomes, and chances of survival. I concluded that the NBC operates within a very fluid and unstable environment, and as a result, it will have to monitor its interests carefully and adapt in a slow, incremental fashion if it wishes to increase its chances of survival.

No description available.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att analysera hur de specifika variablerna samverkar i investeringsanalysen bakom strategiska investeringar vid beslutsfattandet. Studien är inriktad mot den dominerande företagssektorn små och medelstora företag, vidare görs en jämförelse mellan yngre och mognare företag. För att analysera detta har en kvantitativ datainsamlingsmetod använts i form av en enkätundersökning. Forskningsfilosofin som är applicerad är deduktiv, för att på så sätt kunna dra generaliseringar i slutsatserna utifrån den empiriska analysen och fullfölja studiens syfte. Studien är baserad utifrån beslutsteori där hantering av risk och osäkerhet har en central roll. Inom området för beslutsfaktorer tillämpas även den situationsanpassade teorin. Intressentteorin och den neoklassiska ekonomiska teorin har även använts som bas.Resultatet uppvisar att det finns ett flertal samband mellan de specifika variablerna, SME-företagens livscykelstadier och investeringsanalysen. Vidare har markanta skillnader identifierats vid investeringsanalysen mellan de yngre och mognare företagen. I analysen illustreras detta med hjälp av statistiska analystabeller.Denna studie skiljer sig från tidigare forskning i ett flertal aspekter. Studien har identifierat ett gap mellan de praktiska tillämpningarna och teorin. Dessutom har studien ett extra brett omfång gentemot tidigare forskning. För att utöver detta även skapa en djupare insikt över företagets attityder och tillämpning av diverse metoder har undersökningen även jämfört yngre och mognare företags förhållningsätt i investeringsanalysen. Denna uppsats kan vara av värde för landets välfärd genom att öka förståelsen för SME-företagens förhållande i samband med strategiska investeringar. / The purpose of this paper is to analyse how specific variables interact the investment analysis behind the investments, in the decision-making process. This study is focused on small and medium sized enterprises where a comparison will be made between young and mature enterprises. To examine this, a quantitative data collection method has been adopted, with the use of a questionnaire survey. A deductive research philosophy has been applied for this study in order to draw general conclusions based on the empirical analysis and fulfil the purpose of this study. This study is based on decision theory where the management of risk and uncertainty play a central role. In the area of decision factors the contingency-theory is also applied. The stakeholder theory and the neoclassical economic theory have also been used as a base.The findings show that there are numerous links between the specific variables, SME business lifecycle stages and the investment analysis. Furthermore, clear differences have been identified in the investment analysis between the young and the more mature enterprises. The analysis is illustrated by means of statistical analysis tables.This research differs from previous studies in several aspects. The study has identified a gap between the practical applications and theory. Moreover, the study has an extra wide range over previous research. To go beyond and create a deeper understanding of the enterprises attitude and application of various methods in their continuous development, the study also compared younger and more mature enterprises approaches to the investment analysis. This paper can be useful for the country's welfare by increasing the understanding of SMEs relationship in the context of strategic investments.

Taikomas biudžeto išlaidų paskirstymo metodas tiesiogiai įtakoja valstybės finansinių išteklių paskirstymo rezultatus. Dabar dažniausiai naudojamas programinis biudžetas ir įvairūs šiuo principu paremti modifikuoti biudžeto išlaidų paskirstymo modeliai. Išanalizavus mokslinę literatūrą, įvairias analitinio pobūdžio publikacijas ir esamą Lietuvos situaciją po biudžeto reformos, galima daryti išvadą, kad programinis biudžetas daugeliu principų yra vertintinas kaip perspektyvus ir daugeliu atveju tinkamas. Be abejo, šis metodas turi daug privalumų, tačiau negalima atmesti keleto trūkumų. Biudžeto programos yra pagrindinis programinio metodo komponentas. Pagal jų vertinimo rezultatus priimami sprendimai dėl valstybės išlaidų paskirstymo. Svarbu tinkamai įvertinti programas ir atrinkti naudingiausias valstybei, kurios galėtų ateityje atnešti naudą, tiek socialinę, tiek ekonominę, finansinę. Įvertinant Lietuvos situaciją, programų vertinimo problematiką, matomas aiškus poreikis padidinti programų vertinimo pagrįstumą ir objektyvumą. Tyrimo objektas – valstybės biudžeto išlaidų skirstymo procesas. Darbo tikslas – remiantis teorija, išanalizuoti valstybės biudžeto išlaidų skirstymo procesą programų metodu, apibendrinti ir sukurti sintetinį valstybės biudžeto programų vertinimo modelį. Šiam tikslui pasiekti iškelti šie svarbiausi uždaviniai: • išanalizuoti valstybės biudžeto išlaidų formavimą programų principu teoriniu aspektu; • įvertinti valstybės biudžeto programų efektyvumą; •... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The method of budget expenditures distribution directly influences on results of state government resources. Recently the program budget is used more often, all other modified distribution models of budget expenditures as well. Analysing the scientific literature, the different analytic publications and current Lithuania‘s situation after budget reform, it could be pointed, that the program budget in many cases is appraised as perspective and useful process. Budget programs are the main components of programming method. The solutions of state expenditures distribution are made according to programs results. It‘s important to evaluate the programs properly and select the most useful for the state, which could give the social, economic and financial outputs in the future. Defining current Lithuania‘s situation and problems of the program evaluation process, it‘s obvious that there is the necessity of increasment of program evaluation foundation and objectivity. The work object: the distribution process of state budget by programs. The work purpose is according to the theory to make an analysis of the state budget expenditures distribution process by programs, summarize and create the synthetical evaluation model of budget programs. The work tasks: • to analyze the theoretical aspects of the state budget expenditures distribution according to principles of programming; • to analyze the effectiveness of state budget programs; • to produce the Lithuania‘s practice of state program... [to full text]

For several years, the number of South Africans starting new business enterprises, has declined. According to the findings of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, in 2003, South Africa ranked 22nd out of 31 countries for new entrepreneurial activities. One of the greatest challenges for South Africa, is to find a solution for its huge unemployment problem, which is responsible for many of South Africa's other problems, like poverty, crime and brutality, which discourage global investment in South Africa. The development of small-, medium-, and microenterprises (SMMEs) is seen as an important ingredient of economic development. The population for this study is therefore comprised of SMMEs in South Africa. Any enterprise is dependent on the environment it operates in. The environment consists of the macro-environment, which includes the demographic, technological, economical, social, institutional and international environment, the market environment, which includes consumers, suppliers and competitors, as well as the micro-environment, which includes the organisation, its mission, goals and objectives, management functions, business functions and business resources. The objective of this study is to investigate the possibility of applying cost- and management accounting methods and techniques for the development and profitable running of SMMEs. These include choosing an appropriate costing system, implementing a management information system, effectively executing the management functions of planning, organising, coordination and control, through the application of cost- and management accounting methods and techniques, including forecasting, budgeting, accurate and appropriate costing methods, performance management techniques like total quality management, benchmarking etcetera. Data on the current use of cost-and management accounting by SMMEs in South Africa, and the performance of these concerns, were collected by means of a structured questionnaire from a sample of 37 SMMEs. It was found, that although several cost- and management accounting methods and techniques are used by some SMMEs, many are not used effectively, while many SMMEs are not aware of the many advantages that the application of these methods and techniques hold. It is recommended that entrepreneurs make an effort to gain the knowledge needed for them to apply the cost- and management accounting methods and techniques that will improve the performance of their businesses, ensuring the attainment of their goals and objectives, ensuring their survival and prosperity, and leading to job creation, economic growth, and the prosperity of the people of South Africa. To assist with this, the researcher has developed a model and a manual that can be used by entrepreneurs to assist them in starting a new enterprise, as well as running a successful enterprise. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Business and Management Accounting))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.