The objective of this thesis is to examine the traditional structure-conduct-performance (SCP) paradigm as it applies to current Canadian merger policy and to Canadian merger activity during the period January 1964 to December 1983. The SCP paradigm postulates that with increasing industry concentration there will be increased incentives for firms within the industry to engage in anti-competitive, collusive behavior. Since successful collusion increases product prices, the SCP paradigm implies that horizontal mergers, which by definition increase concentration, will generate increased industry-wide profits. Thus, horizontal mergers should benefit not only the merger participants, but also the product market rivals of the merging firms. This hypothesis is examined using a sample of Canadian horizontal mergers in oil and gas, mining and manufacturing industries and a "control" sample of non-horizontal mergers taking place in the same industries. The results do not support the collusion hypothesis postulated by the SCP paradigm but are consistent with the theory that Canadian mergers are motivated by perceived economic efficiencies. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

A number of studies demonstrated a positive relationship between market power and firm profitability. Economic theory demonstrates that these high profits imply higher prices and restricted output and consequently inefficient resurce allocation. Financial leverage, however, could be a possible alternative explanation for these profits. Market power may increase the ability of firms to support low cost debt capital and therefore the higher observed profitability could also be the result of greater financial leverage. This study then attempted to find empirical evidence to support the hypothesis that there is no significant difference between the financial structures of powerful firms and other less powerful firms. Leverage should increase risk because it represents a fixed obligation to the firm. The method of study employed is the application of analysis of variance and regression analysis to a cross-sectional sample of Canadian industry during the period 1962 to 1969. This study represents a first attempt to apply a finance model viz. CAPM to a problem in industrial organization, viz.concentration. The results indicate that powerful firms have relatively lower debt than other less powerful firms, thus rejecting the hypothesis. As a result of lower debt, powerful firms incur lower risk. The firm with market power apparently prefer low risk and a conservative capital structure. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

Seven provinces in Canada have entered tax collection agreements with the federal government whereby that government collects corporate income tax on their behalf. Quebec, Ontario and Alberta have not entered such agreements and levy and collect corporate income tax pursuant to their own legislation and within their own administrative systems. This thesis will examine the problems resulting from the independent approaches taken by Quebec, Ontario and Alberta, as they affect the corporate taxpayer. The problems fall into three categories. First, provincial adoption of the Income Tax Act (Canada), while assuring some similarity between the federal and provincial systems, can have adverse consequences for the corporate taxpayer. Secondly, differences between the legislation of Canada, Quebec, Ontario and Alberta create inconsistencies that present difficulties for the corporate taxpayer. Thirdly, differences in the administrative systems of the three provinces and the federal government increase the cost to the corporate taxpayer and create compliance problems for it. The thesis concludes that the future of the Canadian corporate income tax system will involve even more provincial independence and, therefore, measures to alleviate some of the problems are discussed. These include a new approach to co-operative federalism, an examination of the efficacy of more provincial autonomy and tax harmonization. This analysis shows that the corporate taxpayer would benefit from more cooperation between the federal and provincial governments together with a degree of harmonization of the tax bases. / Law, Peter A. Allard School of / Graduate

M.Comm.

Thesis (Ed.D>)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The purpose of this study was to develop a model for the evaluation of training programs offered within corporate settings most often focused on the management staff. The study is based on the notion that in order to claim success, a training program first must meet a set of criteria that allows it to be called a "program". This means that a "training program" must be able to establish that the claims it makes about its outcomes (rules of success) are in fact achieved through some specified activity in the classroom (rules of action). The study attempts to answer the question; Can an evaluation process be developed and implemented that will allow training managers to make informed policy decisions without depending solely upon on participant reactions? Further it sought to shift the methodology to process of evaluation from an inductive one to a deductive one. That is, rather than drawing generalizations about program success from specific reports of outcomes alone it sought to arrive at specific conclusions by viewing a program as a total mechanism, with both inputs and outputs clearly delineated. Finally, the study attempted to provide a number of working tools to practitioners who might be engaged in the evaluative process employing this methodology. Procedure: This study was conducted over. a period of two years in a working corporate training environment. During the first six months the model presented in this study was developed and tested and over the subsequent eighteen months it was implemented in actual corporate training sessions. Four tasks were accomplished. First, a logical matrix was created intended to be used by evaluators to link each stated program objectives to the specific classroom activities designed to achieve them. Second, a series of activity focused worksheets were developed whose purpose was to assist the evaluator in that phase of the data collection effort. Third, a participant reaction questionnaire was developed that would be completed at the end of the program. And fourth, a follow-up instrument was developed to be administered in the working environment at intervals of 30, 90 and 120 days after the finish of the course. CONCLUSIONS: From the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn. 1. It is possible to construct a deductive model for program evaluation that allows trainers/policy makers to reveal how the structure of a program to determine its effects. 2. The deductive model provides a level of infrastructural detail required but often unable to achieve through traditional methods of training program evaluation. 3. Coupling a detailed structural model with superordinate feedback permits the long term "take and "use" of a training program to be more precisely measured. 4. The methodology of this evaluation model is cost competitive with other procedures. 5. The findings indicate that the rational of this deductive model is more acceptable to corporate trainers/policy makers. / 2031-01-01

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