The capital-output ratio has been widely used by economists and econometricians in model building for policy purposes in both developed and developing countries. Particularly in the developing economies, where planning has been an important feature of economic policy, the projection of output and investment requirements in different sectors is often based on the capital-output ratio. In the First Five-Year Plan of the United Arab Republic (U.A.R.), planners have basically used the incremental capital-output ratio for broad general sectors to derive investment requirements therein. The plan's realizations fell short of the target. This was natural and to be expected in a first effort to plan economic development. However, this raises many important questions. Was the discrepancy between the realization and the target in the First Five-Year Plan due to the very nature of the capital-output ratio technique itself? To what extent did changing external conditions lead to such discrepancy? In order to attempt an answer to these questions, it is necessary to be aware of the meaning, limitations and problems of measuring the capital-output ratio. This is the subject matter of Chapter II. Chapter III is devoted to searching the answers to the question raised in the previous paragraph. The trend of the capital-output ratio is vitally important for the developing countries with scarce capital. This is because the higher is that ratio, the more investment will be needed to achieve a certain rate of growth. In our case: What is the likely trend of the capital-output ratio for U.A.R., and what are its implications for the future development of the country? Specifically, will the country face increasing, or diminishing, problems in the future as far as capital financing is concerned? Chapter IV will attempt to frame an answer to these questions based on both, theoretical argument and empirical evidence. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

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by Chu Shun-wah, Sum Pun-wah, Jeremy. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-86). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Background Information of the ILF --- p.2 / Paving Operations --- p.2 / Working Environment --- p.7 / Chapter II. --- PRELIMINARY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEMS --- p.9 / Interview with Staff Side od the ILF --- p.9 / Interview with the Management side of the ILF --- p.10 / Chapter III. --- STATISTICAL ANALYSIS --- p.12 / Explanatory Notes for the Cost Elements --- p.13 / Data Analysis --- p.16 / Sampling --- p.17 / Visual comparison of the cost data --- p.18 / Statistical Parameters Analysis --- p.19 / Test for the Equality of Variances for Both Samples --- p.20 / Test for the Equality of Means for Both Samples --- p.21 / Interpretation of Results --- p.23 / Paired T-test --- p.25 / Chapter IV. --- MAIN COST FACTORS ANALYSIS --- p.26 / Salary of Direct Labour --- p.26 / Material Cost --- p.28 / Hire of Services --- p.30 / Chapter V. --- SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS --- p.33 / Salary of Direct Labour --- p.33 / Material Cost --- p.36 / Hire of Services --- p.37 / Chapter VI. --- ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS --- p.39 / Visual Comparison of Cost Data After Allocation of Fixed Cost --- p.41 / Statistical Analysis --- p.42 / Interpretation of Results of Alternative Analysis --- p.44 / Chapter VII. --- GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.45 / Chapter VIII. --- CONCLUSION --- p.52 / APPENDIX --- p.64 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.85

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis evaluates and explores the function of Private Military Companies (PMCs) on the African continent. The phenomenon of PMCs evolved after the end of the Cold War. This study focuses on the relevant international and national legislation regulating PMCs that conduct active military assistance operations. These PMC operations have a strategic impact on the political, social, economical and security environments of the areas in which they are contracted to operate. The purpose of the thesis is to assess whether PMCs are efficient and cost effective, can be held accountable and to whom, and if current legislation (national and international) regulating PMCs is sufficient. This thesis is a literature survey that seeks descriptive and comparative information relevant to the purpose of this study. It deals with that information qualitatively. No empirical research has been conducted. It is therefore not an opinion survey as no questionnaires have been completed, although interviews with knowledgeable people have been conducted. The thesis focuses on the operations conducted by the now defunct Executive Outcomes (of the Republic of South Africa), a combat type PMC in Angola and Sierra Leone and Military Professional Resources Incorporated (of the United States of America), a non-combat type PMC in Equatorial Guinea. The study concludes that PMC operations through legitimate government contracts at international level are indeed legitimate. The regulations (international and national, if they exist) regarding PMCs are not sufficient, and allow for many grey areas. PMCs that operate in this sphere of grey areas are unacceptable for the international community in the current milieu. PMCs are, however, operating in a vacuum of accountability and regulation (international and national). With sufficient legislation, PMCs could be the new peacemakers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis evalueer en ondersoek die funksionering van Privaat Militêre Maatskappye (PMM’e) en hul werksaamhede in Afrika. Die PMM-verskynsel het voortgespruit uit die stilstand van die Koue Oorlog. Die tesis fokus op die relevante internasionale en nasionale wetgewing rakende PMM’e wat aktief in een of ander formaat by militêre operasies betrokke is. Hierdie PMM-operasies het ’n beduidende strategiese impak op die sosio-politiese, ekonomiese en sekuriteitareas van die gebiede waartoe hul gekontrakteer is. Die doel van die tesis is om die effektiwiteit en koste-effektiwiteit van PMM’e te evalueer, asook om uit te vind of hulle aanspreeklik is en aan wie hulle verantwoording moet doen. Daar is ook gefokus op huidige wetgewing (internasionaal sowel as nasionaal) rakende PMM’e om die doeltreffendheid van sodanige wetgewing te bepaal. Hierdie tesis is ‘n opname van beskrywende en vergelykende literatuurstudies, relevant tot die doel van die tesis. Inligting is kwalitatief aangewend. Geen empiriese navorsing is onderneem nie. Hierdie tesis is ook nie gebaseer op ‘n meningsopname nie. Geen vraelyste is ingevul nie, maar daar is wel onderhoude met kenners van die betrokke vakgebied gevoer. Die tesis fokus op die vroeëre werksaamhede van die ontbinde “Executive Outcomes” as Suid-Afrikaanse PMM wat aktief betrokke was by oorlogvoering in Angola en Sierra Leone en ook op die steeds aktiewe Amerikaanse PMM “Military Professional Resources Incorporated” wat in Ekwatoriaal Guinieë werksaam is en wat nie aktief by oorlogvoering betrokke raak nie. Die tesis kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat PMM-kontrakte wat bekom word deur legitieme regeringskontrakte op internasionale vlak wel legitiem is. Daar is bevind dat wetgewing (internasionaal en nasionaal, waar wel beskikbaar) rakende PMM’e egter nie voldoende en effektief is nie. Daar is steeds baie grys areas rakende verantwoordbaarheid en wetgewing van PMM’e. Dit is in hierdie grys areas waarin baie PMM’e funksioneer en waardeur hulle onaanvaarbaar vir die internasionale gemeenskap in die huidige klimaat is. Doeltreffende wetgewing kan moontlik verseker dat PMM’e die nuwe vredemakers kan word.