Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-84). Also available in print.

This study investigates the Fisher Effect for a sample of ten developed countries and ten developing countries. The study examines whether the nominal interest rate adjusts to the expected inflation rate in the long run. The distinction between the developed countries and developing countries also enables to identify special conditions under which Fisher Effect is more likely to hold. To analyze the long run relationship between the nominal interest rate and expected inflation rate, Bounds test approach of Pesaran et. al. (2001) is utilized. Estimation results show that the adjustment of nominal interest rate to expected inflation is encountered mostly for the developing countries which have inflationary history in their economies.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Political Science, 2005. / Title from title screen (viewed July 6, 2007). Includes bibliographical references (p. 333-362). Also issued in paper format.

Thesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Population development planning has continued to be a battle for both developed and developing countries, as such it has been used as an exploitative tool and a political instrument to manipulate societies. China has offered a perfect example with its one-child policy. Although china’s one-child policy has been in use for over 35 years, and this approach was to control the fertility rate under the notion of planned and facilitated economic growth. The temporary brake measure saw its epic fail in the current 21st century; this resulted in the loosening and relaxed approach of the two-child policy as a measure towards population development planning. The relaxed policy and the Chinese withdrawal from controlling the reproductive systems of communities came soon after the realisation of the current underdevelopment within the country. The support from political allies and the rushed policy implementation was likely fuelled by the lack of understanding in terms of population development and planning. To solicit the incision of the study, qualitative data analysis, thick descriptions and classifications were utilised. Thick descriptions involved the expressions of meaning, contexts and, where relevant, intentions relating to conceptions, approaches and determinants of population development were planned. Contexts included the geographic, cultural, policy, historical, demographical, legislative, social, economic, political, and environmental and so on for Southern Africa and its states. Planning is value-laden; therefore, intentions relating to the adoption of family planning policies and their confusion with population development planning in Southern Africa will be discussed. For quantitative data, PCA was used to analyse the data into a variety of summary statistics. Irrespective of varied reasons presented as the culprit of ineffective population development in planning, this study argues that determinants of population development should be primate to attendant planning in Southern Africa.

In this study, a Kaleckian-Post-Keynesian macroeconomic model, which is an extended version of the Bhaduri and Marglin (1990) model, serves as the starting point. The merit of a Kaleckian model for our purposes is that it highlights the dual function of wages as a component of aggregate demand as well as a cost item as opposed to the mainstream economics, which perceive wages merely as a cost item. Depending on the relative magnitude of these two effects, Kaleckian models distinguish between profit-led and wage-led regimes, where the latter is defined as a low rate of accumulation being caused by a high profit share. Are actual economies wage-led or profit-led? Current orthodoxy implicitly assumes that they are profit-led, and thus supports the neoliberal policy agenda. The purpose of the paper is to carry this discussion into the empirical terrain, and to test whether accumulation and employment are profit-led in two groups of countries. We do so by means of a structural vector autoregression (VAR) model. The model is estimated for USA, UK and France to represent the major developed countries, and for Turkey and Korea to represent developing countries. The latter are chosen since they represent two different export-oriented growth experiences. The results of the adjustment experiences of both countries are in striking contrast to orthodox theory, however they also present counter-examples to each other in terms of their ways of integrating into the world economy. (author's abstract) / Series: Working Papers Series "Growth and Employment in Europe: Sustainability and Competitiveness"

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-08-25T12:18:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Adriano Cristian Gewehr_.pdf: 908728 bytes, checksum: 3544aba191c9b1e82b406db9bd3fce38 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-25T12:18:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Adriano Cristian Gewehr_.pdf: 908728 bytes, checksum: 3544aba191c9b1e82b406db9bd3fce38 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-07-20 / Nenhuma / O funcionamento do progresso tecnológico exige a compreensão da dinâmica da difusão de inovações. A difusão consiste na propagação de uma inovação. Sem difusão não existe a inovação, uma vez que são conceitos imbricados. As tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TIC) revolucionaram as estruturas de negócios das firmas e das indústrias, e são fundamentais para a difusão de outras inovações. Considerando tal cenário, para melhor compreensão de trajetórias tecnológicas dos países, releva compreender a dinâmica da difusão de inovações. Esta pesquisa pretende, portanto, responder ao seguinte problema: qual é a dinâmica do processo de difusão da tecnologia da internet e da telefonia móvel nos países desenvolvidos e nos países em desenvolvimento? Com o objetivo de compreender a referida dinâmica, foram utilizados os dados empíricos de consumo destas duas tecnologias para os grupos de países do G7 e do BRICS respectivamente, em um recorte temporal de 1990 a 2014. Aplicou-se o modelo matemático de Bass (1969), gerando curvas de consumo ajustadas pelo método dos mínimos quadrados. Como principais resultados destacam-se: i) a dinâmica de difusão destas duas tecnologias confirma o comportamento proposto por Rogers (1962), de uma curva em formato “S” ao longo do tempo representando as adoções pela população; ii) o modelo ajustou as curvas de difusão destas tecnologias com baixos índices de erros, que ao longo de 25 anos ficam entre 0,2% e 5,1%; iii) países desenvolvidos tendem a ter mais adotantes inovadores na população; iv) adotantes imitadores exercem maior influência na adoção de inovações; v) não há uma relação direta entre a velocidade e o nível de desenvolvimento das economias estudadas; vi) os países desenvolvidos analisados atingiram o ponto de inflexão no processo de difusão antes que as economias em desenvolvimento; vii) algumas nações atingirão apenas pouco mais da metade de sua população com acesso à internet. Nas economias em desenvolvimento, além da adoção tardia, o processo para capturar novos adotantes por ano é lento, chegando ao ponto de que, enquanto os países desenvolvidos já estão atingindo saturação, na maioria das economias em desenvolvimento analisadas, estas tecnologias ainda apresentam potencial capacidade para difusão. Por fim, destaca-se que, se estas duas tecnologias tendem a contribuir para a difusão de outras inovações, presume-se que o problema do progresso tecnológico retardado tende a se agravar para as economias em desenvolvimento. / The operation of technological progress requires understanding the dynamics of innovation diffusion. The diffusion consists in the propagation of an innovation. No there innovation diffusion, once they are imbricated concepts. Information and communication technologies (ICT) have revolutionized the business structures of firms and industries, and are fundamental to the diffusion of other innovations. Considering such a scenario, to better understand technological trajectories of the countries, reference to understand the dynamics of innovation diffusion. This research therefore aims to answer the following question: what is the dynamics of the diffusion process of internet technology and mobile telephony in developed countries and in developing countries? In order of understanding the dynamics that, empirical consumption data of these two technologies to the groups of the G7 countries and the BRICS were used respectively, in a temporal cut of 1990 to 2014. It was applied to the mathematical model of Bass (1969) generating consumption curve adjusted by the least squares method. The main results are: i) the dynamics of the diffusion of these two technologies confirms the behavior proposed by Rogers (1962), a curve in "S" shape over time representing adoptions by the population; ii) the model adjusted the diffusion curves of these technologies with low error rates, which over 25 years are between 0.2 and 5.1%; iii) developed countries tend to have the most innovative adopters in the population; iv) imitators adopters exert greater influence on the adoption of innovations; v) there is no direct relationship between the speed and the level of development of the economies studied; vi) the developed countries analyzed reached the tipping point in the diffusion process before developing economies; vii) some nations will reach just over half of its population with internet access. In developing economies, in addition to the late adoption, the process to capture new adopters per year is slow to the point that while the developed countries are already reaching saturation in most developing economies analyzed, these technologies also have the potential capacity for the diffusion. Finally, it is emphasized that if these two technologies tend to contribute to the diffusion of other innovations, it is assumed that the problem of retarded technological progress tends to aggravate for the developing economies.

Syfte: ESG-betyg utgör det huvudsakliga underlaget för beslut om hållbara investeringar. För en effektiv kapitalallokering krävs därför att betygen återspeglar företags faktiska hållbarhetsprestationer. Betygen har dock visats vara missvisande då den bakomliggande hållbarhetsrapporteringen påverkas av ett antal olika faktorer, däribland företags institutionella miljö, vilket kan hänföras till en strävan efter att uppfattas som legitima av samhälle och intressenter. Denna studie avser att kartlägga samband mellan institutionell miljö och den miljömässiga dimensionen (E) av ESG-betyg. För att testa sambandet prövas huruvida detta har en praktisk motsvarighet i form av mängden växthusgasutsläpp.    Metod: Studien har en positivistisk vetenskapsteoretisk utgångspunkt med en deduktiv ansats och är av kvantitativ natur. Genom en longitudinell design har data från 1969 företag under fem år analyserats. Studiens empiriska data är inhämtad från databasen Refinitiv Eikon och har analyserats i statistikprogrammet IBM SPSS, främst genom linjära regressioner.   Resultat & slutsats: Positiva samband mellan ekonomisk utvecklingsgrad i företags verksamhetsland och E-betyg samt benägenhet att tillhandahålla ESG-data har konstaterats. Möjliga förklaringar återfinns i legitimitets-, intressent samt den institutionella teorin och kopplas främst till institutionella skillnader mellan länder. Vidare återfanns att större benägenhet att tillhandahålla ESG-data påverkar datatillgänglighet positivt samt att datatillgänglighet har ett positivt samband med E-betyg. Ett negativt samband mellan industriländer och växthusgasutsläpp kunde dock återfinnas vilket innebär att resultatet inte ger något belägg för att de högre E-betyg som återfinnas bland företagen i industriländerna, inte motsvaras av en högre nivå på hållbarhet i praktiken.   Examensarbetets bidrag: Studien bidrar till den undersökning av ESG-betygens funktion som i tidigare forskning omnämnts som bristfällig. Även om studien inte kan bekräfta att institutionell miljö har en avgörande påverkan på betyget tydliggörs andra brister i betyget. Exempelvis betydelsen av mängden publicerad ESG-data. Detta innebär problem eftersom benägenheten att tillhandahålla ESG-data är mindre i utvecklingsländerna.      Förslag till fortsatt forskning: För att öka generaliserbarheten föreslås en utvidgad undersökning som omfattar fler värderingsinstitut och ESG-betygets alla dimensioner. Vidare undersökningar av den institutionella miljöns påverkan, utifrån andra aspekter än ekonomisk utveckling, samt forskning för att förbättra värderingsinstitutens metoder för datainsamling behövs. / Aim: ESG scores are the main basis for responsible investments decisions. An efficient capital allocation therefore requires the ratings to reflect companies’ actual sustainability performance. However, the scores have been found to be misleading as the underlying sustainability disclosures are affected by various different factors, including companies’ institutional environment, which can be attributed to an effort to be perceived as legitimate by society and stakeholders. This study is intending to identify relationships between the institutional environment and the environmental dimension (E) of the ESG score. To test the relationship, it is examined whether this has a practical equivalent in terms of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.   Method: The study is based on positivistic theory of science with a deductive approach and quantitative nature. Through a longitudinal design, data from 1969 companies over five years have been analysed. The empirical data of the study are obtained from the database Refinitiv Eikon and have been analysed in the statistical program IBM SPSS, mainly through linear regressions.   Result & Conclusions: Positive relationships between the degree of economic development in a company’s country of operation and E-scores and propensity to provide ESG data has been established. Possible explanations are found the legitimacy, stakeholder and institutional theory, and are mainly related to institutional differences between countries. Furthermore, higher propensity to provide ESG data has a positive effect on data availability and data availability has a positive relationship with E-score. However, a negative relationship between developed countries and greenhouse gas emissions was found, meaning that the result does not provide evidence that the higher E-score found among companies in developed countries, is not equivalent to a higher level of sustainability in practice.   Contribution of the thesis: The study contributes to the examination of the function of the ESG ratings which in previous research has been considered deficient. Although the study cannot confirm that the institutional environment has a crucial effect on the score other deficiencies in the ratings has been apparent. For example, the importance of the amount of published ESG data. This poses a problem because the propensity to provide ESG data is lower in developing countries.   Suggestions for future research: To increase generalizability, an extended study including more rating agencies and all ESG dimensions is proposed. Further examination of the institutional environments effect, based on other aspects than economic development, and research to improve the rating agencies’ methods for data collection are needed.

This study is non-empirical and its design is based on three forms of analysis: conceptualisation, theoretical justification and strategic considerations for a participatory model in the water services sector in South Africa. In terms of the conceptualisation, the study addresses the old and new paradigms of sustainable development. First, it argues that for many years the concept of sustainable development has long dominated the development discourse. Second, the theoretical justification traces the evolution and meanings of sustainable development and also patterns and trends of the legacies of colonialism and apartheid. The descriptive analysis of apartheid and colonialism suggests a new development path for inclusive people-centred development. The study therefore postulates that in the South African context, sustainable development is both a political and a historical construct. This is the basis within which sustainable development should be understood. Third, the study concludes that context plays an important part in understanding and challenging the immoral and unjust practices of colonialism and apartheid which have militated against sustainable human development. The study further provides a description of the local government and water sectors and their underpinned legislative and policy framework, and notes impressive results in the delivery of basic water supply since 1994. However, the study argues that in order for municipalities to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities as water services authorities, they need to adopt a participatory model towards sustainable development since this is currently lacking. In doing so, the water services sector needs to overcome dangers of parochialism which were more evident from the supply-driven policy of the government. The study therefore draws lessons from three Latin American countries: Chile, Bolivia and Nicaragua, and proposes a new developmental path which conforms to the principles of sustainability. This development path is represented in the form of a dynamic, diagrammatic model for participatory sustainable development. This model displays successive stages and cycles of transaction between stakeholders. The model represents a decision support system which provides a conceptual framework for the diagnosis, consolidation and analysis of information. The model is thus a useful tool which can be applied in the public sector during project or programme implementation. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

This study is non-empirical and its design is based on three forms of analysis: conceptualisation, theoretical justification and strategic considerations for a participatory model in the water services sector in South Africa. In terms of the conceptualisation, the study addresses the old and new paradigms of sustainable development. First, it argues that for many years the concept of sustainable development has long dominated the development discourse. Second, the theoretical justification traces the evolution and meanings of sustainable development and also patterns and trends of the legacies of colonialism and apartheid. The descriptive analysis of apartheid and colonialism suggests a new development path for inclusive people-centred development. The study therefore postulates that in the South African context, sustainable development is both a political and a historical construct. This is the basis within which sustainable development should be understood. Third, the study concludes that context plays an important part in understanding and challenging the immoral and unjust practices of colonialism and apartheid which have militated against sustainable human development. The study further provides a description of the local government and water sectors and their underpinned legislative and policy framework, and notes impressive results in the delivery of basic water supply since 1994. However, the study argues that in order for municipalities to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities as water services authorities, they need to adopt a participatory model towards sustainable development since this is currently lacking. In doing so, the water services sector needs to overcome dangers of parochialism which were more evident from the supply-driven policy of the government. The study therefore draws lessons from three Latin American countries: Chile, Bolivia and Nicaragua, and proposes a new developmental path which conforms to the principles of sustainability. This development path is represented in the form of a dynamic, diagrammatic model for participatory sustainable development. This model displays successive stages and cycles of transaction between stakeholders. The model represents a decision support system which provides a conceptual framework for the diagnosis, consolidation and analysis of information. The model is thus a useful tool which can be applied in the public sector during project or programme implementation. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)