This thesis investigates the place of African states in the international system and seeks to understand what space exists for aid-dependent governments to exercise agency in relations with donors. In exploring these issues I focus on the case of Uganda’s NRM regime which has enjoyed very substantial international support despite its increasingly authoritarian nature, destabilising regional policy and questionable human rights record. The two central questions posed are therefore: ‘why has Uganda benefited from such uncritical international support and what role has the NRM regime itself played in bringing about this situation?’ The thesis also compares Uganda’s experience to those of Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda to demonstrate the broader relevance of these questions. I argue that donors have taken a lenient approach to Uganda because they perceive it as valuable as an economic success story, an ally in the ‘War on Terror’ and a guarantor of regional stability. The study stresses, however, that these perceptions are just that: perceptions. They do not necessarily reflect reality nor are they formed without input from Africa, as some inadvertently suggest. Indeed, the principal contention of this thesis is that these three donor perceptions of Uganda have been actively constructed, moulded, managed and bolstered by Kampala itself in an effort to shore-up international support. Using a variety of ‘image management’ strategies the regime has succeeded in convincing its donors to see it as a valuable ally worth supporting. The same is true of the Rwandan and Ethiopian governments, I suggest, but not of the Kenyan. In doing so, the thesis contends, Kampala has carved out a subtle but substantial degree of agency in relations with donors and this raises important questions for scholars and policy-makers.

Submitted by Elesbão Santiago Neto (neto10uepb@cche.uepb.edu.br) on 2016-09-05T19:23:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Melissa Rejane Grangeiro de Sousa.pdf: 1186009 bytes, checksum: f0887ff40ffd6ac1393fbcbdb63540e4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-05T19:23:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Melissa Rejane Grangeiro de Sousa.pdf: 1186009 bytes, checksum: f0887ff40ffd6ac1393fbcbdb63540e4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-01 / CAPES / This master thesis aims to discuss the changes in global economic governance through the analysis of the Voice Reforms in the World Bank and the creation of the BRICS Bank. Through an exploratory, bibliographical and documentary research, it analyzes how the countries are represented in the World Bank decision-making process, the performance of this international institution on the political scene, as well as what represents the creation of a new economic institution by a group of emerging countries. In the first chapter, the concept of global governance will be discussed from its emergence and consolidation in the study of international relations and how it was an important ally to understand the changes in the global order, especially in the economic area, including at this time the global economic governance. Then, in the second chapter, the World Bank will be examined from the point of view of its origin, its political structure and the reform to which it was subjected. Finally, the third chapter analyzes the impact of the Voice Reform - which was an initiative led by developing and emerging countries to achieve a series of changes in the composition of the World Bank shares- and then evaluates its main outcomes. Also in this chapter, the emergence of the BRICS will be presented, the Bank created by this group, the New Development Bank, and the prospects and challenges that a change in Bank policy composition can bring both to their internal organization as to its performance in the current international order. As a conclusion of this study, there is a need to implement effective reforms in the global economic governance that can promote the democratic participation of countries and then the international institution will effectively make its role in the new world order. The demand for a more equitable participation in the economic scenario explains the creation of the Bank of the BRICS, which is therefore a moment for reflection about the current power structures that dominate the international economic area and that do not reflect the economic weight of the countries that compose. / Essa dissertação tem como objetivo discutir as alterações da governança econômica global a partir da análise das reformas de voz do Banco Mundial e da criação do Banco dos BRICS. Por meio de uma pesquisa exploratória, bibliográfica e documental, será analisada a forma como os países estão representados nas instâncias decisórias do Banco Mundial e a atuação dessa instituição na cena política internacional, bem como o que representa a criação de uma nova instituição econômica por parte de um grupo de países emergentes. No primeiro capítulo, o conceito de governança global será discutido a partir do seu surgimento e consolidação no estudo das relações internacionais e como ele foi um importante aliado na compreensão das mudanças da ordem global, sobretudo na seara econômica, abrangendo assim a governança econômica global. Em sequência, no segundo capítulo, o Banco Mundial será analisado do ponto de vista da sua origem, da sua estrutura política e da reforma a que foi submetido. Por fim, o terceiro capítulo aborda o impacto do Voice Reform, isto é, uma iniciativa liderada por países em desenvolvimento e emergentes buscando uma série de mudanças na composição das cotas do Banco, e avalia os seus principais resultados. Ainda neste capítulo, será apresentado a emergência dos BRICS e do Banco lançado por esse grupo, o New Development Bank, bem como as perspectivas e desafios que uma alteração na composição política do Banco Mundial poderá trazer tanto para a sua organização interna como para sua atuação na atual ordem internacional. Como conclusão deste estudo, constata-se a necessidade de implementar reformas efetivas na governança econômica global para que assim seja possível a participação democrática dos países e para que dessa forma uma instituição internacional possa cumprir de maneira eficaz o seu papel na nova ordem mundial. A demanda por uma participação mais equitativa no cenário econômico explica a criação do Banco dos BRICS, sendo este, portanto, um momento de reflexão das atuais estruturas de poder que dominam a seara econômica internacional e que não refletem o peso econômico dos países que a compõe.

Bakgrund: Livsmedelsbranschen är tuff för många producenter. Konkurrensen är hård och säljarens ställning är svag. Trenden i branschen rör sig emot att effektivisera företaget, såväl organisatoriskt som operativt. Prestationsmätning är en viktig del vid effektiviseringar men trots detta har få studier genomförts inom livsmedelsindustrin. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att utvärdera Scans prestationsmätningssystem och identifiera faktorer som kan öka jämförbarheten mellan produktionsenheter med olika produktionskontext. Ett bisyfte blir därmed att utveckla förbättringsförslag kring Scans prestationsmätningssystem. Metod: Uppsatsen är en kvalitativ studie bestående av en fallstudie med utvärderingsinriktning kring hur Scan arbetar med sin prestationsmätning. Datainsamlingen har primärt bestått av intervjuer med anställda som är ansvariga och operativt arbetar med prestationsmätningssystemet på produktionsnivå. Intervjuer har genomförts med personer från alla Scans anläggningar och på olika nivåer av företaget. Även årsredovisningar och företagsekonomiska teorier har varit en del av studien. Resultat och slutsatser: Studien visar att drivande styrtal lämpar sig bättre än utfallsmått vid jämförelser av produktionsenheter med olika produktionskontext samt att det är viktigt med en likriktad kommunikation när avdelningar skall jämföras. Studien visar även på flertalet förbättringsmöjligheter med Scans prestationsmätning. / Background: The food industry is tough for many producers. The competition is hard and the sellers position in the supply chain is weak. Trends in the industry mentions a more effective company, both organizational and operative. Performance measurement is a vital part to reach higher efficiency but it has despite that been few research studies on the subject. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate Scans performance measurement system and identify factors which can increase benchmarking between production units with different production contexts. Another purpose is to come up with improvements for Scans performance measurement system. Methodology: This report is a qualitative study consisting of how Scan are working with their performance measurement system. Data collection has primarily consisted of interviews of people that work with the performance measurement system. Also studies in annual reports and business economic theories have been part of the report. Results and conclusions: The study shows that leading indicators is better suited for benchmarking between production units with different production contexts. It is also important that the communication is unified throughout the company.

Background: Swedish football clubs have lost their competitiveness both economically andgamely. The last time a Swedish team was represented in Champions League was 1999 and last season there were only 2 clubs with positive financial results in Allsvenskan. One factor that has not worked is budgeting where many clubs have budgeted too optimistic and thus not able to make positive results.Purpose: The purpose of this report is to review and analyze how the Swedish football clubs are working with their budgeting. The goal was to identify problems in their budgeting and to find solutions which can be used practically.Methodology: This report is a qualitative study consisting of a cross-sectional study of how Swedish football clubs are working on budgeting in 2014. Data collection has primarily consisted of interviews of budgetmakers in the clubs. Also studies in annual reports and business economic theories have been part of the report.Results and conclusions: The study shows that there is big differences in the clubs budgeting. Audience-revenue and transfers is most difficult to budget. These problems leadsto a model with the purpose to improve the budgeting in football clubs. / Bakgrund: Svenska fotbollsklubbar har tappat i konkurrenskraft såväl ekonomiskt somsportsligt. Senast ett svenskt klubblag representerades i Champions League var år 1999 och det senaste året var det endast två allsvenska klubbar som visade positiva ekonomiska resultat. En faktor som inte fungerat är budgeteringen där många klubbar har budgeterat för optimistiskt och därmed inte kunnat göra positiva resultat.Syfte: Ett första syfte med studien är att granska och analysera hur allsvenska fotbollsklubbar arbetar med deras budgetering. Ett andra syfte är att identifiera eventuella brister i budgeteringen samt hitta lösningar på dessa som kan användas praktiskt.Metod: Uppsatsen är en kvalitativ studie bestående av en tvärsnittsstudie kring hur allsvenska klubbarna arbetar med budgetering år 2014. Datainsamlingen har primärt bestått av intervjuer med de budgetansvariga i flertalet fotbollsklubbar. Även studier i årsredovisningar och företagsekonomiska teorier har varit en del i studien.Resultat och slutsatser: Studien visar att det finns stora skillnader i hur olika fotbollsklubbar budgeterar. De svåraste posterna att budgetera har visat sig vara publikintäkter och spelarförsäljningar. Dessa problem mynnar ut i en modell med syfte att förbättrafotbollsklubbars budgetering.

Submitted by Elesbão Santiago Neto (neto10uepb@cche.uepb.edu.br) on 2018-04-12T20:20:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Melissa Rejane Grangeiro de Sousa.pdf: 31030426 bytes, checksum: 6d4a52da34df35b4b7600ebcce762ada (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-12T20:20:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Melissa Rejane Grangeiro de Sousa.pdf: 31030426 bytes, checksum: 6d4a52da34df35b4b7600ebcce762ada (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-01 / CAPES / This master thesis aims to discuss the changes in global economic governance through the analysis of the Voice Reforms in the World Bank and the creation of the BRICS Bank. Through an exploratory, bibliographical and documentary research, it analyzes how the countries are represented in the World Bank decision-making process, the performance of this international institution on the political scene, as well as what represents the creation of a new economic institution by a group of emerging countries. In the first chapter, the concept of global governance will be discussed from its emergence and consolidation in the study of international relations and how it was an important ally to understand the changes in the global order, especially in the economic area, including at this time the global economic governance. Then, in the second chapter, the World Bank will be examined from the point of view of its origin, its political structure and the reform to which it was subjected. Finally, the third chapter analyzes the impact of the Voice Reform - which was an initiative led by developing and emerging countries to achieve a series of changes in the composition of the World Bank shares- and then evaluates its main outcomes. Also in this chapter, the emergence of the BRICS will be presented, the Bank created by this group, the New Development Bank, and the prospects and challenges that a change in Bank policy composition can bring both to their internal organization as to its performance in the current international order. As a conclusion of this study, there is a need to implement effective reforms in the global economic governance that can promote the democratic participation of countries and then the international institution will effectively make its role in the new world order. The demand for a more equitable participation in the economic scenario explains the creation of the Bank of the BRICS, which is therefore a moment for reflection about the current power structures that dominate the international economic area and that do not reflect the economic weight of the countries that compose. / Essa dissertação tem como objetivo discutir as alterações da governança econômica global a partir da análise das reformas de voz do Banco Mundial e da criação do Banco dos BRICS. Por meio de uma pesquisa exploratória, bibliográfica e documental, será analisada a forma como os países estão representados nas instâncias decisórias do Banco Mundial e a atuação dessa instituição na cena política internacional, bem como o que representa a criação de uma nova instituição econômica por parte de um grupo de países emergentes. No primeiro capítulo, o conceito de governança global será discutido a partir do seu surgimento e consolidação no estudo das relações internacionais e como ele foi um importante aliado na compreensão das mudanças da ordem global, sobretudo na seara econômica, abrangendo assim a governança econômica global. Em sequência, no segundo capítulo, o Banco Mundial será analisado do ponto de vista da sua origem, da sua estrutura política e da reforma a que foi submetido. Por fim, o terceiro capítulo aborda o impacto do Voice Reform, isto é, uma iniciativa liderada por países em desenvolvimento e emergentes buscando uma série de mudanças na composição das cotas do Banco, e avalia os seus principais resultados. Ainda neste capítulo, será apresentado a emergência dos BRICS e do Banco lançado por esse grupo, o New Development Bank, bem como as perspectivas e desafios que uma alteração na composição política do Banco Mundial poderá trazer tanto para a sua organização interna como para sua atuação na atual ordem internacional. Como conclusão deste estudo, constatase a necessidade de implementar reformas efetivas na governança econômica global para que assim seja possível a participação democrática dos países e para que dessa forma uma instituição internacional possa cumprir de maneira eficaz o seu papel na nova ordem mundial. A demanda por uma participação mais equitativa no cenário econômico explica a criação do Banco dos BRICS, sendo este, portanto, um momento de reflexão das atuais estruturas de poder que dominam a seara econômica internacional e que não refletem o peso econômico dos países que a compõe

Orientador: Jose Maria Ferreira Jardim da Silveira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Economia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T09:21:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rocha_MarcoAntonioMartinsda_M.pdf: 1295524 bytes, checksum: 775253322737ff65f27e925d1d71eeca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Este trabalho se dedica a estudar o impacto que os diversos arranjos industriais exercem nas estruturas financeiras. Através da análise da evolução recente do setor petroquímico brasileiro, isto é, sua reestruturação patrimonial após a privatização, buscou-se demonstrar como a complementaridade entre as estruturas criadas ao longo da evolução do setor consolidam um ambiente institucional com forte resistência a mudança. Desta forma, este trabalho analisa como a convergência dos padrões de organização industrial e financeira dos sistemas econômicos locais a qualquer padrão internacional é uma possibilidade remota. A partir da descrição do padrão organizacional que parece estar se consolidando na indústria petroquímica nacional procurou-se demonstrar sua coerência com o sistema de governança local. Logo, buscando entender o processo de reestruturação da petroquímica brasileira através das suas tendências internas. / Abstract: This work is dedicated to study the impact of the industrial arrangements in the financial structures. The research is based on the analysis of the Brazilian petrochemicals industry after its privatization and its latter rearrangement. We try to show how the complementarities created in the national institutional environment results in strong resistance for the convergence of industrial and financial structures to any international standard. We demonstrate by the description of the organizational standard that seems to be consolidated or almost, the coherence of the Brazilian petrochemicals industry reorganization in relation of the Brazilian Governance System. In that way, this work looks to the rearrangements of national petrochemicals sector through its inner tendencies. / Mestrado / Politica Economica / Mestre em Ciências Econômicas

Microfinance research concerns addressed in this thesis relate to: (1) targeting of clients vis-à-vis financial sustainability; (2) loan size effect of interest rate and clients’ well-being status; (3) economic governance and the dual objectives of microfinance institutions; and (4) patterns, trends and drivers of microfinance institution’s efficiency. The thesis emphasises operational issues that affect institutional performance and outreach of microfinance institutions rather than impact of microfinance intervention on poverty reduction. The thesis revolves around four empirical chapters that seek to address the above research concerns. Both micro and macro-level analyses have been explored with the aim of identifying institutional and public policies that drive the success of microfinance interventions. Micro level data from households in Ghana and cross country data mainly from the Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) market are used. Varied microeconometric techniques (ordinary least squares, instrumental variable estimation, quantile regression, pooled regression, fixed and random effects estimations, Hausman-Taylor, Fixed Effects Vector Decomposition, stochastic frontier analysis and non-parametric efficiency estimations) are used depending on the hypotheses being considered in each of the empirical chapters. The main findings are: observed trade-off between financial sustainability and reaching poorer clients; formal institutions dispensing their own funds target poorer clients; pronounced variations in responsiveness of loan size to interest rate changes; semi-elasticity of loan amount responsiveness to a unit change in interest rate is more than proportionate and very significant for the poorest group; lesser time in securing property and availability of credit information show positive effects in targeting poorer clients; both type (pure technical and scale) and scope (narrow and broad) of financial efficiency show varying trends; and lastly, negative effects of bureaucracies in property registration and lack of credit information on social efficiency are also observed. This thesis suggests the following recommendations both for management of microfinance institutions and other stakeholders including international microfinance investors and government: harmonizing microfinance programmes irrespective of the source of funds; segmenting microfinance outreach markets based on socio-economic well-being; curtailing bureaucracies in property registration; and providing credit related information. These are paramount to the success of the microfinance paradigm, especially in achieving its social objective.

What explains the form and substance of international financial standards? Form refers to the legal or non-legal bindingness of an international standard. Substance refers to how significantly the standard changes the international status quo. The form and substance of international standards on bank capital adequacy, hedge funds, “bail-in” resolution, and insurance capital adequacy challenge the predictions of major rationalist, realist, and two-level perspectives. I propose a novel theory and present original evidence to test two central claims. First, the structure of domestic institutions and strategic interaction within a state incentivizes an actor from that state to prefer and pursue a certain form of international standard: legally or non-legally binding. The state actor, as a first mover, aims to propose a standard at an appropriate international institution which produces standards of its preferred form. Second, the state actor must bargain with representatives of other states according to certain decision-making rules at the international standard-setting institution. The type of decision-making rule used in bargaining—not the market power or other characteristics of key players—explains the substance of the final standard. More restrictive decision-making rules, which use majority or supermajority voting, lead to greater change than open rules, which are based on consensus or unanimity voting. My empirical findings remove the veneer of technocratic legitimacy associated with international standard-setting to reveal intense distributional battles. In pursuing the Basel capital standards, the US Federal Reserve has been motivated more by turf wars with other US bank regulators than by its publicly stated desire to create a “level playing field” for internationally active banks. Supported by domestic collaboration between regulators and industry, French officials set a legally binding and deep de facto international standard for hedge fund managers over the vigorous objections of the City of London. By pursuing a soft standard on bail-in, the Bank of England has sought not only to protect taxpayers from costly bailouts, but also to keep Her Majesty’s Treasury at arm’s length. The lack of international insurance regulation is due not to the lack of effort by the UK Financial Services Authority and its European partners, but to open decision-making rules that allow US state regulators, albeit fragmented and under-resourced, to protect the international status quo. In each of these cases, I specify how domestic and international institutional settings provide enduring opportunities and constraints for key players in global finance.

The thesis answers the following research question: what is the extent of the influence of international law on the construction and application of corporate codes of conduct, what factors determine this influence and through which processes does it occur? The thesis uses a mix of methods: a content analysis study, used to measure the extent to which codes of conduct incorporate international labour standards and the degree to which they have changed over time in this respect; legal research on whether corporations can be liable for violating their codes and how this risk factors in the drafting of codes; and case studies of fifteen retailer corporations, which examine how their codes were created and how they are being applied. The study's findings show there is an influence of international law on the construction and, to a far smaller degree, on the application of codes. The creation and application of codes is a politicised and contested process and codes are based on international law principally due to the pressure exerted by trade unions and NGOs, but also due to reputational risk, commercial pressure and mimicry by corporations. This influence has been selective, with corporations applying provisions in their codes that protect the rights carrying the biggest reputational risks. These findings show the flaws in the current international framework for corporate accountability, which is based on self-regulation through codes and audits. They also raise issue of whether changes, such as a binding international treaty or the creation of more collaborative and inclusive programmes to oversee the application of codes, may be required in order to ensure wider respect for labour rights of workers.

In 1965, amid antagonism between capital-importing and capital-exporting states over investment protection, the World Bank created ICSID. ICSID facilitates the resolution of disputes between foreign investors and states. Since major initiatives to create investment rules have failed within the UN and OECD, ICSID is the only successful attempt to create a multilateral, inter-state organization dedicated to investment. This thesis probes the intellectual, political, and economic forces behind the creation and early development of ICSID. This study combines archival work, oral histories, and interviews with econometric work. On this basis, it illuminates how ICSID's creators-mainly staff in the World Bank's Legal Department-adapted their ideas to suit the charged political context. When disseminating the idea of ICSID to states, they relied on ambiguity, expertise, and incrementalism. These three characteristics constitute an approach to organization building that I term "modest multilateralism" since the World Bank's President praised ICSID as "a modest proposal." By illustrating how this approach operated in ICSID's case, I generate insights that are applicable to other international organizations. ICSID's creation differs from the expectations of institutionalist IR theory in important ways. First, there was little state leadership, and ICSID's founding Convention is devoid of substance-it merely outlines a procedure. In this way, it takes the idea of ambiguity to its extreme. Second, ICSID's founders took steps to shield the organization from the politics of investment protection: they asked states to send legal experts, not elected representatives, and avoided deliberative debate. Third, ICSID's design was explicitly evolutionary. ICSID can operate alongside changing substantive rules-multilateral, bilateral, or domestic. Finally, contrary to previous accounts, in this thesis the ICSID Secretariat emerges as a dynamic agent. The Secretariat actively pursued ratifications and advance consents to investor-state arbitration. The creation of ICSID fostered a community of practice, which subsequently redefined international investment law through treaty making and arbitral practice.