According to Munich Re (2013), economic losses related to natural disasters have increased from an average of $50 billion in the 1980s to $200 billion over the last decade. The cost of natural disasters is accumulating rapidly and some claim that climate change is responsible. Others believe that human behaviors like population growth or land use should be blamed for these rising costs. The process of climate change has already taken place, and it is expected to continue to impact the future. As a result, people are more vulnerable today. Therefore, understanding the economic aspects of climate change and natural hazard risks should be considered as a major issue and addressed in greater detail. This dissertation aimed to explore household preferences of climate change adaptation and the economic impacts of natural hazards at both micro- and macro- levels. The dissertation consisted of three related empirical studies based on the two main changes that will occur with climate change predicted by scientific climate models: stronger hurricanes and rising sea levels. The first chapter examined the impact of a recent hurricane on household activities. The objective was to find out whether a more intensified hurricane caused greater damages, and whether such damages had a long-lasting impact on household recovery. If the impact of natural hazards is worse than before, people should avoid putting themselves in harm's way. However, evidence indicates that the population in coastal cities is still growing fast, as people tend to reside near the beaches and attractive landscapes. Concerns are thus prompted by the possible lack of perceptions for future risks caused by natural hazards. Therefore, the second chapter focused on household perceptions and preferences for adapting to sea level rise in Florida. Lastly, although a disaster strikes rich or poor nations indifferently, some small island nations are among the most vulnerable. In the third chapter, the macroeconomic implications of natural hazards in Central America and the Caribbean were investigated. A careful examination of the economic factors that can lead to smaller losses and higher abilities to cope with disasters is crucial in such countries.

In recent years the ownership of public organisations has been transferred from government to the private sector through privatisation owing to the poor performance of parastatals. In Zimbabwe, the privatisation of parastatals has been criticised as a result of the approach which has been adopted to privatise them, the transparency and the paceof the privatisation, the factors pushing for privatisation at the expense of local demand as well as the lack of an institutional framework for privatisation. The main objective of this study was to explore management perceptions regarding the privatisation of parastatals in Zimbabwe. This study is based on a combination of theories of privatisation and preceding results of studies looking at privatisation of parastatals in developing and developed countries. The secondary sources were the backbone in the formulation of a theoretical model on the management perceptions of privatisation which was used to guide this study. The extensive literature which was analysed revealed that independent factors such as stakeholder consultation, business conditions, government considerations, institutional framework and management of the privatisation process could influence management perceptions regarding privatisation. Perceptions of privatisation were identified as influencing two dependent variables, economic benefits and organisational performance. The variables of the study were operationalised and the hypotheses which identified relationships between the independent variables and perceptions of privatisation were formulated. Hypotheses in respect of perceptions of privatisation and the dependent variables were also formulated. In this study, a quantitative research approach was adopted as the study sought to investigate the relationships between variables. This study collected data through the use of a structured self-administered survey questionnaire which was distributed to 700 managers of parastatals in Zimbabwe. The parastatals which were used in this study were selected using the simple random sampling method whilst convenience sampling technique was used to select the managers. The survey yielded 301 usable questionnaires which were analysed using several statistical analysis techniques. The major findings of this study show that managers, employees and customers participate during privatisation and that privatisation in Zimbabwe is guided by a formal action plan. The study also showed that parastatals in Zimbabwe operate under stable macroeconomic conditions and that information regarding the bidding process is accessible to all parties. However, the results also showed that, in Zimbabwe privatisation is poorly implemented as a result of lack of structural capacity to enhance privatisation, lack of an autonomous institution to manage and lead the privatisation process. The results also show that privatisation in Zimbabwe lacks credibility as the valuation of organisations and assets is poorly done resulting in organisations being acquired at rates which are below market value. In addition, the results indicate that privatisation has failed to improve organisational performance and to change the management style from being reactive to being proactive. The study also found that privatisation brings about economic benefits such as effective governance and economic empowerment. The study recommends that government should ensure that managers, employees and customers participate in the privatisation process and that privatisation is implemented in a transparent manner so as to have a credible programme and achieve the intended objectives. The study also recommends that government should engage people and institutions which have the capacity to efficiently value the organisations and assets identified for privatisation. In addition, the study recommends that the government should appoint board members who possess the requisite skills and competencies, encourage partnerships between local and foreign investors so as to produce quality products and services as well as economic growth. This study has contributed to the existing body of knowledge by developing a theoretical model which can be utilised in other developing countries to test perceptions regarding the privatisation of parastatals. This study could assist the government, parastatals and other stakeholders by providing feedback regarding the privatisation of parastatals in Zimbabwe, so that remedial action can be implemented where deviations are recorded. The findings of this study could also assist the government of Zimbabwe and also other governments, by providing guidelines which can be adopted to implement a successful privatisation programme. This study provides useful and very practical guidelines to parastatals so as to ensure successful privatisation.

The study was conducted to examine economic relations between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the Mercado Commun del Sur (translated Southern Common Market), in short (Mercosur). SACU was established in 1910 and consists of five member countries, namely; South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland. Mercosur was created in 1991 and consists of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela being associate members. The aim of the study was to ascertain whether the Mercosur-SACU relations had created more economic opportunities for both regions. In pursuit of this aim, the study revised and analysed the evolution, development and growth of both Mercosur and SACU. It also analysed the achievements and challenges faced by each of the blocs in their respective regions. The conclusion of the analysis indicate that, countries which were economically stronger before the establishment of formal bloc-to-bloc relations, Brazil in Mercosur and South Africa in SACU, tended to reap disproportionally high dividends than others. The study further concludes that challenges facing Mercosur and SACU countries should not discourage them in pursuing collective developmental initiatives such as regional integration and South-South Cooperation.

This study considers the nature of savings behaviour amongst low income earners residing in the township areas of Kouga Municipal District. It reflects on the popularity and persistence of informal savings and credit associations, also known as stokvels, in these communities in the face of an increase in the availability of formal savings products. This study argues that despite financial deepening taking place within the South African economy, the popularity and widespread usage of stokvels can largely be attributed to the lack of appropraite formal products available for low income earners. This study does not conclude that the usage of informal savings products results in increased savings behaviours amongst this group, but it does conclude that they provide a suitable mechanism in which savings can take place.

Japan's foreign relations with the People's Republic of China have been one of the most important and controversial issues since Japan regained her independence in 1952. Geographical proximaty, historical ties that Japan has with China, and China being a major power with nuclear capability made it vitally important for Japan to keep a pipeline open with her, and the policy of separating economics from politics permitted trade relations with her. In this thesis I am chiefly interested in finding out why it was of utmost importance for Japan to adopt this principle of foreign policy toward Communist China. In the first section, the international situation and historical circumstances which eventually led Japan to adopt this policy will be explored. The second section will deal with the international significance and implications of this policy. In section three I should like to analyze how the actual negotiations on "trade" are used by both the Chinese leaders and the pro-Peking leaders in Japan as a means of changing Japan's policy toward China. An important aspect of this policy treated in the last section is the internal political impact in Japan. Finally, I should like to see how Korea will be affected by Japan's new relations with the People's Republic of China. The chief cause of adopting and pursuing the policy of separating economics from politics stemmed from international circumstances in which Japan found herself as a defeated nation after the Second World War. It was the nature of the San Francisco Peace Treaty, the timing of the signing, the attitude of Communist China and Japan's particular relation to the United States that made Japan recognize Nationalist China. Since neither Nationalist China nor Communist China would permit diplomatic ties with any country that recognized the other, it was not possible for Japan to recognize both regimes. Therefore, Japan maintained only economic relations with Communist China without any direct political contact. Sino-Japanese trade relations were based on the reality of both Communist China and Japan. From Japan's point of view it was a realistic approach to maximize economic opportunities and minimize political involvement until the right opportunity came for normalization. By adopting and practising the policy of separating economics from politics, Japan looked for larger commercial opportunities in the future and it also served as a pipeline between the two big countries in Asia. From China's viewpoint, it was an "accumulative" approach for the eventual normalization of relations with Japan. Trade was used as an instrument of political pressure and it reflected China's political aims. The volume of trade fluctuated and the techniques China used varied according to the political objectives. China appealed to a "broad political spectrum" in Japan through private agreements and exchange of unofficial private delegations. China threatened Japan with suspension of trade, and manipulated her with "friendly trade" and "memorandum trade". Since the agreement for the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations was signed on September 29, 1972 the controversial issue of "separating economics from politics" has become a story of the past. The admission of Communist China to the United Nations in 1971, Nixon's visit to China in February, 1972, and the eventual change of the policy of the United Nations gave Japan an opportunity to change her policy and recognize the People's Republic of China. With the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations, Korea must seek her role by pursuing "independent and positive" action. The talks between North and South for the eventual unification of Korea and the new constitution of South Korea which was adopted in 1972 reflect Korea's attempts to adjust herself to this role. / Arts, Faculty of / Political Science, Department of / Graduate

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

Siberia is one of several mid-latitude continental interiors, developed by Europeans during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A distinctive common feature of this development has been a reliance on big, long-distance exports of low value-to-weight ratio minerals and agricultural staples, utilizing such concomitant advances in transport technology as the river steamer and railway. Hence it has been asserted that development involving such changes in spatial relations must have been stimulated principally by the advances in transport technology. This thesis examines the validity of such assertions, in the regional context of western Siberia. Freight traffic flows are taken as an index of spatial relations, and a qualitative correlation of changes in flows with changes in transport technology, political conditions, and economic-geographic conditions is made through several stages of Siberian development from the sixteenth century to the present day. With respect to the relationships between changes in transport technology and changes in traffic flows, the main findings of the thesis are as follows: A. That transport technology suitable for implementing declared aims for regional development is available, does not mean that it will be used -- even if projects apparently requiring it are put into effect. There have been considerable time lags between technology becoming available and evidently needed, and actually being used, both before and since 1917. B. Both before and since the revolution, economic development projects have been put into operation despite the lack of any firm foundation for believing that transport costs could be brought down to levels apparently necessary. C. Innovations in transport have often seemed to have big effects on regional development. However, these effects have sometimes differed considerably from what was expected by the innovators. D. At first sight, changes in political conditions seem to correlate far better with changes in spatial relations than do changes in transport technology. However, there is some evidence to suggest that post-revolutionary development in western Siberia can be seen as a logical continuation of that before 1917; also, development models worked out for parts of North America fit western Siberia remarkably well. Therefore it is suggested that in the long term, given even quite limited common objectives, the spatial relations of mid-latitude interior continental regions during economic development are likely to fit widely-applicable models reflecting a balance between population, natural resources, transport costs and on-site production costs. However, the suggestion that advances in transport technology, lowering transport costs, are generally the main stimulus to such development is rejected. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

This paper is divided into four distinct sections. 1. An explanation of the meaning of input/output analysis, especially the derivation and significance of the table of direct and indirect requirements. 2. An outline of the decisions taken in constructing the West Malaysian 1960 transactions table from a set of National Accounts - especially the treatment and valuation of imports and exports; producer versus purchaser price valuation of transactions; and problems of inconsistent and incomplete double entry records. 3. An explanation of the method of forecasting from input/ output tables. This includes discussion of: a. A method of estimating aggregate demand for Malaya for 1970. b. A method of projection of value added for each sector, 1970. c. The likely stability of the input coefficients over time. 4. Results; a. Differences between the 1960 and 1965 table projections due to changes in Leontief inverses and value added coefficients over time, as the economy undergoes change. b. Comparison of the table projections with the First Malaysia Plan projections: i. Are the Plan projections likely to be reached in 1970? ii. Why are some of the table projections so inaccurate? The paper concludes that 1. The projections from the 1965 input/ output table are generally superior to those from the 1960 table. 2. Under conditions of structural change, even 5 years is too far ahead to expect input/output analysis to yield accurate projections for most sectors. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

The aim of this diploma thesis is to verify a connection between macroeconomic development and energy sector. This connection is examined with the data from the Czech Republic and with the data from Austria, both in the years 2000 - 2012. The theoretical part describes energetics as a natural monopoly and a resource of externalities. It includes the theory of monitoring the business cycle and financial analysis of companies. The first half of the practical part compares macroeconomic development of the Czech Republic and the ČEZ group. The similar comparison is made with Austria and the Verbund company. Second half of the practical part explains how economic policies influence the Czech energetics. This impact is being studied in terms of legislation, regulations, monetary and fiscal policy. The practical part ends with rating and valuation of costs that arise from the main energy resources. The link between energetics and macroeconomic development was discovered and proved thanks to the doubled analysis used in the thesis.

The main goal of this diploma thesis was to find similarities and differences in the development of two basic macroeconomic indicators GDP and the unemployment rate. Indicators were analyzed quarterly. Development of Inflation, government spendings, scheduled tax charges, influence FDI on productivity of labour, were taken as relevant factors in the development of analyzed indicators.