Cette thèse examine l'impact de la mondialisation sur l'urbanisation de Beyrouth, capitale pensée a la fois comme métropole au sein du Liban et ville–monde à l’échelle internationale. Longtemps, les discours sur la Ville Globale, ont porté principalement sur les villes du Premier Monde. Une littérature postcoloniale plus récente sur Beyrouth et le monde arabe a élargi le discours de la mondialisation pour inclure le « tiers-monde », les pays en voie de développement et plus particulièrement les villes du Proche-Orient et du bassin méditerranée. Ainsi, cette ouverture a permis de relier l'urbanisation contemporaine avec les diverses formes prises par la modernité. L’objectif de cette recherche est de proposer une lecture de l’urbanisation de Beyrouth depuis la fin du XIXème siècle en mettant en lumière la place centrale prise par les interactions, souvent contradictoires, entre logiques spatiales endogènes et exogènes dans l’explication de ce processus. La méthodologie repose sur quatre approches complémentaires (cartes mentales, entretiens auprès d’experts, analyse critique et historique de la planification urbaine étatique de Beyrouth, géopolitique de l’enseignement supérieur) permettant l’analyse de la restructuration et de la différenciation de la région métropolitaine de Beyrouth et du littoral. La spécificité géographique de Beyrouth contribue à nuancer les tendances à la mondialisation du phénomène urbain dans les espaces dits en voie de développement. Trois étapes de la croissance et de la structuration urbaine se dégage : la centralisation de la période coloniale, la décentralisation liée à la période de l'indépendance et de la guerre civile, la fragmentation enfin lors de la période dite de la « post guerre ». Ce processus inscrit dans le temps long, s’accélère au cours de la dernière période. La « Mondiapolisation » de Beyrouth signifie à la fois l’insertion de Beyrouth dans un modèle monde de l’urbanisation et l’affirmation de valeurs métropolitaines. / This dissertation investigates the impact of globalization on the urbanization of Beirut, a city perceived, on the one hand, as a capital metropolis in the heart of Lebanon and, on the other hand, as an international world-city. The literature on global cities has mainly tackled the cities of the developed world despite the fact that more recent postcolonial literature about Beirut and the Arab world has expanded the discourse of globalization to include the “third-world,” the under-developed countries, and particularly the cities of the Near-East and the mediterranean basin. The objective is to provide an explanation of the urbanization of Beirut, and to try to apply this corpus in order to assess the evolution of Beirut since the end of the nineteenth century. The methodology examines the restructuration and the differentiation of Beirut’s metropolitan area and its coastline as one whole carrying the highest level of urbanization. It is based on four complementary approaches: the mental image of the metropolitan area of Beirut as perceived by its inhabitants, semi-directive interviews to complete the representations and widen the scope of the initial claim, a spatio–chronological reading of the official discourses of urban planning at the different periods of development of contemporary Beirut, and the choice of spatial indicators among which the spatial distribution of universities as a reflection of the geopolitical differentiation of Lebanon and the intersection of endogenous and exogenous factors. In conclusion, the geographical specificity of Beirut reveals the nuances of globalization trends of the urban phenomenon in the so-called under-development spaces. Three stages of growth and urban structure are identified : centralization, corresponding to the colonial period, decentralization, to the period of independence and civil war, and fragmentation, to the period known as "post-war" Beirut. We call this long-term process the "Globapolization" of Beirut.

[pt] Este trabalho tem como objetivo investigar o efeito das intervenções do Banco Central na volatilidade da taxa de câmbio no Brasil no período de 2000 a 2003 e entender se a autoridade monetária intervém com o intuito de suavizar a volatilidade do câmbio. Para abordarmos o primeiro ponto, utilizamos o modelo EGARCH de Nelson (1991) que nos permitiu estimar o impacto das intervenções na volatilidade da taxa de câmbio levando em conta a possibilidade de que choques positivos e negativos no retorno do câmbio tenham efeitos distintos na volatilidade. Como principal resultado, encontrou-se que as intervenções do Banco Central estariam adicionando volatilidade na taxa de câmbio. Entretanto, devido à possibilidade de simultaneidade, utilizou-se a metodologia desenvolvida por Vella (1993) que nos permite estimar o efeito das intervenções na volatilidade de forma consistente e testar a endogeneidade das intervenções. Concluímos que as estimativas anteriores eram inconsistentes uma vez que encontramos que as intervenções contribuíram para uma redução de volatilidade e o teste de endogeneidade confirmou que as intervenções são endógenas ao modelo. Podemos também depreender deste resultado que possivelmente o Banco Central tem suavizado movimentos na taxa de câmbio. / [en] This work investigates the effect of Central Bank interventions on the exchange rate volatility from 2000 to 2003 and tries to understand whether or not the monetary authority smoothes exchange rate volatility. Referring to the first issue, we estimated an EGARCH model developed by Nelson (1991) that allows us to estimate the effect of interventions on the volatility regarding the possibility that positive and negative shocks have different impacts on volatility. The results found indicate that Central Bank interventions are adding volatility to the exchange rate. However, because of the possibility of simultaneity, we implemented the methodology developed by Vella (1993) that allows us to test consistently the effect of interventions on the volatility and test the endogeneity of interventions. We conclude that previous estimates were inconsistent as new results reveal that interventions contribute to reduce volatility and the endogeneity test confirms that interventions are an endogenous variable of the model. This result also indicates that possibly Central Bank smoothes exchange rate movements.

<p>This dissertation consists of four self-contained essays.</p><p>Essay I (with Cecilia Enström Öst) investigates whether housing allowance affects recipients’ tenure choice in Sweden. A two-stage conditional maxi-mum likelihood probit (2SCMLP) model is applied in a panel data setting to simultaneously control for individual heterogeneity, state dependence and endogeneity. The empirical study is based on administrative data of housing allowance recipients between the years 1994 and 2002. Our results indicate that the housing allowance positively affects recipients’ homeownership propensity in Sweden. </p><p>Essay II investigates whether the Swedish housing allowance system creates dependence on welfare in recipients. Using longitudinal data from Swedish micro database-LINDA, this paper found that there is no evidence of nega-tive duration dependence among the Swedish housing allowance spells. This finding is consistent across different model specifications and various con-trols of the heterogeneity issue. </p><p>Essay III analyzes the impacts of the 1997 reform of Swedish housing al-lowance system on affected recipients’ exit hazards using the DD (differ-ence-in-difference) estimation strategy. This paper found strong evidence that the 1997 reform positively shifted up the conditional exiting probability of the couple with children recipient group, and the estimated magnitude of impact is sizable.</p><p>Essay IV extends the VECM (Vector Error Correction Cointegration Model) and PT (permanent-transitory) variance decomposition framework proposed by Lettau & Ludvigson (2004) to a situation in which total wealth is disag-gregated into housing wealth and financial wealth. The empirical studies are based on the Swedish aggregate quarterly data spanning from 1980q1 to 2004q4. We found strong statistical evidence that the movements of total consumption expenditures, disposable income, housing wealth and financial wealth are tied together. It is also shown that the movements of housing wealth in Sweden contain a large proportion of transitory component. </p>

This dissertation consists of four self-contained essays. Essay I (with Cecilia Enström Öst) investigates whether housing allowance affects recipients’ tenure choice in Sweden. A two-stage conditional maxi-mum likelihood probit (2SCMLP) model is applied in a panel data setting to simultaneously control for individual heterogeneity, state dependence and endogeneity. The empirical study is based on administrative data of housing allowance recipients between the years 1994 and 2002. Our results indicate that the housing allowance positively affects recipients’ homeownership propensity in Sweden. Essay II investigates whether the Swedish housing allowance system creates dependence on welfare in recipients. Using longitudinal data from Swedish micro database-LINDA, this paper found that there is no evidence of nega-tive duration dependence among the Swedish housing allowance spells. This finding is consistent across different model specifications and various con-trols of the heterogeneity issue. Essay III analyzes the impacts of the 1997 reform of Swedish housing al-lowance system on affected recipients’ exit hazards using the DD (differ-ence-in-difference) estimation strategy. This paper found strong evidence that the 1997 reform positively shifted up the conditional exiting probability of the couple with children recipient group, and the estimated magnitude of impact is sizable. Essay IV extends the VECM (Vector Error Correction Cointegration Model) and PT (permanent-transitory) variance decomposition framework proposed by Lettau &amp; Ludvigson (2004) to a situation in which total wealth is disag-gregated into housing wealth and financial wealth. The empirical studies are based on the Swedish aggregate quarterly data spanning from 1980q1 to 2004q4. We found strong statistical evidence that the movements of total consumption expenditures, disposable income, housing wealth and financial wealth are tied together. It is also shown that the movements of housing wealth in Sweden contain a large proportion of transitory component.

本論文嘗試解決在文獻上估計生產函數時所產生內生性及樣本選擇的問題。在模型設定上，我允許生產函數存在未觀察到的生產力，並引入技術無效率。在隨機邊際模型架構下，我利用 Olley and Pakes (1996) 及 Levinsohn and Petrin (2003) 所提之演算法先行解決內生性的問題。之後再利用關聯結構法 (copula method) 將樣本選擇問題考慮至生產函數中。如此，既可解決生產函數時所產生內生性及樣本選擇的問題，又可在此基礎上估計技術效率值。另外，根據本文所提之估計方法基礎下，我們透過共同邊界分析法 (metafrontier analysis) 比較留下 (stayer) 與離開 (exit) 市場廠商的技術效率與技術差距比率 (technology gap ratio, TGR)。 / Plants in Taiwan’s manufacturing are characterized as small- and medium-size with frequent exit and entry and the scale of survivors varies considerably with business cycles. Plants' choices on whether to exit or to stay and continuing plants' options on input quantities count on both technical efficiency and productivity. This entails a selection and a simultaneity problems in the estimation of production frontiers. This dissertation proposes a new approach to solve both issues under the framework of the stochastic frontier approach. More specific, we extend Olley and Pakes' (1996) and Levinsohn and Petrin's (2003) approaches to a stochastic production frontier and use copula methods to deal with simultaneity and selection at the same time. Based on the proposed method, we further conduct a metafrontier analysis to compare the technical efficiency and technology gap ratio between exit and continuing firms, which are operating under different technologies and subject to simultaneity and selection. The data of Taiwan’s electronic and food products industries are arbitrarily chosen to illustrate our empirics. Some results are obtained in this dissertation: first, the proposed model solves the problems of simultaneity and selectivity in the production function that exists in ordinary least square estimation; second, there is a serious downward bias in technical efficiency when the conventional stochastic frontier approach ignores simultaneity or sample selection problem; third, the results of metafrontier analysis find that, there is little difference in technology gap ratio between exit and continuing firms. The primary determinant on whether a firm can keep operating in the industry is its managerial ability, rather than its adoption of technology.

Η οικονομικη και νομισματικη ενωση (ονε) οδηγησε στην υιοθετηση του ενιαιου ευρωπαϊκου νομισματοσ, του ευρω, που αντικατεστησε τα εθνικα νομισματα των χωρων που συμμετεχουν στο συστημα αυτο. Το μεγεθοσ τησ επιδρασησ του ενιαιου νομισματοσ στο διμερεσ εμποριο μεταξυ των χωρων που το εχουν υιοθετησει εχει απασχολησει τη διεθνη βιβλιογραφια και εχουν προκυψει ποικιλα συμπερασματα. Ετσι, ορισμενοι συγγραφεισ βρισκουν πολυ μικρη επιδραση, ενω υπαρχουν και καποιοι, που μιλουν για τριπλασιασμο του εμποριου. Στην παρουσα μελετη, χρησιμοποιωντασ χωρεσ τησ εε οσο και εκτοσ αυτησ, εκτιμηθηκαν με τη μεθοδο ελαχιστων τετραγωνων (ols) δυο εναλλακτικα στατικα υποδειγματα, οπου μελετηθηκε η επιδραση του ευρω, σε συνδυασμο με αλλουσ παραγοντεσ, οπωσ για παραδειγμα τη γλωσσα, τη γεωγραφικη αποσταση, τη συναψη εμπορικων συμφωνιων. Διαπιστωθηκε μια θετικη και στατιστικα σημαντικη επιδραση του ενιαιου νομισματοσ, καθωσ και μια μικρη και αρνητικη επιρροη τησ μεταβλητικοτητασ των συναλλαγματικων ισοτιμιων στο διεθνεσ εμποριο. Ωστοσο, θα πρεπει να ειμαστε προσεκτικοι με τα ευρηματα αυτα, καθωσ απαιτειται βαθοσ χρονου, προκειμενου να διαφανει πληρωσ η επιδραση του ενιαιου νομισματοσ στισ εμπορικεσ συναλλαγεσ των χωρων που το χρησιμοποιουν. / The economic and monetary union (emu) led to the adoption of a single european currency, namely euro, that replaced the national currencies of the countries, which partipicate in this system. The magnitude of the effect of a single currency in the bilateral trade between the countries that have adopted it has been dealt with in the international bibliography, resulting in various conclusions. Thus, some authors find a very small effect, whereas others report a triplication of trade. In this study, by using both eu and non-eu countries, a pair of alternative static models were estimated, by means of the ols method. The effect of euro,in combination with other factors, for example the language, the geographical distance and free trade areas, was studied. It was found that there exists a positive and statistically significant effect of the single currency and a small and negative influence of the variability of exchange rates in the international trade. However, it would be wise to assess these findings with extra care, bearing in mind that a long period of time is required, for the effect of the single currency on the commercial transactions of the countries that have adopted it to be fully revealed.

No description available.

In the present doctoral thesis, we estimated Mincer's (1974) semi logarithmic wage function for the French and Pakistani labour force data. This model is considered as a standard tool in order to estimate the relationship between earnings/wages and different contributory factors. Despite of its vide and extensive use, simple estimation of the Mincerian model is biased because of different econometric problems. The main sources of bias noted in the literature are endogeneity of schooling, measurement error, and sample selectivity. We have tackled the endogeneity and measurement error biases via instrumental variables two stage least squares approach for which we have proposed two new instrumental variables. The first instrumental variable is defined as "the average years of schooling in the family of the concerned individual" and the second instrumental variable is defined as "the average years of schooling in the country, of particular age group, of particular gender, at the particular time when an individual had joined the labour force". Schooling is found to be endogenous for the both countries. Comparing two said instruments we have selected second instrument to be more appropriate. We have applied the Heckman (1979) two-step procedure to eliminate possible sample selection bias which found to be significantly positive for the both countries which means that in the both countries, people who decided not to participate in labour force as wage worker would have earned less than participants if they had decided to work as wage earner. We have estimated a specification that tackled endogeneity and sample selectivity problems together as we found in respect to present literature relative scarcity of such studies all over the globe in general and absence of such studies for France and Pakistan, in particular. Differences in coefficients proved worth of such specification. We have also estimated model semi-parametrically, but contrary to general norm in the context of the Mincerian model, our semi-parametric estimation contained non-parametric component from first-stage schooling equation instead of non-parametric component from selection equation. For both countries, we have found parametric model to be more appropriate. We found errors to be heteroscedastic for the data from both countries and then applied adaptive estimation to control adverse effects of heteroscedasticity. Comparing simple and adaptive estimations, we prefer adaptive specification of parametric model for both countries. Finally, we have applied quantile regression on the selected model from mean regression. Quantile regression exposed that different explanatory factors influence differently in different parts of the wage distribution of the two countries. For both Pakistan and France, it would be the first study that corrected both sample selectivity and endogeneity in single specification in quantile regression framework

開放性與通貨膨脹之間的關係一直是總體經濟學中重要的議題。Romer (1993) 使用 Kydland and Prescott (1977) 和 Barro and Gordan (1983) 的模型進行分析，發現開放性增加會使的降低背離法則的誘因。本篇論文使用 Galvao (2008), Galvao and Montes-Rojas (2009), 和 Harding and Lamarche (2009) 的追蹤資料工具變數分量回歸模型進行分析，同時也以實證分析開放性和犧牲比率之間的關係。在考慮的開放性的內生性之後，我們發現在通膨越高的國家其開放性的影響越大，動態不一致性也越嚴重。 / The relationship between openness and inflation is an important issue in macroeconomics. Romer (1993) uses the models of Kydland and Prescott (1977) and Barro and Gordan (1983) to argue that greater openness will reduce the policymakers' incentive to deviate from the rule. Cukierman, Webb, and Neyapti (1992) and Romer (1993) have an idea that countries with less political stability have a higher probability to violate the pre-committed monetary policies. In addition, as proposed by Romer (1993), the openness may be endogenous when analyzing the relationship between openness and inflation. Thus, we apply instrumental variable quantile regression for panel data proposed by Galvao (2008), Galvao and Montes-Rojas (2009), and Harding and Lamarche (2009) to test whether or not the negative effects of openness is stronger when inflation is higher. We also do the empirical work between openness and the sacrifice ratio to test the mechanism that openness affects inflation established by Romer (1993). After dealing with the potential endogeneity of openness, we find that when the inflation is higher the negative effect of openness is stronger. As the argument of Romer (1993), our empirical results show that the time inconsistency problem is more serious in countries with higher inflation. But our empirical results show that the effect of openness on the sacrifice ratio is positive which is different from the mechanism established by Romer (1993).

Asymmetric information is a large potential problem for insurance markets, especially for markets insuring health risk. Despite a large theoretical attention over the last 30 years, the empirical evidence of the extent of the problem is still limited. In part this is due to methodological problems. The fundamental problem being that the private information, on which agents' act, is generally not observable to the researcher. This thesis provides empirical evidence on selection and moral hazard, using a private dental insurance natural experiment that solves many of the methodological problems. The initial decision to select into the insurance is analyzed in the first paper. Interestingly, results indicate both adverse selection and its opposite, advantageous selection, in different parts of the sample. These results are captured in a theoretical model where agents differ in their degree of risk aversion. In the second paper the decision to opt out of insurance is related to new information on risk. Results indicate that updating is asymmetric. Agents do not take the insurer's information fully into account, even though it is public. Finally, the moral hazard effect of dental coverage is analyzed in the last paper. The treatment effect of insurance coverage is separated from self-selection, using propensity score matching, IV and difference-in-differences. The results give strong empirical evidence of moral hazard. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 2004 xii s., s. 3-12: sammanfattning, s. 13-104: 3 uppsatser