This study examines the fundamental determinants of bilateral trade flows between South Africa and BRIC countries. This is done by exploring the magnitude of exports among these countries. The Gravity model approach is used as the preferred theoretical framework in explaining and evaluating successfully the bilateral trade flows between South Africa and BRIC countries The empirical part of this study uses panel data methodology covering the time period 2000-2012 and incorporates the five BRICS economies in the sample. The results of the regressions are subject to panel diagnostic test procedures. The study reveals that, on the one hand, there are positive and significant relationships between South African export flows with the BRICs and distance, language dummy, the BRICs’ GDP, the BRICs’ openness and population in South Africa. On the other hand, GDP in South Africa, real exchange rate and time dummy are found to be negatively related to export flows. / Economics / M. Com. (Economics)

Doctorat en environnement, Orientation urbanisme et aménagement du territoire / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The aim of the thesis is to further explore the relationship between economic integration and firm mobility and investment, both from an empirical and a theoretical perspective, with the objective of drawing conclusions on how government policy can be used to strengthen the positive impact of integration on investment, which is crucial in moving and maintaining countries at the forefront of the technology frontier and accelerating economic growth in a world of rapid technical change and high mobility of ideas, goods, services, capital and labor.<p>The first chapter aims to bring together the literature on economic integration, firm mobility and investment. It contains two sections: one dedicated to the literature on FDI and the second covering the literature on firm entry and exit, economic performance and economic and business regulation.<p>In the second chapter I examine the relationship between the Single Market and FDI both in an intra-EU context and from outside the EU. The empirical results show that the impact of the Single Market on FDI differs substantially from one country to another. This finding may be due to the functioning of institutions.<p>The third chapter studies the relationship between the level of external trade protection put into place by a Regional Integration Agreement(RIA)and the option of a firm from outside the RIA block to serve the RIA market through FDI rather than exports. I find that the level of external trade protection put in place by the RIA depends on the RIA country's capacity to benefit from FDI spillovers, the magnitude of set-up costs of building a plant in the RIA and on the amount of external trade protection erected by the country from outside the reigonal block with respect to the RIA.<p>The fourth chapter studies how the firm entry and exit process is affected by product market reforms and regulations and impact macroeconomic performance. The results show that an increase in deregulation will lead to a rise in firm entry and exit. This in turn will especially affect macroeconomic performance as measured by output growth and labor productivity growth. The analysis done at the sector level shows that results can differ substantially across industries, which implies that deregulation policies should be conducted at the sector level, rather than at the global macroeconomic level. / Doctorat en sciences économiques, Orientation économie / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

This thesis consists in a collection of research works dealing with various aspects of International Economics. More precisely, we focus on three main themes: (i) the existence of a world business cycle and the implications thereof, (ii) the likelihood of asymmetric shocks in the Euro Zone resulting from fluctuations in the euro exchange rate because of differences in sector specialization patterns and some consequences of such shocks, and (iii) the relationship between trade openness and growth influence of the sector specialization structure on that relationship.<p><p>Regarding the approach pursued to tackle these problems, we have chosen to strictly remain within the boundaries of empirical (macro)economics - that is, applied econometrics. Though we systematically provide theoretical models to back up our empirical approach, our only real concern is to look at the stories the data can (or cannot) tell us. As to the econometric methodology, we will restrict ourselves to the use of panel data analysis. The large spectrum of techniques available within the panel framework allows us to utilize, for each of the problems at hand, the most suitable approach (or what we think it is). / Doctorat en sciences économiques, Orientation économie / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

L’arbitrage commercial international dans lequel une des parties est étatique est aussi actuel que décrié. Les tribunaux étatiques doivent renoncer à leur pouvoir d’appréciation de la validité légale et de l’efficacité de la convention d’arbitrage commerciale internationale, même si cette dernière n’est pas conforme à leur droit national. On comprend facilement les problèmes de légitimité que pose cette convention vis-à-vis de l’État partie. La question des intérêts étatiques dans l’arbitrage commercial international représente des enjeux non seulement juridiques mais également économiques importants pour les États. Notre première partie est dédiée à l’étude des instruments juridiques favorisant, dans l’intérêt des États, l’extension de la validité de la convention d’arbitrage à l’égard de la personne publique ; tandis que la seconde partie aborde les délicates questions, soulevées lors de différends engagés, qui tendent à remettre en cause la validité ou l’efficacité de la convention d’arbitrage,  en raison d’allégations par la personne publique, de violations de certaines normes juridiques internes ou de certains changements politiques ou économiques. Depuis quelques décennies, la jurisprudence et la doctrine françaises prônent le fait que la convention d’arbitrage insérée dans un contrat international a une efficacité et une validité propres. Nos recherches nous ont permis de trouver le corps de règles et de principes fondant le cadre juridique de la convention d’arbitrage véritablement détachée de tout lien national avec les autorités et les droits nationaux, en démontrant par ailleurs l’inefficacité récurrente de solutions recherchées sur le terrain des conflits de lois de procédure ou par le recours aux tribunaux des États. Cette théorie est particulièrement mise en exergue lorsqu’une personne publique est partie à un arbitrage commercial international. Nous analysons de manière critique pour les intérêts des États, le recours à la protection diplomatique comme voie de substitution à l’inefficacité ou l’invalidité de la convention d’arbitrage. Le recours à l’exercice de la protection diplomatique est un recours extrêmement subjectif, car dépendant à la fois du jugement arbitraire de l’état protecteur par rapport à son ressortissant et de la puissance de cet État sur la scène internationale. Les opérateurs économiques ne sont pas en situation d’égalité lorsqu’il s’agit de juger de la bonne ou mauvaise exécution des obligations contractuelles relevant d’un contrat international, puisqu’il n’est plus question d’un recours objectif grâce au droit, mais une question de puissance entre États. D’autant plus que l’exercice de la protection diplomatique a souvent amené des conflits interétatiques.  Notre thèse défend la légitimité, la pertinence et les avantages de la convention d’arbitrage à travers le kaléidoscope de nombreuses sources juridiques internationales et au regard de la prévalence des intérêts étatiques. Même si cela peut paraître a priori paradoxal, il n’y a aucun paradoxe pour les États à s’engager de manière conventionnelle à renoncer aux pouvoirs discrétionnaires des juridictions nationales, au contraire les relations économiques internationales sont basées sur la confiance, la moralité et la loyauté, et l’arbitrage commercial international atteint cet objectif en offrant une voie de recours internationale judiciaire objective pour les deux parties. / The international commercial arbitration in which one party is a State party is as current as criticized. The State courts may have to give up exercising their discretion of the legal validity and the efficacy of the international commercial arbitration agreement, even if the latter does not conform to their national law. It is easy to understand the problem of legitimacy posed by this agreement opposite to the State party. The question of State interest in international commercial arbitration represents not only important legal issues but also economic issues for the State. The first part is dedicated to the study of the legal instruments favoring, in the interest of the State, the extension of the validity of the arbitration agreement towards the State; whereas the second part deals with the delicate questions raised during disputes which call into question the validity or the efficacy of the arbitration agreement, due to the allegations made by the public entity based on violations of certain national legal provisions or changes in economic or political circumstances. For a few decades, the jurisprudence and the French doctrine advocate that the arbitration agreement in an international contract has its own efficacy and validity. Our legal research has revealed the body of rules and principles basing the legal framework of the arbitration agreement detached of some link with authorities and with the national law. At the same time, we demonstrate the repeating ineffectiveness of the remedies sought on the ground of the conflicts of procedural legislations or by recourse to State court. This theory is particularly underlined when a public entity is a party to an international commercial arbitration. We critically analyze for the State interest, the exercise of diplomatic protection as a substitute remedy against the inefficiency or invalidity of the arbitration agreement. The exercise of diplomatic protection is highly subjective, because it depends simultaneously on the arbitrary judgment of the protective State with respect to its national and to the power of this State on the international scene. The economic operators are not on an equal footing while it is a question to rule the proper or improper performance of contractual obligations based on an international contract, because it is no longer a matter of an objective remedy through the right, but a matter of power between the States. This is all the more the case as the exercise of diplomatic protection has often leaded to inter-state conflicts. Our thesis defends the legitimacy, pertinence and advantages of the arbitration agreement through the kaleidoscope of many international legal sources and with regard to the prevalence of State interest. However paradoxical that might seem a priori, there is no paradox for the State to engage itself in a conventional manner to waive its discretionary power of domestic jurisdiction. On the contrary, the international economic relations are based on trust, morality and loyalty, and international commercial arbitration achieved that goal by providing an effective international judicial remedy for both parties.