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This dissertation states that the behavior of banks and investors varies according to the rules of the game and demonstrates that the level of institutional development may have an important role on the effectiveness of monetary policies. The level of institutional development is measured by the quality of contract enforcement, the level of corruption, the extent of political stability, the level of government's transparency and accountability and the quality of the implemented policies and regulations. This research presents a framework to explain how the traditional channels of monetary policy transmission are altered by the level of institutional development, allowing the construction of three hypotheses. The first hypothesis is that institutional development matters for the effects of monetary policies on output. The second hypothesis is that contractionary policies have more adverse effects on output in countries with low institutional development than in countries with high institutional development. The third hypothesis is that expansionary policies are more effective in terms of output promotion in countries with high institutional development than in countries with low institutional development. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that research has established a relationship between the level of institutional development and the asymmetric effects of monetary policies on output. Two country examples are presented: the case of Nigeria illustrates the third hypothesis and the case of Brazil illustrates the second hypothesis. Several econometric models and six institutional development indicators are used to evaluate the three hypotheses. This dissertation provides strong empirical support for the hypotheses 1 and 2, sustaining the argument that the asymmetric effects of monetary policies on output may have deep institutional causes. Rule of law and government effectiveness are the indicators that matter most for the effectiveness of monetary policies. Particular consideration should be given to the rule of law indicator because of its clear connection with the theoretical arguments and country examples, suggesting that fundamental institutional improvements should be focused on the efficiency of the judiciary system and the quality of law enforcement.

Social network analysis was used in combination with qualitative methods to identify characteristics of stakeholder networks that supported cases of institutional development in rural water sectors in Ghana, Malawi, India, Tajikistan, and Bolivia. Institutions studied included local governments, a national government institution, and community operator committees managing water treatment facilities. Interviews with 162 participants in these countries used a facilitated network drawing exercise to capture data on stakeholder relationships and perceptions of factors supporting institutional development. Quantitative analysis of these networks and qualitative analysis of perceived factors identified three network characteristics as supporting institutional development for rural water supply in multiple countries and types of institutions. The three characteristics are: information and skill ties between an institution and stakeholders at lower levels of sector hierarchy; information and skill ties between an institution and stakeholders at higher levels of sector hierarchy; and coordination between stakeholders at higher levels of sector hierarchy that strongly engage an institution. These three characteristics can be observed from a network perspective, and qualitative descriptions of these interactions can improve understanding of the nuance and benefit of particular network ties. Social network analysis on its own cannot predict whether an institution will develop if these network characteristics exist, but it can be used to identify where network ties are absent or weakly developed. Methods and findings from this research enable a rigorous analysis of complex stakeholder interactions in rural water sectors to identify where particular relationships might be strengthened, and strengthening the environments that support institutional development has the potential to lead to the stronger institutions that are necessary for sustainable rural water service delivery.

yes / The context for irrigation modernization in Syria reflects global drivers for change in irrigated agriculture. Two drivers are identified as being of particular importance, increasing stress on water resources, and the trend towards irrigation management transfer to the farmer level. Within these broad categories a number of specific challenges are likely to be of importance in the modernization process in Syria. Capacity-building to meet these challenges is required at three levels, policy, institutions and the individual. This paper focuses on institutional development, as being the most difficult level at which to undertake effective capacity-building. It discusses the institutional framework for irrigation management and goes on to describe current approaches, based round the concept of design principles. Constraints and limitations of the design principles approach are discussed. The paper concludes by proposing an agenda for preliminary action on capacity-building for irrigation modernization. This agenda comprises an institutional mapping exercise, an assessment of the roles and responsibilities of water sector entities, and the development of a strategy for supporting farmer-level institutions. Integration with other capacity-building initiatives (policy reform, human resource development) is necessary if it is to make an effective contribution to the overall modernization programme.

This dissertation explores the particular evolution of an organization, the Mondragon Co-operative Corporation, to shed light on the co-operative development process, and compares some of its complexities to the Manitoba co-operative sector. This study uses historical, political, and socio-economic research, institutional analysis, policy and legal analysis, and semi-structured interviews to better understand the co-operative development process from a critical and interdisciplinary perspective. This study uncovers the importance of institutional frameworks in understanding the development of the Mondragon group. By analyzing its well-known development story through this critical and interdisciplinary lens, this dissertation helps rethink the assumptions of much of the literature on co-operative and policy development that often overlooks the study of this phenomenon. Co-operative development factors and strategies widely discussed in the literature often fail to analyze the invisible cultural assumptions that underpin and help determine the development process. By studying the extent to which Mondragon's development is deeply embedded in and shaped by its cultural, legal, and institutional contradictions, this dissertation aims to rethink the co-operative development phenomenon. This study finds that institutional frameworks are crucial to understand co-operative development choices and strategies. The contradictions and complexities of institutional frameworks create room to counter the status quo. The study of the Mondragon group tells us that co-operatives can unknowingly reproduce contradictions while challenging the dominant logic to seek change. The influence of institutional contradictions and complexities is highly important to make sense of co-operative development behaviours as well as to understand how institutions change in society. This study concludes with a comparison of the Manitoba co-operative experience in the light of the Mondragon case, and offers concluding thoughts and recommendations for the Manitoba co-operative sector.

The economic literature posits that a well-functioning economy requires a well-regulated financial system, and a sound financial system is essential to the fundamentals of an economy, however, even the most influential economists disagree sharply about the role of the finance-growth relationship in economic development. One of the most important questions concerning financial openness is whether it spurs long-run economic growth, and if yes, do these benefits outweigh the risks for developing countries. In addition, the conventional economic theory often postulates that a more developed financial sector provides a productive ground for higher economic growth. Is financial development a major prerequisite for economic growth? Additionally, institutional quality has also received a considerable attention since it is thought of a significant channel in the financegrowth relationship. This thesis aims to investigate the links between financial integration, financial development, and growth, taking institutional quality and the level of the development of the economy into consideration. To this end, a large panel data set is used and panel data estimation techniques are employed. The results show that emerging economies benefit the most from financial openness regardless of any preconditions. On the other hand, developing economies should be cautious since financial openness may hinder growth unless institutional development is healed before financial openness policies take speed. Moreover, the results indicate that, financial development fosters growth and the level of institutional development is an important determinant of the finance-growth relationship in the overall.

This thesis is concerned with the development of small scale contractors in developing countries. The global trend towards privatisation has led to an increasing interest in the use of the private sector for the construction of buildings and infrastructure. In developing countries large projects are typically undertaken by large foreign contractors however, there are few small scale contractors to undertake small construction projects or maintenance work. The first stage of the study investigated three issues pertinent to the small scale contracting sector: 1. The problems experienced by small scale contractors and the inter-relationship of these problems 2. Contractor development projects to identify their support mechanisms and assess their level of success 3. A review of the construction industry framework in developed and developing countries to highlight the problems caused by their different structures. The second stage of the study proposes the use of a Contractor Support Agency as the most appropriate support mechanism for the development of the indigenous contracting sector and outlines the roles and activities that should be undertaken by the agency. The Contractor Support Agency model is reviewed by experts in the sector and the analysis of the results presented in the thesis. The thesis concludes that the proposed model is broadly correct and discusses small modifications that can be made to enhance its suitability in a range of different situations.

nÃo hà / Elaborar o conceito de desenvolvimento institucional para a universidade brasileira contemporÃnea constitui um grande desafio: por ser uma questÃo recente, suas bases conceituais ainda nÃo estÃo consolidadas, inexistindo estudos e pesquisas que indiquem caracterÃsticas, obstÃculos e evidÃncias desse fenÃmeno. Esta tese, iniciada como estudo no Programa de PÃs-GraduaÃÃo em EducaÃÃo da Universidade Federal do Cearà (UFC), procura abordar esse problema como categoria central, para propor, por meio das categorias de anÃlise AvaliaÃÃo, Planejamento e Sinaes, um modelo de desenvolvimento institucional que venha a indicar como pressuposto, para alÃm da qualidade das dimensÃes da universidade baseada no Sistema Nacional de AvaliaÃÃo da EducaÃÃo Superior (Sinaes), a sua pertinÃncia social. Com essa intenÃÃo, buscaram-se, nas missÃes enunciadas pelas universidades brasileiras, os principais referentes, enquanto elementos, funÃÃes ou estruturas, os quais foram organizados em vinte categorias de anÃlise, possibilitando, assim, caracterizar a universidade brasileira contemporÃnea com base em sua missÃo enquanto razÃo de ser institucional. Nessa anÃlise, constatou-se que, com maior frequÃncia a universidade brasileira se caracteriza por oferecer Ensino, Pesquisa e ExtensÃo, Saber & Conhecimento e FormaÃÃo HumanÃstica & Profissiona, com os propÃsitos de: Desenvolvimento & Progresso, Sociedade & Comunidade, InclusÃo Social & Cidadania. Com base nessa compreensÃo do campo temÃtico, pela multirreferencialidade e pela transdisciplinaridade, caracterizou-se o processo de desenvolvimento institucional da universidade e seus obstÃculos, chegando-se Ãs concepÃÃes de sociedade, sujeito e instituiÃÃo, para propor um modelo em que fosse superado o principal obstÃculo ao desenvolvimento institucional, identificado como a desarticulaÃÃo entre os macroprocessos de avaliaÃÃo e planejamento institucional. Para contextualizar a educaÃÃo no mundo e no Brasil, foram analisados os indicadores da OrganizaÃÃo para CooperaÃÃo e Desenvolvimento EconÃmico, consignados no relatÃrio Education at a Glance: lndicators Report OECD 2007, com base no modelo CIPP, proposto por Stufflebeam, com resultados apresentados na forma de tabelas, diagramas e grÃficos. Assim, o modelo proposto à uma primeira aproximaÃÃo para anÃlise do desenvolvimento institucional da universidade brasileira contemporÃnea, numa perspectiva sÃcio-histÃrica, organizada pelas anÃlises sistÃmica, crÃtica e institucional, que constatou ser a cultura o principal fator nesse fenÃmeno; nÃo haver apenas um Ãnico modelo para o desenvolvimento institucional da universidade; ser necessÃria uma missÃo, como razÃo para aÃÃo, capaz de orientar a universidade, seu corpo social e seu projeto polÃtico e pedagÃgico nas seguintes direÃÃes: do sistema econÃmico à sociedade; da organizaÃÃo à instituiÃÃo; do indivÃduo-agente ao sujeito-cidadÃo. Uma missÃo que reoriente seus objetivos e projetos institucionais para alÃm do ensino, da pesquisa e da extensÃo. / Develop the concept of institutional development for the Brazilian contemporary university is a complex problem: to be a new issue, the conceptual underpinnings are not consolidated, there are no studies and surveys that indicate features, obstacles, and evidence of this phenomenon. This thesis, which started as a study in the Graduate Program in Education of the Federal University of Cearà (UFC), aimed to address this issue as a central criterion for proposing, through the categories of analysis Evaluation, Planning and Sinaes a model of institutional development as a precondition to indicate, in addition to the quality dimensions of university based in the National Evaluation System of Higher Education of Brazil (Sinaes), its social relevance. With this intention, we sought the tasks laid down by the Brazilian universities, while regarding the main elements, functions or structures, which were organized into twenty categories of analysis, allowing to characterize the contemporary university in Brazil, based on their mission, while its ratio institutional. In this analysis it was found that most often the Brazilian university is characterized by offering Teaching and Research, Knowing and Knowledge, Humanistic Education & Professional with the purposes of: Development & Progress, Society & Community, Social Inclusion and Citizenship. Based on this understanding of the subject field, the multiple references and transdisciplinarity, characterized the process of institutional development of the university and its obstacles, coming to the conceptions of society, subject and institution to propose a model where the main obstacle to institutional development , identified as the disconnection between the macro assessment and institutional planning, was overcome. To put the education in the world and in Brazil included the analysis of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development - OECD, contained in the report Education at a Glance: OECD lndicators Report 2007 on the model CIPP proposed by Stufflebeam, with results presented in form of tables, charts and graphs. Thus, the proposed model is a first approach to examining the institutional development of the university in a Brazilian contemporary socio-historical perspective, organized by systemic analysis, and institutional critique, which found that culture is the main factor in this phenomenon, there is no single model for institutional development of the university, which is a necessary task, as a reason for action, capable of guiding the university, your body and its social political and pedagogical project in directions: the economic system of society, the establishment of the organization; the individual-agent to the subject-citizen. A mission to reorient their objectives and institutional projects in addition to teaching, research and extension.

Organizations, once established, tend not to change, typically going obsolete as society continues to evolve. This makes adaptability an important issue. Organizational members must make sense to each other, or coordination suffers. They must also make sense to environmental actors, or the organization will not achieve the support it needs to survive. This sense-making is a process of institutionalization, of constructing a shared understanding of the organization's enterprise, business and environment. When environmental actors adopt new priorities, ideas and modes of thinking, organizations must develop a new understanding of reality or go obsolete. To stay adaptable, organizations needs to contain competing perspectives. But the pressures to conform and to coordinate make it difficult for established organizations to adapt, trapped by the very benefits of increased efficiency. Using an agent-based model of organizational institutionalization, I show that an organization's adaptability is highly dependent on structural elements that affect the member interaction frequencies, and that organizations that leverage the strength of weak ties between member groups can maintain adaptability. The effects of changes to any of these elements are decidedly non-linear, however, which helps explain why it is difficult to design effective organizations. Organizational structure is one part of a tri-partite framework of institutional development in organizations and of organizational adaptability, where the other two parts are the individual characteristics of the members and the content of the organizational culture.

What factors account for variation in institutional development in the direction of greater or lesser regime complexity? To answer this question, this dissertation develops a distributive historical theory that connects the micro-foundations of state choice to the macro-processes of institutional development. I argue that distributive conflict over the terms of cooperation in a regime provides dissatisfied states with incentives to pursue institutional change. Yet there are centripetal forces that can bias regime development towards the status quo. The ways in which these forces of change and stability interact result in variations of institutional development and regime complexity. From the distributive historical theory, I derive and test a set of hypotheses through cross-case analysis of the regimes constructed to address ozone depletion, the overfishing of global stocks, and climate change. Across the cases, I find that dissatisfied actors continuously contest the status quo institutional arrangements to gain distributive advantages. Still, regimes tend to develop in a strongly path-dependent manner because institutions are resistant to change and because the status quo beneficiaries employ strategies that blunt the impact of the dissatisfied actors’ actions. / Political Science