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Different levels of congesti'on are 'encountered in ports all over the world and particularly in developing countries. Depending on the volume of traffic flow over time, the changes of development in the economy and industrial activity and the random arrival and service pattern of ships; the optimum berthing capacity resulting in minimum cost at any future time period has to be determined to avoid undesirable repercussions. The existing methods fail to provide the links between the aggregate economy, demand and optimal berthing capacity for all time periods of the planning horizon, and conventional techniques based on static frameworks are used to arrive at optimal strategies for specific times into the future. This study is an attempt to remedy those difficulties and relate future demand to optimal berthing capacity in an interactive dynamic fashion. Three models are developed: a forecasting model linking seaborne trade to gross domestic product, population, productions consumption and elasticity of demand;, a simulation model relating the various demand levels to different port configurations; and an investment model relating the resulting congestion cost to capital cost, where an optimal strategy in berthing capacity is achieved for the years 19859 19909 1995 and 2000. The last model has been extended using the above mentioned points in time to result in an optimal berthing capacity for any future time period within the planning horizon 1985 - 2000. This model is validated through forecasting, simulating and appraising the 1992 and 1998 results and reducing the amount, costs and time of work by 75 per cent.

I develop three models that are designed to aid in the analysis of environments in which agents i) benefit from interacting with others, and ii) optimally choose their characteristics mindful of the fact that such choices will influence the quality of interaction that they can expect. Of central interest is the ways in which a concern for interaction affects the efficiency with which agents choose their characteristics. The first two models contrast with previous work in that each agents' relevant characteristics are both unobserved and endogenously determined. The first model provides an explanation for credentialism in the labour market, and demonstrates how a concern for interaction can lead to over-investment in the relevant characteristic. The second model is motivated by human capital development in the presence of peer effects, and demonstrates how a concern for interaction can exacerbate an inherent under-investment problem. The third model retains the feature of unobserved characteristics, and contrasts with previous work by embedding frictions in the process by which agents compete for partners. The model is set in a labour market and demonstrates that outcomes of interest (equilibrium matching patterns, income, inequality and welfare) are generally not monotonic in the level of frictions. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

This thesis examines the current regulatory frameworks for foreign investment protection and reforms thereto in the petroleum sector in Nigeria. The analysis is conducted from international law perspective. Thus, the current regimes of IIAs reflected in both the substantive and procedural terms are bedevilled by unbalanced framework in the allocation of rights and duties to the contracting parties. Strictly speaking, the parties do not set out from the outset to draft an unbalanced terms of IIAs. However, the preponderant inflow of investment from the developed to developing countries almost always make the latter bear the brunt of any unbalanced prescription of the terms of the IIAs. Thus, the definitions of such substantive terms as investment, fair and equitable treatment, umbrella clause, and regulatory expropriation constitute a significant cause of concerns for economic imperatives of the capital importing countries. Similarly, the incessant lack of consideration for the regulatory and economic interest of the host state in the arbitral awards is creating concern among the capital importing countries. Consequently, a re-appraisal of existing regimes becomes necessary both in the substantive definition and the arbitral construction of these substantive terms to ensure a balance of interests in international economic relation. These substantive and procedural terms do not operate in vacuum but apply to host state like Nigeria together with other local investment regulatory rules. Although various studies establish different challenges to foreign investment in Nigeria such as, inter alia, lack of harmonised investment regimes and complicated registration procedures, one issue that is evidently less considered is the institutional influence in the implementation of investment regulation. Thus, institutional factors are the heart of Nigeria investment challenges. These institutional factors mirrors itself in poor human and social capital ratio needed for enhanced service delivery. Thus, for any meaning headway to be made in strengthening the inflow of foreign capital to Nigeria economy, tackling of other challenges is incomplete until human capital development is aligned with social capital development.

Individual investors and professional fund managers who deploy capital into equity markets are looking to achieve investment returns that outperform the general market. In order to achieve this, the ability to identify and implement strategies and trading rules that are consistently able to outperform the market is critical. It is against this backdrop that this study will attempt to determine whether a trading strategy based on dividend yield can be used to outperform the general market in South Africa. Specifically, this study proposes to test a dividend yield strategy to create portfolios based on historical data on the JSE, and test whether these portfolios have outperformed the JSE Top 40 Index over the period of the study between 2004 and 2012, after adjusting for risk and taxes. This study will also further test whether high yield portfolios outperform low yield portfolios over the same period on the JSE. These trading strategies have proven to be successful in other markets by Dimson et al. (2011) and Visscher and Filbeck, (2003), and this study aims to investigate whether the same holds in South Africa. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / pagibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

This research report investigated directors' dealings on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in order to determine if an investor should use director dealings as an investment indicator. Share data, directors’ dealings, market capitalisation data and beta values for JSE listed shares over the six years from 1 April 2002 until 31 March 2008 was obtained from McGregor BFA (Pty) Ltd. Only the first transaction of the week was analysed, and event day was categorised as day0. Abnormal Returns (AR), Average Abnormal Returns (AAR) and Cumulative Average Abnormal Returns (CAAR) were then calculated for day 1 through to day 252. The CAAR was then tested for statistical significance at a 5% confidence level. The overall CAAR for the 252 holding period was found to be a statistically significant positive 0.31%, with the CAAR for buy transactions being a statistically significant positive 0.33% and the CAAR for sale transactions being a statistically significant positive 0.29% at the 252 holding period. The individual CAARs for the sale and buy transactions fluctuated over the period with the sale transactions consistently outperforming the buy transactions. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Private Investment in electrical power generation will play a substantial role in South Africa’s massive capacity expansion programme over the next 20 years. Should this investment not materialise, South Africa’s security of electricity supply would be seriously compromised. The purpose of this research was to determine whether major factors that impact on the attractiveness of a country’s power sector to private investors are being catered for in South Africa and where the possible shortcomings are. The research was qualitative in nature and the methodology followed was to survey industry role players by way of a self-administered questionnaire. Response data were analysed using descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics (hypothesis testing) where a one tailed, one sample t-Test was used. The findings of the research are that the South African legal system and the revenue generation potential of the power sector are advantages that the country can leverage off to attract power sector investors. Major stumbling blocks to private investor participation needing immediate attention, are the lack of responsiveness of Government to private sector needs and timeframes as well as the lack of independence of the Regulatory institutions and processes from Government interference whether perceived or real. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

There are several different investment opportunities for the private investor in South Africa in the asset class of immovable property. The purpose of this study is to identify the category of investment within this asset class that produces the most wealth creation. Four broad property investment categories exist. There are speculative investments involving short-term high profit returns. There are also long term income producing investment options. Property development is another category although there are often limitations in terms of financial accessibility for private investors. Finally there is the category of investing in listed property through property shares or unit trusts. Each category can be further segmented into property types such as residential, commercial, industrial, or undeveloped land. Each property type produces different returns and levels of profitability but is also affected by specific risks and externalities. Recent growth in the South African property market has caused a flood of private investors to enter the property market. Many of these investors lack knowledge of their asset purchase. This may be in terms of the potential financial return of their particular asset choice, or the variables and risks involved. Many potential investors feel that property investment is inaccessible to them and that it is reserved exclusively for the wealthy. This study undertakes to evaluate the category and type of property investment that offers the greatest potential for wealth creation for the private investor through research and calculation. It also serves to establish the profile and perceptions of potential private investors with respect to the different property investment options available to them. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Housing is currently a topical issue in South Africa which has a housing backlog estimated to exceed 2,5 million households. Banks are a critical component of the housing value chain. They have been struggling to facilitate the reduction of the backlog, citing a lack of market liquidity of townships relative to the suburbs as a primary reason for the failure to reduce the backlog. The aim of this research study is to determine the extent to which information asymmetry is a factor in the liquidity of the township property market, with a view to understanding the impediments to liquidity in the township real estate market, and make recommendations for parsimonious interventions. Quantitative analysis was performed by examining data obtained on Estate Agents, Properties Registered and Demographics. Descriptive statistics were employed to understand the structure of the market. Thereafter factor analysis was used to identify relationships and narrow the number of variables for further exploration. Finally, multiple regression was applied in order to understand how the variables identified interacted with one another. The findings revealed that estate agents and the type of housing product had a direct impact on market liquidity. Market liquidity in the township market could be improved by making practical and parsimonious interventions centred on the estate agents, and property developers. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted