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The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers
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Showing 31 to 37 of 37 (0.012 seconds)| 31 |
Using authenticity to achieve competitive advantage in medical tourism in the English-speaking CaribbeanChambers, D., McIntosh, Bryan January 2008 (has links)
Medical tourism is a relatively recent global economic and political phenomenon which has assumed increasing importance for developing countries, particularly in Asia. It has been slower to develop within the context of the tourism industry in English-speaking Caribbean countries but there is evidence that the tourism policy makers in the region perceive medical tourism as a potentially lucrative niche market. However, while the potential of medical tourism has seemingly been embraced by the region's political directorate, there has been limited discussion of the extent to which this market niche can realistically provide competitive advantage for the region. The argument of this conceptual paper is that the English-speaking Caribbean cannot hope to compete successfully in the global medical tourism market with many developing world destinations in Asia, or even with other Caribbean countries such as Cuba, on factors such as low cost, staff expertise, medical technological capability, investment in healthcare facilities or even in terms of the natural resources of sun, sea and sand. Rather, in order to achieve competitive advantage the countries of the region should, on the one hand, identify and develop their unique resources and competences as they relate to medical tourism, while, on the other hand, they should exploit the demand of the postmodern tourist for authentic experiences. Both these supply and demand side issues, it is argued, can be addressed through the development of a medical tourism product that utilises the region's indigenous herbal remedies. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]; Medical tourism is a relatively recent global economic and political phenomenon which has assumed increasing importance for developing countries, particularly in Asia. It has been slower to develop within the context of the tourism industry in English-speaking Caribbean countries but there is evidence that the tourism policy makers in the region perceive medical tourism as a potentially lucrative niche market. However, while the potential of medical tourism has seemingly been embraced by the region's political directorate, there has been limited discussion of the extent to which this market niche can realistically provide competitive advantage for the region. The argument of this conceptual paper is that the English-speaking Caribbean cannot hope to compete successfully in the global medical tourism market with many developing world destinations in Asia, or even with other Caribbean countries such as Cuba, on factors such as low cost, staff expertise, medical technological capability, investment in healthcare facilities or even in terms of the natural resources of sun, sea and sand. Rather, in order to achieve competitive advantage the countries of the region should, on the one hand, identify and develop their unique resources and competences as they relate to medical tourism, while, on the other hand, they should exploit the demand of the postmodern tourist for authentic experiences. Both these supply and demand side issues, it is argued, can be addressed through the development of a medical tourism product that utilises the region's indigenous herbal remedies. Reprinted by permission of Carfax Publishing, Taylor & Francis Ltd.
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Trade capacity building in the multilateral trading system: how can developing and least developed countries benefit? a case study of Kenya and ZambiaNsenduluka, Annie Senkwe January 2010 (has links)
Magister Legum - LLM / The provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT 1994) generally give favourable consideration to developing and least developed countries.1 Firstly, at the core of these provisions is the principle of special and differential treatment of these countries. As such developing countries are to meet their obligations under the WTO agreements as and when the special needs of their economies permit. The GATT 1994 provisions exempt least developed countries from participating in the obligations under the WTO agreements until such a time that they attain a reasonable level of development.Secondly, the Ministerial Meeting in Doha in November 2001 adopted a development agenda (that described capacity building activities as “core elements of the development dimension of the multilateral trading system”) and called for more co-ordinated delivery of trade related technical assistance and capacity building.2 In this regard, developed members of the WTO have committed to provide technical assistance to developing and least developed members in order to build their capacity to participate effectively under the WTO.The reality of the situation on the ground is that developing and least developed countries still face a lot of challenges which hinder their full participation and realization of the benefits under the multilateral trading system. It must be appreciated, at the same time that developing countries like China and India have been active and influential in the multilateral trading system, and additionally, their economies have and are experiencing overt growth. What
lessons does Africa need to learn from China and India?This study examines the causes of the poor performance of Sub Saharan Africa’s developing and Least Developed Countries in the multilateral trading system. In this regard, examples are drawn from two countries, namely, Kenya and Zambia.Further, the study examines the initiatives the WTO provides to enhance the trade capacity of its developing and least developed members. In addition, the study examines African trade capacity building initiatives such the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) Initiatives, as well as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Initiative in order to establish how these initiatives can assist in enhancing the trade capacity of developing and least developed countries.The study further examines the role of regional trade integration in enhancing the trade capacity building of developing and least developed countries. In this case, examples are drawn from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa-Developing Countries (COMESA). In this regard, the study concludes that fully-fledged regional integration has the potential to promote economic growth and industrial development in Africa.The study also demonstrates the importance of the participation of governments and the private sector in improving a country’s participation in the multilateral trading system. This study
particularly takes key interest in the crucial role of the public-private partnerships in enhancing competitive forces and competitiveness necessary to maximize trade opportunities, which in turn produces economic development.It is observed and concluded in this study that sustainably financed technical assistance and capacity building programmes have important roles to play in so far as integration of Sub
Saharan Africa into the global trading system is concerned; and that developing countries in general and LDCs in particular are to be provided with enhanced Trade-Related Technical Assistance (TRTA) and capacity building to increase their effective participation in the negotiations, to facilitate their implementation of GATT/WTO rules and to enable them adjust and diversify their economies.
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L'OMC et l'accès des pays en développement au marché agricole de l'Union Européenne : entre traitement spécial et différencié et statut particulier de l'agriculture / The WTO and the access of developing countries to the EU agricultural market : between special and differential treatment and the special status of agricultureNgom, Abdoulaye 25 April 2017 (has links)
L’adoption par l’OMC de mesures de TSD utiles pour promouvoir l’agriculture des PED par le commerce agricole a favorisé l’accès des PED au marché rémunérateur de l’UE par des schémas multiples qui ne sont pas encore répartis équitablement entre les PED. Les préférences tarifaires de l’UE accordées aux PED figurent parmi les plus importants instruments de développement commercial utilisés par les pays développés. Cependant, l’effectivité des mesures de TSD reste relative à cause des limites inhérentes à leur contenu influencé par le statut particulier de l’agriculture à l’OMC. L’UE continue de bénéficier d’arrangements spéciaux et pratique un protectionnisme agricole très complexe et très décrié sur le plan externe. Les politiques commerciales, agricoles, sociales, environnementales et sécuritaires en vigueur dans le marché agricole européen neutralisent les efforts consentis par les PED, plus particulièrement les PMA et les pays ACP, pour exploiter les préférences. L’avenir de l’accès des PED au marché agricole de l’UE est actuellement lié à l’aboutissement incertain des négociations du Cycle Doha sur le TSD et l’agriculture. Les Conférences ministérielles de Bali (décembre 2013) et de Nairobi (décembre 2015) ont permis de mettre sur pied des accords partiels et a minima qui semblent maintenir le déséquilibre subtil entre un TSD peu contraignant et un statut particulier de l’agriculture toujours résistant à l’OMC, sans apporter une solution définitive au statu quo de l’accès des PED aux marchés agricoles des pays développés. Les enjeux et les perspectives de l’accès des PED au marché agricole de l’UE dépendent de la direction que prendront les travaux en cours pour répondre aux questions de développement et de libéralisation agricole dans le cadre d’un vrai cycle de développement. / The adoption by the WTO of special and differential treatment (SDT) measures that are useful for promoting the agriculture of developing countries through agricultural trade has favored the access of developing countries to the remunerative market of the EU through multiple schemes that are not yet evenly distributed between developing countries. EU tariff preferences for developing countries (DCs) are among the most important trade development instruments used by developed countries. However, the effectiveness of SDT measures remains relative because of the limitations inherent in their content influenced by the special status of agriculture in the WTO. The EU continues to benefit from special arrangements and practices agricultural protectionism that is very complex and highly criticized externally. The commercial, agricultural, social, environmental and security policies in force in the European agricultural market neutralize the efforts made by developing countries, in particular least developed countries (LDCs) and ACP countries, to exploit preferences.The future access of developing countries to the agricultural market of the EU is currently linked to the uncertain outcome of the Doha Round negotiations on SDT and agriculture. The Ministerial Conferences in Bali (December 2013) and Nairobi (December 2015) have led to the establishment of partial and minimum agreements that seem to maintain the subtle imbalance between a non-constraining SDT and a particular status of agriculture that is still resistant to The WTO without providing a definitive solution to the status quo of DCs access to agricultural markets in developed countries. The challenges and prospects of developing countries' access to the EU agricultural market depend on the direction of work in progress to address agricultural development and liberalization issues within a real development cycle.
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Development aid - a perspective on the World Bank performance: Calculating the social return on investment for the least developed countriesSchäfer, Dominik 02 March 2016 (has links)
This doctoral thesis focuses on the evaluation of the World Bank (WB) performance in delivering development aid to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). For this purpose, an extensive research was performed to analyze a set of 790 Implementation Completion and Results reports for key economic and financial indicators. Results of this research provide various insights for the appraisal and the results stage of project delivery of the LDCs in different continents. In the final part of the economic and financial analysis the minimum Social Return on Investment (SROI) of the LDCs including all project costs was calculated. This SROI ratio outcome of 1 and 1.06 in the weighted and 1.3 and 1.72 in the unweighted case indicate that projects delivered by the WB have a positive effect on the poor countries. In the second part of this research project the data set of the ICR reports was qualitatively researched for negative ratings according to 3 core assessment categories for the overall project performance: Sustainability, bank performance and borrower performance. As a result the most critical categories respectively risks were outlined. In conclusion, the research analyses and findings support the general demand to provide even more development assistance to poor countries.:Table of Tables and Figures
List of Equations
List of Abbreviations
1 Introduction
1.1 Introduction to the Topic
1.2 Assessing Poverty Problems and Achieving Economic Growth
1.3 Millennium Development Goals
1.4 Development Aid
2 Research Approach
2.1 Objective
2.2 Structure
2.3 Least Developed Countries
2.4 World Bank
2.5 Data Access and Relevance
2.5.1 Data Basis
2.5.2 Implementation Completion and Results Reports
2.5.3 Project Types
2.6 Term “Performance”
2.7 Study and Research Questions
2.8 Challenges of this Doctoral Thesis
2.9 Contribution of this Thesis
3 Economic and Financial Analysis
3.1 SROI Concept
3.1.1 SROI Definition
3.1.2 SROI Process and Impact Map
3.1.3 Cost-Benefit-Analysis
3.1.4 SROI Calculation
3.2 SROI of World Bank Projects
3.2.1 Purpose of the Cost-Benefit-Analysis
3.2.2 Indicators of the SROI Calculation
3.2.2.1 Net Present Value
3.2.2.2 Capital and Recurring Costs
3.2.2.3 Project Dates and Duration
3.2.2.4 NPV-horizon
3.2.2.5 Discount Rate
3.2.3 Types of NPV-Cost-Ratios
3.2.3.1 Pro-Rata-Capital-Costs Ratio
3.2.3.2 Total-Capital-Costs Ratio
3.2.3.3 Pro-Rata-Capital plus Recurring-Costs Ratio
3.2.3.4 Total-Capital plus Recurring-Costs Ratio
3.2.4 Calculation of the proper SROI Ratio
3.2.5 Portfolio Analysis
3.2.6 Sensitivity Analysis
3.3 Additional Economic and Financial Indicators
3.3.1 Economic Rate of Return
3.3.2 Benefit-Cost-Ratio
3.3.3 Net Benefit
3.3.4 Financial Net Present Value
3.3.5 Financial Rate of Return
4 Results of the Economic and Financial Analysis
4.1 Analysis Approach and Setup
4.2 NPV Outcomes at the Appraisal Stage
4.2.1 Appraisal NPVs of the LDCs
4.2.2 Appraisal NPV Continent Comparison
4.3 NPV Outcomes of the Result Stage
4.3.1 Result NPVs of the LDCs
4.3.2 Result NPV Continent Comparison
4.4 Appraisal vs. Result NPVs
4.4.1 Results of the LDCs
4.4.2 Continent Comparison
4.5 Economic Rate of Return Result Values
4.5.1 Results of the LDCs
4.5.2 Continent Comparison
4.6 Additional Economic and Financial Indicator Result Values
4.6.1 Benefit-Cost-Ratio and Net Benefit
4.6.2 Financial Net Present Value and Financial Rate of Return
4.7 Overall Project Performance
4.7.1 Definition
4.7.2 Overall Project Performance Ratings
4.7.3 Outcome Calculation for Non-Financial Indicator Projects
4.7.4 Verification of Outcomes and Conclusion
4.8 NPV-Cost-Ratios and SROI Calculation
4.8.1 NPV-Cost-Ratios of the ICR Reports
4.8.1.1 Overall Results
4.8.1.2 Continent Comparison
4.8.2 Standardized NPV-Cost-Ratios
4.8.2.1 Overall Results
4.8.2.2 Continent Comparison
4.8.3 Calculating the Minimum SROI Ratio
4.8.3.1 Overall Results of the Capital SROI Ratio
4.8.3.2 Continental Comparison of the Capital SROI Ratio
4.8.3.3 Overall Results of the Minimum SROI Ratio
4.8.3.4 Continental Comparison of the Minimum SROI Ratio
4.8.4 Making Meaning of the Results
4.9 Summary and Conclusion
5 Qualitative Data Analysis
5.1 Content Analysis
5.2 Sustainability
5.2.1 Sustainability Rating Definition
5.2.2 Sustainability Rating Categories
5.3 Bank Performance
5.3.1 Bank Performance Definition
5.3.2 Bank Performance Categories
5.4 Borrower Performance
5.4.1 Borrower Performance Definition
5.4.2 Borrower Performance Categories
6 Results of the Qualitative Data Analysis
6.1 Sustainability
6.1.1 Quantitative Assessment of Sustainability Ratings
6.1.2 Outcome of the Content Analysis
6.1.2.1 Types of Reasons
6.1.2.2 Overall Results
6.1.2.3 Results in Haiti
6.1.2.4 Continent Comparison
6.1.3 Excursus: Positive NPV Projects
6.1.4 Summary and Conclusion
6.2 Bank Performance
6.2.1 Quantitative Assessment of Bank Performance Ratings
6.2.2 Outcome of the Content Analysis
6.2.2.1 Types of Reasons
6.2.2.2 Overall Results
6.2.2.3 Results in Haiti
6.2.2.4 Continent Comparison
6.2.3 Summary and Conclusion
6.3 Borrower Performance
6.3.1 Quantitative Assessment of Borrower Performance Ratings
6.3.2 Outcome of the Content Analysis
6.3.2.1 Types of Reasons
6.3.2.2 Overall Results
6.3.2.3 Results in Haiti
6.3.2.4 Continent Comparison
6.3.3 Summary and Conclusion
7 Overall Summary and Conclusion
8 Critical Acclaim and Recommendations
9 Outlook and Future Research
List of Appendices
Appendix
References
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Financial Analysis and Fiscal Viability of Secondary Schools in Mukono District, UgandaTanner, Janet Jeffery 08 December 2006 (has links) (PDF)
Within the worldwide business community, many analysis tools and techniques have evolved to assist in the evaluation and encouragement of financial health and fiscal viability. However, in the educational community, such analysis is uncommon. It has long been argued that educational institutions bear little resemblance to, and should not be treated like, businesses. This research identifies an educational environment where educational institutions are, indeed, businesses, and may greatly benefit from the use of business analyses. The worldwide effort of Education for All (EFA) has focused on primary education, particularly in less developed countries (LDCs). In Sub-Saharan Africa, Uganda increased its primary school enrollments from 2.7 million in 1996 to 7.6 million in 2003. This rapid primary school expansion substantially increased the demand for secondary education. Limited government funding for secondary schools created an educational bottleneck. In response to this demand, laws were passed to allow the establishment of private secondary schools, operated and taxed as businesses. Revenue reports, filed by individual private schools with the Uganda Revenue Authority, formed the database for the financial analysis portion of this research. These reports, required of all profitable businesses in Uganda, are similar to audited corporate financial statements. Survey data and national examination (UNEB) scores were also utilized. This research explored standard business financial analysis tools, including financial statement ratio analysis, and evaluated the applicability of each to this LDC educational environment. A model for financial assessment was developed and industry averages were calculated for private secondary schools in the Mukono District of Uganda. Industry averages can be used by individual schools as benchmarks in assessing their own financial health. Substantial deviations from the norms signal areas of potential concern. Schools may take appropriate corrective action, leading to sustainable fiscal viability. An example of such analysis is provided. Finally, school financial health, defined by eight financial measures, was compared with quality of education, defined by UNEB scores. Worldwide, much attention is given to education and its role in development. This research, with its model for financial assessment of private LDC schools, offers a new and pragmatic perspective.
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“Accumulation by Dispossession” by the Global Extractive Industry: The Case of CanadaKinuthia, Wanyee 13 November 2013 (has links)
This thesis draws on David Harvey’s concept of “accumulation by dispossession” and an international political economy (IPE) approach centred on the institutional arrangements and power structures that privilege certain actors and values, in order to critique current capitalist practices of primitive accumulation by the global corporate extractive industry. The thesis examines how accumulation by dispossession by the global extractive industry is facilitated by the “free entry” or “free mining” principle. It does so by focusing on Canada as a leader in the global extractive industry and the spread of this country’s mining laws to other countries – in other words, the transnationalisation of norms in the global extractive industry – so as to maintain a consistent and familiar operating environment for Canadian extractive companies. The transnationalisation of norms is further promoted by key international institutions such as the World Bank, which is also the world’s largest development lender and also plays a key role in shaping the regulations that govern natural resource extraction. The thesis briefly investigates some Canadian examples of resource extraction projects, in order to demonstrate the weaknesses of Canadian mining laws, particularly the lack of protection of landowners’ rights under the free entry system and the subsequent need for “free, prior and informed consent” (FPIC). The thesis also considers some of the challenges to the adoption and implementation of the right to FPIC. These challenges include embedded institutional structures like the free entry mining system, international political economy (IPE) as shaped by international institutions and powerful corporations, as well as concerns regarding ‘local’ power structures or the legitimacy of representatives of communities affected by extractive projects. The thesis concludes that in order for Canada to be truly recognized as a leader in the global extractive industry, it must establish legal norms domestically to ensure that Canadian mining companies and residents can be held accountable when there is evidence of environmental and/or human rights violations associated with the activities of Canadian mining companies abroad. The thesis also concludes that Canada needs to address underlying structural issues such as the free entry mining system and implement FPIC, in order to curb “accumulation by dispossession” by the extractive industry, both domestically and abroad.
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“Accumulation by Dispossession” by the Global Extractive Industry: The Case of CanadaKinuthia, Wanyee January 2013 (has links)
This thesis draws on David Harvey’s concept of “accumulation by dispossession” and an international political economy (IPE) approach centred on the institutional arrangements and power structures that privilege certain actors and values, in order to critique current capitalist practices of primitive accumulation by the global corporate extractive industry. The thesis examines how accumulation by dispossession by the global extractive industry is facilitated by the “free entry” or “free mining” principle. It does so by focusing on Canada as a leader in the global extractive industry and the spread of this country’s mining laws to other countries – in other words, the transnationalisation of norms in the global extractive industry – so as to maintain a consistent and familiar operating environment for Canadian extractive companies. The transnationalisation of norms is further promoted by key international institutions such as the World Bank, which is also the world’s largest development lender and also plays a key role in shaping the regulations that govern natural resource extraction. The thesis briefly investigates some Canadian examples of resource extraction projects, in order to demonstrate the weaknesses of Canadian mining laws, particularly the lack of protection of landowners’ rights under the free entry system and the subsequent need for “free, prior and informed consent” (FPIC). The thesis also considers some of the challenges to the adoption and implementation of the right to FPIC. These challenges include embedded institutional structures like the free entry mining system, international political economy (IPE) as shaped by international institutions and powerful corporations, as well as concerns regarding ‘local’ power structures or the legitimacy of representatives of communities affected by extractive projects. The thesis concludes that in order for Canada to be truly recognized as a leader in the global extractive industry, it must establish legal norms domestically to ensure that Canadian mining companies and residents can be held accountable when there is evidence of environmental and/or human rights violations associated with the activities of Canadian mining companies abroad. The thesis also concludes that Canada needs to address underlying structural issues such as the free entry mining system and implement FPIC, in order to curb “accumulation by dispossession” by the extractive industry, both domestically and abroad.
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