Etant donnée la capacité limitée de la majorité des pays en développement à mobiliser des ressources domestiques suffisantes notamment à travers la taxation, le financement extérieur du développement s’est avéré essentiel pour soutenir des programmes d’investissement publics visant à construire un capital public dans les infrastructures, la santé ou l’éducation. Ainsi, au nom du développement, les gouvernements, les institutions internationales et les citoyens des pays industrialisés se sont accordés sur le fait qu’un transfert de capitaux vers les pays en développement serait nécessaire pour les aider à financer leur développement. Les principaux flux extérieurs de capitaux pour le financement du développement sont composés de l’aide au développement, des investissements directs étrangers et des transferts de migrants (travailleurs étrangers) vers leur pays d’origine. L’impact macroéconomique de ces flux extérieurs de capitaux pour le développement est un sujet de controverse entre les économistes. L’espoir et la frustration, entourant ces flux de financement du développement étant donné leur importance en termes de croissance et de réduction de la pauvreté, ont généré une importante littérature en sciences économiques avec des recommandations de politiques économiques opposées. De manière générale, cette thèse porte sur l’efficacité de l’aide et des autres flux extérieurs de capitaux à promouvoir le développement dans les pays du SUD. Nous proposons dans cette optique une vision transversale de la question d’efficacité du financement extérieur du développement en regroupant au sein d’une même analyse les trois acteurs principaux liés à ce débat : Les pays récipiendaires, les pays donateurs et l’architecture de l’aide, et les économistes - responsables des recommandations de politiques auprès des décideurs.La première partie de cette thèse emploie la méta-analyse pour effectuer une « autopsie » du processus de recherche en analysant les études empiriques effectuées sur l’efficacité des flux externes de capitaux pour le financement du développement, afin de mettre en évidence les limites à l’origine de l’hétérogénéité des résultats obtenus par les économistes et donc les insuffisances des recommandations de politiques économiques issues de leurs travaux.La deuxième partie s’intéresse à l’influence des pays émergents dans l’architecture de l’aide au développement et leur incidence sur la qualité de l’allocation de l’aide et le comportement budgétaire des pays à faibles revenus recevant cette aide. Enfin dans la troisième partie de notre analyse nous présentons de nouvelles évidences empiriques sur l’impact des flux capitaux extérieurs et autres mesures pour le développement. Nous nous attaquons ici à l’une des difficultés majeures des actions en faveur du développement : L’évaluation d’impact des programmes et politiques mis en place. Nous proposons dans ce cadre une méthodologie d’évaluation d’impact macroéconomique que nous appliquons à l’initiative « Pays Moins Avancés » dont nous mesurons l’incidence sur la croissance et la vulnérabilité macroéconomique des pays ayant bénéficié de ce programme sur les trente dernières années.Cette coupe transversale de l’efficacité du financement du développement permet d’aborder cette problématique sous une perspective unique et intuitive. / Given the limited ability of many of these countries to raise domestic resources through taxation, external finance is essential to support a multi-year public investment program aimed at developing public capital in infrastructure, health, and education. Thus, governments, aid agencies, and citizens from industrialized countries have often transfer capital flows to those countries to help them follow a sustainable growth and finance their development. The most external financial resources for development included foreign aid, foreign direct investment and workers' remittances. The effectiveness of these external flows to sustain development has long been a hotly contested subject among economists. Hope and frustration surrounding the development finance flows and their ability to promote growth and reduce poverty, generated an important literature with conflicting policies recommendations.The broad subject of this thesis is whether foreign aid and the other External Capital Flows are effective in promoting development. We propose a transversal analysis of the effectiveness of external development financing developed around the three groups concerned by this debate: the recipients, the aid architecture and the actors of development, and the researchers - whose results influence policymakers actions. The first part uses meta-analysis methodology to draw a literature review on external development finance flows with a particular interest on the research processes follow by the empirical studies, in order to explain the conflicting results in the empirical studies. The underlying idea of meta-analysis is to subtract the empirical evidences from authors' characteristics, econometric or methodological choices, to sum up the effective knowledge from existing works. The second part focuses on recent evolutions in aid architecture with the increasing influence of emerging donors. This part of the thesis analyzes the impact of non-DAC donors’ aid allocation on government fiscal choices in recipient countries and on traditional donors' aid allocation.The third part of the thesis proposes new evidences of the impact of external capital flows for development and international measures for development. First, we propose an analysis of the link between development financing and business cycles fluctuations in developing countries. We conclude the thesis by addressing one of the major difficulties in the development assistance, that is assessing the impact of different policies and programs designed to support the less developed countries. We evaluate the impact of Least Developed Country (LDC) status on economic growth and the vulnerability to economic shocks.

A partir de uma análise geométrica, do estimador de estado por mínimos quadrados ponderados, propõe-se, neste trabalho, um índice para classificação das medidas de acordo com as suas características de não refletirem grande parcela de seus erros nos resíduos do processo de estimação de estado, por mínimos quadrados ponderados. O índice proposto foi denominado Índice de Não-Detecção de Erros, ou apenas UI (Undetectability Index). As medidas com maiores UI são aquelas cujos erros grosseiros (EGs) são mais difíceis de serem detectados através de métodos que fazem uso da análise dos resíduos. Isto porque os erros dessas medidas são, de certa forma, \"mascarados\", isto é, não são refletidos nos resíduos das mesmas. Nesse sentido, a medida crítica é o caso limite de medidas cujos erros são mascarados, isto é, possui UI infinito e seu resíduo é igual a zero, independente de a mesma ter ou não EG. Para obtenção dos índices UI das medidas, desenvolveu-se um algoritmo simples e de fácil implementação. Tomando por base o índice UI, propõe-se, também, uma metodologia para processamento de EGs e dois algoritmos para projeto ou fortalecimento de sistemas de medição. Esses algoritmos possibilitam a obtenção de sistemas de medição confiáveis (observáveis e isentos de medidas críticas e de conjuntos críticas de medidas), de baixo custo e formados por medidas com índices UI menores que um valor pré-estabelecido. Para validar o índice UI e as suas aplicações propostas neste trabalho, realizaram-se diversas simulações computacionais nos sistemas de 14 e 30 barras do IEEE, tendo sido satisfatórios todos os resultados obtidos. / The present thesis proposes an index, called Undetectability Index (UI), to classify the measurements according to their characteristics of not reflecting their errors into the residuals of the weighted least squares state estimation process from a geometric analysis of this estimator. Gross errors in measurements with higher UIs are very difficult to be detected by methods based on the residual analysis, as the errors in those measurements are \"masked\", i.e., they are not reflected in the residuals. In this sense, critical measurements are the limit case of measurements that mask errors, that is, they have infinite UI and their residuals are always zero independently of their having or not gross errors. Based on the UI a methodology for gross error processing and two algorithms for metering system planning are also proposed in this thesis. These algorithms enable the obtaining of reliable measurement systems (observable and free from critical measurements and critical sets of measurements) with low investment and containing only measurements with UIs lower than a pre-established value. Several simulation results (with IEEE 14-bus and 30-bus systems) have validated the UI and its application.

Esta dissertação trata do problema de processamento de Erros Grosseiros (EGs) com base na aplicação do chamado Índice de Não-Detecção de Erros, ou apenas UI (Undetectability Index), na análise dos resíduos do estimador de estado por mínimos quadrados ponderados. O índice UI foi desenvolvido recentemente e possibilita a classificação das medidas de acordo com as suas características de não refletirem grande parcela de seus erros nos resíduos daquele estimador. As medidas com maiores UIs são aquelas cujos erros são mais difíceis de serem detectados através de métodos que fazem uso da análise dos resíduos, pois grande parcela do erro dessas medidas não aparece no resíduo. Inicialmente demonstrou-se, nesta dissertação, que erros das estimativas das variáveis de estado em um sistema com EG não-detectável (em uma medida de alto índice UI) podem ser mais significativos que em medidas com EGs detectáveis (em medidas com índices UIs baixos). Justificando, dessa forma, a importância de estudos para tornar possível o processamento de EGs em medidas com alto índice UI. Realizou-se, então, nesta dissertação, diversas simulações computacionais buscando analisar a influência de diferentes ponderações de medidas no UI e também nos erros das estimativas das variáveis de estado. Encontrou-se, então, uma maneira que destacou-se como a mais adequada para ponderação das medidas. Por fim, ampliaram-se, nesta dissertação, as pesquisas referentes ao UI para um estimador de estado por mínimos quadrados ponderados híbrido. / This dissertation deals with the problem of Gross Errors processing based on the use of the so-called Undetectability Index, or just UI. This index was developed recently and it is capable to classify the measurements according to their characteristics of not reflecting their errors into the residuals of the weighted least squares state estimation process. Gross errors in measurements with higher UIs are very difficult to be detected by methods based on the residual analysis, as the errors in those measurements are masked, i.e., they are not reflected in the residuals. Initially, this dissertation demonstrates that a non-detectable gross error (error in a measurement with high UI) may affect more the accuracy of the estimated state variables than a detectable gross error (error in a measurement with low UI). Therefore, justifying the importance of studies that make possible gross errors processing in measurements with high UI. In this dissertation, several computational simulations are carried out to analyze the influence of different weights of measurements in the UI index and also in the accuracy of the estimated state variables. It is chosen a way that stood out as the most appropriate for weighing the measurements. Finally, in this dissertation, the studies referring to the UI is extended for a hybrid weighted least squares state estimator.

Com o avanço da tecnologia, as estratégias tradicionais para identificação de pessoas se tornaram mais suscetíveis a falhas, de forma a superar essas dificuldades algumas abordagens vêm sendo propostas na literatura. Dentre estas abordagens destaca-se a Biometria. O campo da Biometria abarca uma grande variedade de tecnologias usadas para identificar e verificar a identidade de uma pessoa por meio da mensuração e análise de aspectos físicos e/ou comportamentais do ser humano. Em função disso, a biometria tem um amplo campo de aplicações em sistemas que exigem uma identificação segura de seus usuários. Os sistemas biométricos mais populares são baseados em reconhecimento facial ou de impressões digitais. Entretanto, existem outros sistemas biométricos que utilizam a íris, varredura de retina, voz, geometria da mão e termogramas faciais. Nos últimos anos, o reconhecimento biométrico obteve avanços na sua confiabilidade e precisão, com algumas modalidades biométricas oferecendo bom desempenho global. No entanto, mesmo os sistemas biométricos mais avançados ainda enfrentam problemas. Recentemente, esforços têm sido realizados visando empregar diversas modalidades biométricas de forma a tornar o processo de identificação menos vulnerável a ataques. Biometria multimodal é uma abordagem relativamente nova para representação de conhecimento biométrico que visa consolidar múltiplas modalidades biométricas. A multimodalidade é baseada no conceito de que informações obtidas a partir de diferentes modalidades se complementam. Consequentemente, uma combinação adequada dessas informações pode ser mais útil que o uso de informações obtidas a partir de qualquer uma das modalidades individualmente. As principais questões envolvidas na construção de um sistema biométrico unimodal dizem respeito à definição das técnicas de extração de característica e do classificador. Já no caso de um sistema biométrico multimodal, além destas questões, é necessário definir o nível de fusão e a estratégia de fusão a ser adotada. O objetivo desta dissertação é investigar o emprego de ensemble para fusão das modalidades biométricas, considerando diferentes estratégias de fusão, lançando-se mão de técnicas avançadas de processamento de imagens (tais como transformada Wavelet, Contourlet e Curvelet) e Aprendizado de Máquina. Em especial, dar-se-á ênfase ao estudo de diferentes tipos de máquinas de aprendizado baseadas em métodos de Kernel e sua organização em arranjos de ensemble, tendo em vista a identificação biométrica baseada em face e íris. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a abordagem proposta é capaz de projetar um sistema biométrico multimodal com taxa de reconhecimento superior as obtidas pelo sistema biométrico unimodal. / With the advancement of technology, traditional strategies for identifying people become more susceptible to failure, in order to overcome these difficulties some approaches have been proposed in the literature. Among these approaches highlights the Biometrics. The field of Biometrics encompasses a wide variety of technologies used to identify and verify the person\'s identity through the measurement and analysis of physiological and behavioural aspects of the human body. As a result, biometrics has a wide field of applications in systems that require precise identification of their users. The most popular biometric systems are based on face recognition and fingerprint matching. Furthermore, there are other biometric systems that utilize iris and retinal scan, speech, face, and hand geometry. In recent years, biometrics authentication has seen improvements in reliability and accuracy, with some of the modalities offering good performance. However, even the best biometric modality is facing problems. Recently, big efforts have been undertaken aiming to employ multiple biometric modalities in order to make the authentication process less vulnerable to attacks. Multimodal biometrics is a relatively new approach to biometrics representation that consolidate multiple biometric modalities. Multimodality is based on the concept that the information obtained from different modalities complement each other. Consequently, an appropriate combination of such information can be more useful than using information from single modalities alone. The main issues involved in building a unimodal biometric System concern the definition of the feature extraction technique and type of classifier. In the case of a multimodal biometric System, in addition to these issues, it is necessary to define the level of fusion and fusion strategy to be adopted. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the use of committee machines to fuse multiple biometric modalities, considering different fusion strategies, taking into account advanced methods in machine learning. In particular, it will give emphasis to the analyses of different types of machine learning methods based on Kernel and its organization into arrangements committee machines, aiming biometric authentication based on face, fingerprint and iris. The results showed that the proposed approach is capable of designing a multimodal biometric System with recognition rate than those obtained by the unimodal biometrics Systems.

Submitted by Rosivalda Pereira (mrs.pereira@ufma.br) on 2017-06-23T20:34:27Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ErnestoFerreira.pdf: 1744167 bytes, checksum: c125c90e5eb2aab2618350567f88cb31 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-23T20:34:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ErnestoFerreira.pdf: 1744167 bytes, checksum: c125c90e5eb2aab2618350567f88cb31 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-08 / The development and the numerical stability analysis of a new adaptive critic algorithm to approximate the state-value function for online discrete linear quadratic regulator (DLQR) optimal control system design based on heuristic dynamic programming (HDP) are presented in this work. The proposed algorithm makes use of unitary transformations and QR decomposition methods to improve the online learning e-ciency in the critic network through the recursive least-squares (RLS) approach. The developed learning strategy provides computational performance improvements in terms of numerical stability and computational cost which aim at making possible the implementations in real time of optimal control design methodology based upon actor-critic reinforcement learning paradigms. The convergence behavior and numerical stability of the proposed online algorithm, called RLSµ-QR-HDP-DLQR, are evaluated by computational simulations in three Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) models, that represent the automatic pilot of an F-16 aircraft of third order, a fourth order RLC circuit with two input voltages and two controllable voltage levels, and a doubly-fed induction generator with six inputs and six outputs for wind energy conversion systems. / Neste trabalho, apresenta-se o desenvolvimento e a análise da estabilidade numérica de um novo algoritmo crítico adaptativo para aproximar a função valor de estado para o projeto do sistema de controle ótimo online, utilizando o regulador linear quadrático discreto (DLQR), com base em programação dinâmica heurística (HDP). O algoritmo proposto faz uso de transformações unitárias e métodos de decomposição QR para melhorar a e-ciência da aprendizagem online na rede crítica por meio da abordagem dos mínimos quadrados recursivos (RLS). A estratégia de aprendizagem desenvolvida fornece melhorias no desempenho computacional em termos de estabilidade numérica e custo computacional, que visam tornar possíveis as implementações em tempo real da metodologia do projeto de controle ótimo com base em paradigmas de aprendizado por reforço ator-crítico. O comportamento de convergência e estabilidade numérica do algoritmo online proposto, denominado RLSµ-QR-HDP-DLQR, são avaliados por meio de simulações computacionais em três modelos Múltiplas-Entradas e Múltiplas-Saídas (MIMO), que representam o piloto automático de uma aeronave F-16 de terceira ordem, um circuito de quarta ordem RLC com duas tensões de entrada e dois níveis de tensão controláveis, e um gerador de indução duplamente alimentados com seis entradas e seis saídas para sistemas de conversão de energia eólica.

Submitted by Maria Aparecida (cidazen@gmail.com) on 2017-08-30T15:33:12Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Patricia Helena.pdf: 11110405 bytes, checksum: ca1f067231658f897d84b86181dbf1b9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-30T15:33:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Patricia Helena.pdf: 11110405 bytes, checksum: ca1f067231658f897d84b86181dbf1b9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-07-24 / In this thesis a proposal of an uni ed approach of dynamic programming, reinforcement learning and function approximation theories aiming at the development of methods and algorithms for design of optimal control systems is presented. This approach is presented in the approximate dynamic programming context that allows approximating the optimal feedback solution as to reduce the computational complexity associated to the conventional dynamic programming methods for optimal control of multivariable systems. Speci cally, in the state and action dependent heuristic dynamic programming framework, this proposal is oriented for the development of online approximated solutions, numerically stable, of the Riccati-type Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation associated to the discrete linear quadratic regulator problem which is based on a formulation that combines value function estimates by means of a RLS (Recursive Least-Squares) structure, temporal di erences and policy improvements. The development of the proposed methodologies, in this work, is focused mainly on the UDU T factorization that is inserted in this framework to improve the RLS estimation process of optimal decision policies of the discrete linear quadratic regulator, by circumventing convergence and numerical stability problems related to the covariance matrix ill-conditioning of the RLS approach. / Apresenta-se nesta tese uma proposta de uma abordagem uni cada de teorias de programação dinâmica, aprendizagem por reforço e aproximação de função que tem por objetivo o desenvolvimento de métodos e algoritmos para projeto online de sistemas de controle ótimo. Esta abordagem é apresentada no contexto de programação dinâmica aproximada que permite aproximar a solução de realimentação ótima de modo a reduzir a complexidade computacional associada com métodos convencionais de programação dinâmica para controle ótimo de sistemas multivariáveis. Especi camente, no quadro de programação dinâmica heurística e programação dinâmica heurística dependente de ação, esta proposta é orientada para o desenvolvimento de soluções aproximadas online, numericamente estáveis, da equação de Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman do tipo Riccati associada ao problema do regulador linear quadrático discreto que tem por base uma formulação que combina estimativas da função valor por meio de uma estrutura RLS (do inglês Recursive Least-Squares), diferenças temporais e melhorias de política. O desenvolvimento das metodologias propostas, neste trabalho, tem seu foco principal voltado para a fatoração UDU T que é inserida neste quadro para melhorar o processo de estimação RLS de políticas de decisão ótimas do regulador linear quadrá- tico discreto, contornando-se problemas de convergência e estabilidade numérica relacionados com o mal condicionamento da matriz de covariância da abordagem RLS.

<p>Predmet istraživanja je identifikaciji i adaptivna estimacija<br />parametara široke klase linearnih sistema. Predloženi algoritmi<br />za adaptivnu estimaciju parametara su primenjivi na sisteme koji se<br />opisuju funkcijama prenosa proizvoljnog oblika, što uključuje sisteme<br />sa kašnjenjem, distribuiranim parametrima, frakcione sisteme i<br />druge sisteme opisane iracionalnim funkcijama prenosa. Na<br />posletku, dat je algoritam za identifikaciju CNG sistema koji se ne<br />izvršava u realnom vremenu i pretpostavlja da struktura modela nije<br />poznata unapred.</p> / <p>The subject of this research is the system identification and adaptive<br />parameter estimation in wide class of linear processes. Proposed<br />approaches for adaptive parameter estimation can be applied to systems<br />described by transfer functions of arbitrary form, including systems with<br />delay, distributed-paratemeter systems, fractional order systems, and other<br />system described by irrational transfer functions. In the final part, an offline<br />algorithm for identification of CNG system which does not assume any a<br />priori known model structure is proposed.</p>

Text in English / Developments in Internet technology and pervasive computing over the past two and half decades have resulted in a variety of Web-based applications (WBAs) that provide products and services to online users or customers. The Internet is used not only to transfer information via the web but is increasingly used to provide electronic services including business transactions, information-delivery and social networking, as well as e-government, e-health and e-learning. For such organisations, e-service quality, usability and user experience are considered to be critical determinants of their products’ or services’ success. Many studies to model these three concepts separately have been undertaken as part of broader studies of software quality or service quality modelling. However, to the current researcher’s knowledge, none of the studies have focussed on proposing an evaluation model that integrates and combines the three of them. This research is an effort to fill that gap. The primary purpose of this mixed-methods research was to develop a conceptual integrated model for evaluating e-service quality, usability and user experience (e-SQUUX) of WBAs and then contextualise it to evaluation of a University web portal (UWP). This was undertaken using an exploratory sequential research design. During a qualitative phase, an extensive extensive systematic literature review of 264 relevant sources relating to dimensions of e-service quality, usability and user experience, was undertaken to derive an integrated conceptual e-service quality, usability and user experience (e-SQUUX) Model for evaluating WBAs. The model was then empirically refined through a sequential series of validations, thus developing various versions of the e-SQUUX Model. First, it was content validated by a set of four expert reviewers. Second, during the quantitative phase, in the context of a University web portal, a questionnaire survey was conducted that included a comprehensive pilot study with 29 partipants, prior to the main survey. The main survey data from 174 particiapants was used to determine a validated model, using Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by producing a structural model, using partial least square – structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). This version consisted of the components of the final e-SQUUX Model. Consequently, the research enriches the body of knowledge on IS and HCI by providing the e-SQUUX Model as an evaluation tool. For designers, developers and managers of UWPs, the model serves as a customisable set of evaluation criteria and also provides specific recommendations for design. In line with the Exploratory sequential design of mixed methods research, the findings of the qualitative work in this research influenced the subsequent quantitative study, since the potential Likert-scale questionnaire items were derived from the definitions and meanings of the components that emanated from the qualitative phase of the study. Consequently, this research is an exemplar for developing an integrated evaluation model for specific facets or domains, and of its application in a particular context, in this case, a University web portal. Keywords: e-service quality, usability, user experience, evaluation model, integrated model, exploratory factor analysis, partial least square – structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), mixed methods research, Exploratory sequential design, quantitative study, qualitative study, validation, Web-based applications, University web portal / Information System / Ph D. (Information Systems)

No description available.

The study focuses on an evaluation of the anti-corruption initiatives in Botswana and their relation to Botswana’s development. An evaluation was needed to find out whether the anti-corruption initiatives were effective and whether there were a correlation between the effectiveness of the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crimes (DCEC) and the level of development in Botswana. This study showed that, the DCEC has succeeded to low corruption in Botswana through its most successful public education mandate and debatable good governance. The DCEC has helped to enhance service delivery in the public sector through the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Units (ACUs) within the Ministries aimed at tackling corruption in-house. Consequently, a significant slight improvement was registered in both public health and education sectors. However, that improvement was still minimal to the extent that it has been hampered by the challenging working conditions of the DCEC attributable to the inadequacy of legislation, lack of manpower, shortage of required skills and slow criminal justice system as well as the debatable independence of the DCEC, evidenced by its reporting and appointing lines. This implies that the impact of the DCEC in the development of Botswana has been minimal, as the country is still devastated by socio-economic disparities especially in rural areas. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)