O presente trabalha busca avaliar o processo de liberalização da conta capital em implementação no Brasil a partir da década de 1990, através da pesquisa nos trabalhos já registrados na literatura internacional (capítulo 2), associada a uma abordagem empírica própria (capítulo 4). Utiliza-se de dois índices independentes para avaliar o comportamento do setor externo da economia (ICC, de jure, e IAF, de facto), e, assim, realizar maiores inferências econométricas sobre tal processo, somando-se às iniciativas anteriores em compreender os vínculos entre a abertura financeira e o desempenho macroeconômico nos países em desenvolvimento em geral, e no Brasil, em particular. Nesse sentido, identificou-se a ampliação do grau de conversibilidade da conta capital do País no período 1990-2005 (capítulo 3) sem, entretanto, se verificar uma evidência de geração de benefícios em termos de crescimento econômico e de redução de volatilidade macroeconômica, nos termos apontados nos exercícios econométricos – o IAF chega, inclusive, a apontar uma relação robusta do aumento dos fluxos financeiros com uma maior oscilação da taxa de câmbio. Os resultados apresentados vão ao encontro da tendência predominante na literatura internacional, qual seja, de que não se consegue estabelecer uma relação causal positiva e robusta entre liberalização financeira e crescimento econômico. No mesmo sentido, a experiência brasileira na liberalização financeira, capturada pela evolução do ICC e do IAF, parece estar vinculada a um aumento na taxa de juros, e não a sua redução. Esses resultados confirmam a hipótese de que a integração de um país em desenvolvimento aos fluxos de capitais internacionais leva à necessidade de práticas de juros mais altas para atraí-los e os manter no País. Conclui-se pela conveniência de um grau ótimo de exposição dos países periféricos aos fluxos de capitais internacionais, controlando riscos e proporcionando avanços econômicos, sobretudo contando com um gerenciamento prudencial da conta capital por parte das autoridades monetárias. / The present study seeks to investigate the dynamics of capital account liberalization in implementation in Brazil since the 1990’s, analyzing previous papers on international literature (chapter 2), associated with an empirical framework, based on a vector autoregressive (VAR) method (chapter 4). It’s used two independents index as proxies in order to evaluate the behavior of external sector of the economy (ICC, de jure, and IAF, de facto), and, hence, make the econometric inferences about such process. In general terms, the aim is to contribute by comprehending the relation between financial openness and macroeconomic performance in developing countries, in general, and specifically in Brazil. For such, the task identified the broadening of capital account convertibility in the period 1990-2005 (chapter 3), without verifying evidences on benefits such as economic growth or reduction of macroeconomic volatile, according to the econometric exercises – IAF, indeed, supports a strong relation between the increase of financial flows with a greater variability on exchange terms. The empirical findings are similar to those predominant on international literature, i.e., that it does not exist a positive and strong association between financial liberalization and economic growth. In fact, brazilian experience on financial liberalization, measured by the ICC and IAF, seems to be related to an increase on interest rates, and not on its reduction, as could be supposed, which confirm the hypothesis that integration of a developing country to international capital flows creates the necessity of higher interest rates to attract and maintain then in a country. We conclude for the convenience of an optimum exposition of periphery economies to international capital flows, through a prudent management of capital account by the monetary authorities, controlling associated risks while permitting economic advances.

O objetivo dessa dissertação é investigar a dinâmica da demanda relativa por qualificação na indústria brasileira durante o período que se inicia em 1990 e vai até 2002. A partir de evidências de que a demanda relativa por qualificação se deslocou no período em questão, produzindo assim efeitos no sentido do aumento da desigualdade salarial na indústria em favor dos trabalhadores qualificados, o presente trabalho busca explicar tal movimento através da hipótese de choques tecnológicos enviesados para a qualificação. Para isso, são utilizadas como proxies para progresso técnico medidas relacionadas diretamente à abertura econômica, como tarifas, e medidas de tecnologia ao nível das firmas, como participação de bens intermediários importados, investimento em P&D, registro de patentes e características de inovação das firmas, como o fato de a empresa atuar ou não no mercado externo e inovar ou não em produtos ou em processos. Como proxy para qualificação do trabalhador, duas variáveis são utilizadas durante o trabalho, quais sejam, educação e ocupação. Os resultados apresentam fortes indícios de que ao menos parte dos movimentos da demanda relativa por qualificação, ocorridos nos últimos quinze anos, deveu-se a choques tecnológicos. Além disso, para o período que vai de 1990 a 1998, são reunidas evidências de que tais choques tecnológicos aumentaram, de fato, a produtividade relativa dos trabalhadores qualificados. Já para o período seguinte, que vai até 2002, os resultados relativos à produtividade são pouco conclusivos. / This paper examines the relationship between trade liberalization, technological changes, and the evolution of the demand for skill in Brazil during the period between 1990 and 2002. Using firm-level data, we test the hypothesis that technological shocks explain part of this rise. The results indicate that the reduction in input tariffs and other proxis for technological changes increased the relative demand for skilled workers.

Esta tese aborda o desenvolvimento da regulação internacional sobre o comércio de serviços educacionais, em especial nos acordos preferenciais de comércio de Austrália, Chile, China, Cingapura, Estados Unidos, Índia e União Europeia. O seu objetivo foi avaliar o atual nível de liberalização comercial da educação superior no plano global, de modo que sua compatibilidade com o direito à educação pudesse ser criticamente analisada, assim como os seus possíveis impactos sobre a regulação da educação superior no Brasil. Para tanto, a pesquisa começa pela realização de entrevistas com atores que acompanham o processo de comercialização da educação superior no Brasil. Os passos seguintes envolvem a compreensão do funcionamento das disciplinas internacionais sobre o comércio de serviços, da formulação das posições no processo negociador e, finalmente, dos compromissos em serviços de educação superior em acordos preferenciais de comércio. Uma primeira hipótese é de que, mesmo sem acordos de comércio, o mercado brasileiro já se encontra significativamente liberalizado no que diz respeito aos investimentos estrangeiros em educação superior, sem qualquer restrição ao ingresso de capital internacional. Ainda assim, a regulação internacional do comércio de serviços aprofundaria esse processo a partir da ideia de consolidação do marco regulatório liberal doméstico e de mecanismos que conduzem à aceleração do processo de liberalização comercial. / This thesis analyses the development of international regulation on trade in educational services, especially in preferential trade agreements signed by Australia, Chile, China, Singapore, United States, India and the European Union. The goal was to determine a parameter of the current global level of trade liberalization on higher education, so that the compatibility between trade agreements and the right to education could be critically examined, as well as their possible impacts on the regulation of higher education in Brazil. Therefore, the research began by conducting interviews with professionals that accompany the commercialization process in the Brazilian higher education sector. The following steps involved understanding the operation of international disciplines on trade in services, the formulation of positions in the negotiating process, and finally, the commitments on higher education services in preferential trade agreements. A first hypothesis is that, even without trade agreements, the Brazilian market is already significantly liberalized regarding foreign investment on higher education, without any restriction on the inflow of international capital. Even so, international regulation on trade in services would deepen this process from an idea of consolidation of a liberal domestic regulatory framework and mechanisms leading to accelerate trade liberalization process.

Background & Problem The author believes that there are important lessons to be learned from the states in Africa that have managed to achieve successful transitions from one-party regimes to multy-party regimes. However, Africa today displays countries that suffer from enormous problems and many of them are mired in political and economical development. A main theme of this thesis is the search for the differences, how can we explain the transitions and the outcomes of them? Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to describe the nature of transitions as Bratton & de Walle explain them and to see if their suggested explanations hold true in Ghana & Zambia. A secondary purpose also includes a comparison between the two cases and the differences between them. Method A combination of a traditional literature study and a focused comparative study has been used in order to fulfil the purpose. Theoretical Framework The second, third, fourth and fifth chapter represent the bulk of the theoretical framework. The theories stem from Bratton & de Walle and will be weighted against the empirical information found in the two cases. Analysis & Conclusions The latter chapters of this thesis summarize the results from the comparison and include a discussion and comment chapter. The conclusion argues that the causes and results of a transition to a large extent can be found in the political. The phases that Bratton & de Walle describe are also accurate in relation to the two cases. An important feature that Ghana has been successful with is that they have managed to withhold a higher political activity throughout their democratization. This has in turn resulted in a better outcome.

Bien que la littérature théorique et empirique étudiant les effets de l’OMC et d’une libéralisation commerciale sur les performances économiques des pays et sur le bien-être soit riche, il existe une absence de consensus quant aux liens commerce-croissance-pauvreté. Les liens ne sont ni simples, ni automatiques et requièrent d’être traités avec précaution, tout en prenant en compte les spécificités nationales et le contexte particulier de chaque pays. D’où l’attention particulière apportée à l’économie libanaise, une économie en reconstruction, caractérisée entre autres par un déficit commercial chronique et engagée depuis 1999 dans le deuxième plus long processus d’adhésion à l’OMC, qui semble loin d’être achevé. Pour examiner les impacts potentiels de l’adhésion du pays à l’OMC sur les grandeurs macroéconomiques, un modèle d’équilibre général calculable dynamique est employé, et différents scénarios sont simulés. L’analyse en équilibre général est combinée avec une analyse de micro-simulation comptable, évaluant les impacts micro-économiques sur les différentes catégories des ménages. Les résultats suggèrent que l’adhésion du pays à l’OMC entraînerait une évolution plus favorable des grandeurs macro-économiques par rapport au scénario de base (surtout lorsqu’un mécanisme d’augmentation de la productivité totale des facteurs entre en jeu). Une adhésion permettrait également une baisse de la pauvreté et des inégalités, en améliorant la situation des travailleurs non qualifiés. / Although the theoretical and empirical literature studying the effects of the WTO and trade liberalization on the economic performance of countries and the well-being is rich, it remains that there is a lack of consensus on the links trade-growth-poverty. The links are neither simple nor automatic and require to be treated with caution, and to take into account national specificities and the particular context of each country. Hence the special attention given to the Lebanese economy, characterized among others by a chronic trade deficit, and by the second longest WTO accession process, which dates from 1999 and seems far from over. To examine the impacts of Lebanon’s accession to the WTO on macroeconomic variables, a dynamic CGE model is used, and different scenarios are simulated. Using a sequential approach, the general equilibrium analysis is combined with a microsimulation analysis, evaluating the micro-economic impacts on different categories of households, poverty and inequality. The results suggest that the country's accession to the WTO leads to a more favorable economic performances compared to the baseline scenario (especially when the mechanism of the increase in total factor productivity is put into play). It also allows a reduction in poverty and inequality, by improving the situation of unskilled workers.

Magister Legum - LLM / The impact of trade policies on the pursuit of gender equality is often ignored. Recognising the link between trade and gender, this dissertation aims to enhance the capacity of policy-makers to mainstream gender in trade policy and to help identify ways for using trade to respond to women's needs in South Africa. In order to meet this objective, it analyses the impacts that trade liberalisation has had on the economy and on gender in general and in South Africa in particular. In addition, it evaluates the impacts on men and women in order to see if trade has contributed to reducing, accentuating or perpetuating gender inequality in South Africa. Findings have confirmed that Trade liberalisation has had both positive and negative impacts on women and men. But, they have also demonstrated that trade liberalisation has affected women and men differently having negative influences on the pursuit of gender equality. The research has, however, concluded that the impact of trade liberalisation on the pursuit of gender equality is influenced by other key factors. As strategy to mainstream gender in trade policies, the research suggests that policy-makers should analyse the implications for women and men of any trade policy before adopting such policy. This analysis would help him/her to see the possible imbalances of the new policy and implement policies and programmes to eradicate them. Also, it will help him/her to identify possible ways for using trade to empower women. The research is based on the idea that the elimination of the existing inequalities will put women at the same stage with men and will, therefore, contribute to women's empowerment in South Africa. / South Africa

This diploma thesis deals with housing policy and rent housing in Czech republic. First basic terms of housing and consequences of rent housing are described. The second chapter concentrates on the rent housing, in detail particular kinds of this sort of housing are described. The third chapter introduces historical development and reasons of rent restriction in Czech republic. The next part concentrates on the development of law and conception documents in the field of housing policy and current legal form of rent housing. The last part analyses financial availability of housing, it presents the development of restricted rent prices and introduces the prediction model of impacts of rent liberalization applied on the law of unilateral increase of rents. It suggests also possible compensations of these effects.

The thesis deals with the trade liberalization among unequally developed partners and its development issues. At global level it refers to WTO development agenda, however, at regional level it focuses on north-south trade agreements, particularly on EU-ACP relations. The aim of the thesis is to analyze these relations and the way and scope of how they have contributed to economic growth and welfare of ACP states considering both static and dynamic effects. It also evaluates opportunities and threads of Economic Partnership Agreements.

Trade liberalization has different impacts on groups of individuals in the society. Some of them improve their situation, the other ones get worse. Due to the existing gender inequali-ties the distribution of benefits from trade liberalization between women and men is dis-proportional. The paper indentifies main areas, in which are the gender inequalities the most significant. African women are limited in their access to education, productive resources and to technologies, but also to the means of financing. These limits prevent women from full participation in trade and therefore also in economic growth of the country. The creation of new jobs in export-oriented sectors presents the main contribution of trade liberalization for African women. The income they are getting form those jobs are usually used to finance the education and health care for children, that is why their quality of life may improve. The paper concentrates on the reciprocal relation between liberalization and gender equality, which is demonstrated on the status of women in trade and in export-oriented sectors.

The goal of the master thesis titled "Trade openness and income inequality in Eastern Europe" is to analyze the effects on income inequality changes in the population in the period of transformation from centrally planned economies to market economies in the last decade of the twentieth century. The first part of the thesis focuses on the development before the individual countries started to join the European Union. The subsequent liberalization in the early 21st century is evaluated in the second part of the thesis. The multiple regression analysis is used to estimate the effects. The data were provided by the World Bank for the period of from 1989 to 2014. The objective of the thesis is to enlighten the factors which are influencing the changes in income inequality.