Orientador: Wilson Suzigan / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T11:15:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_ConceicaodeFatima_D.pdf: 4327165 bytes, checksum: eeb5a0efec019d0c1f36e2d755223b5e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: A Indústria de Metalurgia Básica - IMB (Produção de ferro-gusa e ferro liga, Siderurgia,Produção de tubos de aço exceto tubos sem costura, Metalurgia de metais não ferrosos e Fundição) brasileira é internacionalmente competitiva e detém a posição de segundo maior exportador da indústria de transformação nacional. Ao mesmo tempo, apesar de ser uma indústria de baixa densidade tecnológica, destaca-se como uma indústria de elevada interatividade com a infraestrutura científica e tecnológica, segundo dados do Diretório dos Grupos de Pesquisa do CNPq. Segundo os dados da PINTEC, no entanto, a IMB é uma das indústrias de mais baixa inovatividade da economia nacional, o que é incompatível com o seu desempenho econômico e competitividade internacional. Tendo em vista estas considerações, o presente trabalho tem como tema a conduta inovativa da IMB e foi norteado por três problemas interdependentes de pesquisa, quais sejam, investigar as motivações para a elevada interatividade desta indústria com a infraestrutura científica e tecnológica, avaliar as razões pelas quais as suas elevadas interatividade e competitividade não resultam em um perfil inovativo positivamente diferenciado na PINTEC e, finalmente, identificar as demandas e características dos seus relacionamentos com pesquisadores da área de Engenharia Metalúrgica e de Materiais. Para tanto, foram utilizados os referenciais teóricos da Escola Evolucionária Neo-Schumpeteriana e as metodologias de análise de cluster, análise comparada e entrevistas estruturadas. Os resultados mostram uma indústria de elevado esforço inovativo, alto desempenho inovador e elemento central de um Sistema Setorial de Inovação longevo, atuante e robusto. Adicionalmente, foi identificada a inadequação da definição do perfil setorial a partir do número de empresas em atuação pois, em um setor em que é grande o número de empresas, mas é elevada a concentração econômica, o conjunto de empresas que define o perfil setorial é restrito e é este que deve ser considerado na avaliação do comportamento setorial. A conduta inovativa da IMB, bem como as idiossincrasias das indústrias de baixa densidade tecnológica e elevada concentração econômica sugerem a necessidade de, dada a relevância econômica destes setores, aprofundar os estudos e definir políticas públicas específicas para essas indústrias / Abstract: The Brazilian Basic Metals Industry - BMI (Production of pig iron and ferro-alloy, Stell, Production of steel tubes except seamless tubes, Non-ferrous Metallurgy and Foundry) is internationally competitive and is the second largest exporter of the industry of national transformation. At the same time, despite being a low-density technology industry stands out as an industry of high interactivity with the scientific and technological infrastructure according to the CNPq Directory of Research Group. According to the PINTEC data, however, IBM is one of the lowest innovativeness industry of the national economy, which is incompatible with its economic performance and international competitiveness. With these considerations, this work has as its theme the IBM innovative conduct and it was guided by three interrelated research problems, which are to investigate the reasons for the high interactivity of this industry with the scientific and technological infrastructure, to assess the reasons why their high interactivity and competitiveness do not result in a positively different innovative profile in PINTEC and finally, to identify the demands and characteristics of their relationships with researchers from the Metallurgy and Materials Engineering area. For this, it was used the theoretical references from the Neo-Schumpeterian Evolutionary School and the methodologies for cluster analysis, comparative analysis and structured interviews. The results show a high innovative effort industry, high performance and central element of a long-life, active and robust Sector Innovation System. In addition, it was identified the inadequacy of the definition of the sector profile from the number of companies in operation because, in a sector where the number of companies is large but the economic concentration is high, the group of companies that define the sector profile is limited and this is the one that must be considered in assessing the sector behavior. The innovative conduct of IBM as well as the idiosyncrasies of low technological density and high economic concentration industries suggest the need, given the economic importance of these sectors, for further studies and define specific public policies for these industries / Doutorado / Politica Cientifica e Tecnologica / Doutor em Política Científica e Tecnológica

Dans les pays en développement, les liens sont étroits et multiformes entre ledéveloppement urbain et les économies rurales. Dans les régions de montagnes, notamment enAfrique de l’Est, les espaces sont fortement interdépendants à travers les relations commerciales,les déplacements de personnes, les flux de productions, selon des échelles géographiques ettemporelles variables. Des logiques de continuum, de gradient, voire de rupture, sont à l’oeuvre.Dans ce contexte, le rôle joué par les Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (PME) reste encorelargement à démontrer, notamment leur place dans la structuration des flux de produits et depersonnes (exemple des petits entrepreneurs commerçants, des transporteurs faisant la navetteentre zones de production, de commercialisation et de consommation, etc.). La place des petitesvilles dans ce processus d’intégration territoriale est importante, car elles jouent souvent le rôlede premier relais et d’interface préférentiel entre les économies urbaines et rurales.L’approche par les PME permet d’appréhender le rôle de l’initiative individuelle et collective(voire communautaire) dans la dynamique de développement territoriale, mais égalementd’analyser les actions mises en place (ou non) pour favoriser l’entrepreneuriat, par les autoritéspubliques et les organisations non gouvernementales (accès au microcrédit, etc.).Le terrain choisi est la province du Central Kenya, région du Mont Kenya et des Aberdares, avecles petites villes de Sagana et Karatina comme zone d’étude privilégiée. C’est une zone de fortesdensités de peuplement, à l’économie rurale voire agricole bien structurée mais en reconversion(économie post-Café) et qui dispose d’un réseau urbain hiérarchisé (petites villes d’étude, villemoyenne de Nyeri, proximité relative de la métropole de Nairobi).Les principaux résultats témoignent du rôle dissymétrique joué par les petits entrepreneurs, et àtravers eux par les petites villes, dans les relations villes-Campagnes. Si leur rôle est crucial dansles flux entrants (approvisionnement des consommateurs urbains et ruraux desservis), il estrelativement faible dans les flux sortants, ce qui témoigne des logiques de concurrence exercéspar des opérateurs extérieurs (relations directes entre grossistes urbains et producteurs ruraux)mais aussi par des intermédiaires locaux (coopératives, grossistes, etc.). / Abstract: Small and Micro-Enterprises (SMEs) are known to form significant nodes inrural-Urban linkages. Consequently, these SMEs serve as strong nodes which link thesurrounding rural areas to Local, National and Regional Markets through forward andbackward linkages. By strengthening and opening up opportunities for SMEs ‘virtuous’circles of rural-Urban economic linkages are created.The study of the rural-Urban linkages activities is still in development. This thesistherefore seeks to add to the literature by generating and documenting information onthe role of SMEs in small towns in rural-Urban linkages. Kenya is an agricultural-Ledeconomy, hence the need to focus on small mountainous towns. The towns aresurrounded by rich agricultural areas and are highly populated, making them busy hubsof mobility and exchange. Therefore, Mt. Kenya region is the chosen area of study withSMEs in Sagana and Karatina towns chosen as centres representing small towns.Based on the study results, SMEs were found to play an relatively small role in forwardlinkages. Only 12% of goods and services coming to the small towns from the ruralareas were forwarded by the SMEs, and only 25% of these goods found their way toother markets. The study established that some factors such as to the marketing chaincreated by the Famers Sacco’s, the use of Information and CommunicationTechnologies and contracting farming could be contributing to the poor show of SMEs inforward linkages.The rural functions in urban SMEs were found to be real and instrumental inentrepreneurship development. They were not only vital in business survival in lowseasons but were also found have positive correlations with large capital base, highmonthly turnover, increased access to loan facilities, and large size of the enterprise.Previous studies have shown that the rural-Urban trade to be more than urban-Ruraltrade. However, the current study shows the latter is almost three times more. Theresults could be said to differ in case where the point of focus is the small trader in thesmall town as opposed to a general urban-Rural trade approach. Also the nature of thefarmers markets could determine the flow pattern between urban and rural supplies.Karatina and Sagana markets behaved more of international markets, where most of thetraded goods and supplies were not from the local catchments. This meant ruralpopulace depended on the towns not only for manufactured goods and professionalservices but also for agricultural produce.

This thesis argues that the full impact of Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) driven research, that works to enhance not only agricultural production and productivity but also market linkages cannot be captured effectively using only microeconomic level studies; but rather requires the use of a combination of micro and macro-level analysis. This is because the innovation systems perspective entails the collaboration of different actors across the entire agricultural value chain. Therefore this study aimed to firstly quantify the degree to which AIS driven research impacts upon the livelihood outcomes of rural smallholder farmers. Second, the study aimed to determine the extent to which a combination of macro-economic and agricultural policy shocks impact upon household incomes in the maize-based farming system in Malawi; given macro-micro linkages as strengthened by AIS research. The first objective was tackled by using quasi-experimentation with propensity score matching to establish a valid counterfactual and single differencing to measure impact. The second objective was achieved by using a combination of quantitative and qualitative statistical and econometric tools to delve into the dynamics of the maize market at different levels and to develop a model that is capable of capturing the maize market dynamics. A multi-equation partial equilibrium model of the national maize market was therefore developed and linked in a top-down unidirectional manner to the local maize economy via a price-linkage equation. A non-behavioural arithmetic micro-accounting approach was adopted to estimate household incomes that were linked to the local economy, through which macroeconomic level maize price changes transmit. The results of the study empirically demonstrate that AIS driven research impacts positively upon the livelihood outcomes of rural households. This is demonstrated with participating households exhibiting statistically significant higher production outcomes (upland crop production, maize harvests, value of assets, and value of livestock); household incomes as well as human capital outcomes in some cropping seasons. In addition participating households also had much higher statistically significant fertilizer use prior to the implementation of the fertilizer subsidy program in the country; and statistically significant higher fertilizer use patterns for the first two cropping seasons following the implementation of the subsidy program. Participating households had greater linkages with the market economy which allowed them to take greater advantage of market incentives but which also made them more vulnerable to policy shocks. This study therefore shows that the analysis of the impacts of the paradigm shift in agricultural research towards an innovation system orientation cannot be contained at the household level, as this would lead to the formulation of inadequate policies that do not take into account the effects of greater market linkages of the rural households. Policy implications are that increasing production and productivity and linking farmers to markets may not in itself be enough for sustained livelihood improvement, as the resultant greater linkages to the market economy may be detrimental to household livelihood outcomes in the face of uncoordinated policies. In order for the paradigm shift in agricultural research towards an innovation systems perspective to be effective in sustaining an entrepreneurial culture in rural societies in Africa, there is need to foster the diversification out of agricultural enterprises for income, while supporting productivity improvements for food security. In addition any interventions should be implemented only after systematic analysis of the potential consequences of the resultant enhanced macro-micro linkages. This would help to ensure that there is no mismatch between policies and livelihood improvement strategies. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

The recent global financial crisis of 2007-2009 and the subsequent recession have prompted renewed interest into how banking regulation and fluctuations in the financial sector impact the business cycle. Using three different model setups, this thesis promotes a further understanding and identification of the various transmission channels through which regulatory changes and volatility in the financial system link to the real economy. Chapter 1 examines the effects of bank capital requirements in a simple macroeconomic model with credit market frictions. A bank capital channel is introduced through a monitoring incentive effect of bank capital buffers on the repayment probability, which affects the loan rate behaviour via the risk premium. We also identify a collateral channel, which mitigates moral hazard behaviour by firms, and therefore raises their repayment probability. Basel I and Basel II regulatory regimes are then defined, with a distinction made between the Standardized and Foundation Internal Ratings Based (IRB) approaches of Basel II. We analyse the role of the bank capital and collateral channels in the transmission of supply shocks, and show that depending on the strength of these channels, the loan rate can either amplify or mitigate the effects of productivity shocks. Finally, the impact of the two channels also determines which of the regulatory regimes is most procyclical. Chapter 2 studies the interactions between bank capital regulation and the real business cycle in a Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) framework with financial frictions, along with endogenous risk of default at the firm and bank capital levels. We show that in a model which accounts for bank capital risk and regulatory requirements, the endogenous risk of default produces an accelerator effect and impacts the loan rate and the real economy through multiple channels. Furthermore, the simulations illustrate that a risk sensitive regulatory regime (Basel II) amplifies the response of macroeconomic and financial variables following supply, monetary and financial shocks, with the strength of the key transmission channels depending on the nature of the shock. The impact of higher regulatory requirements (as proposed under Basel III) is also examined and is shown to increase procyclicality in the financial system and real economy. Chapter 3 studies the interactions between loan loss provisions and business cycle fluctuations in a Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) model with credit market imperfections. With a backward-looking provisioning system, provisions are triggered by past due payments (or nonperforming loans), which, in turn, depend on current economic conditions and the loan loss reserves-loan ratio. With a forward-looking system, both past due payments and expected losses over the whole business cycle are accounted for, and provisions are smoothed over the cycle. Numerical experiments based on a parameterized version of the model show that holding more provisions can reduce the procyclicality of the financial system. However, a forward-looking provisioning regime can increase or lower procyclicality, depending on whether holding more loan loss reserves translates into a higher or lower fraction of nonperforming loans.

The study explored when, under what conditions, and to what extent did European integration, particularly the European Union’s requirement for democratic conditionality, contribute to democratic consolidation in Spain, Poland, and Turkey? On the basis of a four-part definition, the dissertation examined the democratizing impact of European integration process on each of the following four components of consolidation: (i) holding of fair, free and competitive elections, (ii) protection of fundamental rights, including human and minority rights, (iii) high prospects of regime survival and civilian control of the military, and (iv) legitimacy, elite consensus, and stateness. To assess the relative significance of EU’s democratizing leverage, the thesis also examined domestic and non-EU international dynamics of democratic consolidation in the three countries. By employing two qualitative methods (case study and process-tracing), the study focused on three specific time frames: 1977-1986 for Spain, 1994-2004 for Poland, and 1999-present for Turkey. In addition to official documents, newspapers, and secondary sources, face-to-face interviews made with politicians, academics, experts, bureaucrats, and journalists in the three countries were utilized. The thesis generated several conclusions. First of all, the EU’s democratizing impact is not uniform across different components of democratic consolidation. Moreover, the EU’s democratizing leverage in Spain, Poland, and Turkey involved variations over time for three major reasons: (i) the changing nature of EU’s democratic conditionality over time (ii) varying levels of the EU’s credible commitment to the candidate country’s prospect for membership, and (iii) domestic dynamics in the candidate countries. Furthermore, the European integration process favors democratic consolidation but its magnitude is shaped by the candidate country’s prospect for EU membership and domestic factors in the candidate country. Finally, the study involves a major policy implication for the European Union: unless the EU provides a clear prospect for membership, its democratizing leverage will be limited in the candidate countries.

Trade of South Africa with the rest of the world has changed substantially since the mid-1990s. The United States (US), which used to be the main trading partner of South Africa, is now only the third largest trading partner of the country. South African trade with Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom (UK) are also lower. The key reason is the emergence of China in the world economy. South Africa did not trade with China before 1993, but from 2009 China became the main trading partner of the country. Globalisation and China’s emergence have influenced the trade linkages of many other countries in the world. To incorporate the changes in global trade linkages, the foreign variables of all the models in the study are compiled with trade-weighted three-year moving average data. The foremost objective of the thesis is to determine how the changes in trade linkages affect the transmission of economic shocks originating in the rest of the world on South Africa. The global vector autoregression (GVAR) approach is used since one of its advantages is the incorporation of global trade linkages, which facilitates the analysis of the transmission of shocks from one country to another. As a GVAR model combines many individual country models, the study first estimates such a country-specific model for South Africa to determine whether it displays the expected impact of domestic shocks on the economy. This type of model is known as a vector error correction model (VECM) with domestic variables and weakly exogenous (X) foreign (*) variables, denoted by VECX*. The results from the VECX* for South Africa are in line with expectations, showing the effective transmission of monetary policy. The study then examines the impact of international shocks on the South African economy with a GVAR model. The GVAR, which incorporates country-specific VECX* models for 33 countries, is solved for all 33 countries using global trade weight matrices at different dates. The results indicate that over time South Africa is much more vulnerable to GDP shocks to the Chinese economy, and less vulnerable to GDP shocks to the US economy. These trends are however not confined to South Africa, and as such highlights the increased risk to the South African economy and many other economies, should China experience slower GDP growth. Finally, the thesis determines whether the forecasting performance of GVAR models is superior to that of a country-specific VECX* model. The study compares the out-of-sample forecasts of two key South African variables (real GDP and inflation) for five types of models: a VECX*, a customised small GVAR for South Africa, the more general 33-country GVAR, simple autoregressive models and random walk models. Better forecasts of both the GVAR models compared to the VECX* model at forecast horizons of more than four quarters show that, despite the complicated nature of the GVAR model with the inclusion of many countries and global trade linkages, the additional information is useful for forecasting domestic variables / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Economics / unrestricted

While some of the developed and emerging economies are registering phenomenal growth in their renewable energy industries, it would appear that there are still a number of factors that are limiting the renewable energy to its potential worldwide. This paper applies a theoretical framework using the systems thinking to examine three possible multi-dimensional factors that are barriers to be development of renewable energy in South Africa. The objective was to use a qualitative research to investigate further the barrier interconnection and multi-dimensional barriers limiting renewable energy development using the South Africa market for sampling and interviews.The methodology employed involved a literature review. In addition, a questionnaire was designed and interviews were conducted to ascertain the prevalence of such barrier multi-dimensional and interconnection. The results obtained were analysed using qualitative method. These analyses revealed that the possible multi-dimensional barriers that were identified namely technology; pricing and costing; policy and regulations; and market performance are valid for South Africa. In addition, even though the results highlighted, as identified initially that technology have a significant impact as a linkage, the results suggest that the regulatory framework have a more significant linkage and effect on the relationship and interconnection. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

As the world grapples with increasing urbanization, population growth, climate change and depleting natural resources, there is an increased recognition that more food will have to be produced with fewer resources while food consumption has to shift rapidly towards more sustainable patterns. Meanwhile, although many are willing to work in and innovate agricultural practices, young people in rural areas still struggle to access the resources needed to be part of this shift, not to mention to make a living. In Guatemala, more than 90 % of young people engaged in agriculture work in the informal sector. In such a context of insecure labour conditions combined with strong vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters, migration to cities or abroad is often a result of push rather than pull factors.Through an inductive methodological approach based on qualitative interview research with a small yet broad sample of stakeholders, this study explores the potential of rural-urban linkages to help strengthen opportunities for rural youth in Guatemala. By supporting information exchanges on the value of local small-scale food production and conscious consumption, it also aims to promote sustainable development in a broader sense. Four areas of inquiry are investigated with the goal of generating evidence-based recommendations on framing, messaging and channels that could be used as a foundation to build on when promoting local produce in urban and peri-urban markets.Interviewees agree on the importance of agriculture and many see a need for raising awareness on the value of local small-scale food production for advancing all dimensions of sustainable development. This coincides with a broad interest within a limited test group for accessing such information. Suggested communication channels range from social media via branding to goodwill ambassadors. Messaging should be short and impactful and focus on mutual benefits for producers and consumers, including for personal health and community development. Local food is believed to have a particular potential to promote perceptions of a common identity, supporting efforts to tackle historical and current barriers for linking urban and rural areas closer together.Future research could look at successful initiatives to strengthen rural-urban linkages among youth, as well as on the increasingly porous borders between rural and urban areas and identities. Reassessing classifications of rural producers and urban consumers could hopefully contribute to more circular and sustainable models of development.

The disulfide bond pattern in the galactose-specific lectin 24K from the egg jelly of the Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha was determined, and its previously reported amino acid sequence was confirmed by mass spectrometry. A combination of tryptic digestion, HPLC separation, and chemical, modifications was used to establish the location of seven disulfide bonds and one pair of free cysteines. After proteolysis, peptides containing one or two disulfide bonds were identified by reduction and mass spectral comparison. MALDI mass spectrometry was supported by chemical modification (iodoacetamidylation) and in silico digestion. The assignments of disulfide bonds were further confirmed by mass spectral fragmentation studies including in-source dissociation (ISD) and collision-induced dissociation (CID). Lectins of comparable biochemical functions can be found in amphibian eggs as well. Those eggs are covered with glycoproteinaceous extracellular matrix, which is known as the zonae pellucidae (ZP). The ZP consists of three major glycoproteins referred to as ZPA, ZPB, and ZPC, which contain homologous regions named "ZP domains". The ZP domain is also found in other secretory glycoproteins. Trans -membrane domains present at the C -terminus of ZP glycoproteins are removed at furin-processing sites. However, the details of this processing are unclear because of the lack of information about the precise C -termini of ZP glycoproteins. In this study, the N -termini and C -termini of the glycoprotein gp 37 (ZPB, from gp 37 precursor) and gp 41 (ZPC, from gp 43) from the clawed South African toad ( Xenopus laevis ) were determined by mass spectrometric analysis. Our results suggest that the N -terminus and C -terminus of gp 41 are generated by oviductin-mediated cleavage at GSR 55 and GSR 367 and the C -terminus of gp 37 is generated by furin-mediated cleavage at CNT 457 . These findings shed light on the biochemical processing of gp 43 to gp 41 and gp 37 precursor to gp 37.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 甲第19160号 / 地環博第135号 / 新制||地環||27(附属図書館) / 32111 / 京都大学大学院地球環境学舎環境マネジメント専攻 / (主査)教授 ｼｮｳ ﾗｼﾞﾌﾞ, 教授 岡﨑 健二, 准教授 西前 出 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Global Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DFAM