The increasing concern with environmental damage and climate change has highlighted the importance of environmental innovations (EI) as an alternative to current technological standards. This thesis aims to contribute to the analysis of the determinants of environmental innovation and also to the identification of the effects of the adoption of environmental innovations on labor demand and performance of Brazilian manufacturing firms. Based on panel data between 1998 and 2008, the results obtained in Chapter 2 corroborate international evidence on the determinants of environmental innovation adoption. The environmental inducement hypothesis is verified, indicating that environmental regulation has an important role to influence the Brazilian firms in order to adopt both technical and organizational environmental innovations. Specifically related to developing countries innovative processes, our results confirm that foreign owned firms are significantly more likely to adopt \"green\" innovation, usually through capital embodied technology transfer and licensing agreements. The size of the firm and physical capital intensity are also important determinants of environmental innovation in Brazilian manufacturing firms. In Chapter 3 we use a translog cost function approach and we analyze the impact of environmental innovations on employment shares and wage bill shares in Brazilian manufacturing industries. The results obtained indicate that environmental technologies are unskilled biased, favoring blue-collar positions and wages, relative to white-collar ones. The \"green-collar\" jobs deriving from the green technologies adopted are in many situations (especially in low and medium technological intensive industrial sectors) filled by blue-collar workers, trained with green skills and thus capable of dealing with environmental preservation challenges. On the other hand, organizational environmental innovations registered a negative impact in blue-collar employment and wage bill shares, reinforcing the skill biased organizational change hypothesis, as the white-collar workforce is better prepared to deal with increased uncertainty, multi-tasking activities and increased responsibility. Concerning the effects of environmental innovation adoption on performance, Chapter 4 modeling strategy is based on a translog production function, due to its flexibility to represent different production structures, especially in the case of more than two factor inputs. The results indicate that both technical EI and organizational EI have positive impact on Brazilian manufacturing firms\' value added. We analyze four different types of technical EI in order to consider different characteristics of each type of EI, including those that reduce resources consumption and those that reduce environmental negative externalities, traditionally understood as additional compliance costs. All the different types of EI tested registered positive correlation with value added change. Pollution abatement investment was also tested and indicated positive effects on value added, even if to a lesser extent. / A crescente preocupação com a degradação ambiental e variações climáticas trouxe à tona a importância de inovações ambientais (IA) como uma alternativa ao padrão tecnológico atual. Esta tese tem como objetivo contribuir para a análise dos determinantes da inovação ambiental e também para a identificação dos seus efeitos sobre a demanda por mão de obra e sobre o valor adicionado das indústrias de transformação brasileiras. Utilizando dados de painel entre 1998 e 2008, os resultados obtidos no capítulo 2 corroboram a evidência internacional sobre os determinantes da adoção de inovações ambientais. A hipótese de viés ambiental é verificada, o que indica que a regulação ambiental apresenta um papel importante para influenciar as firmas brasileiras a adotar tanto inovações ambientais tecnológicas quanto organizacionais. Em relação especificamente ao processo inovativo em países em desenvolvimento, nossos resultados confirmam que empresas de capital estrangeiro têm maior probabilidade de adotar inovações \"verdes\", geralmente através de transferência tecnológica e acordos de licenciamento. O tamanho da firma e a intensidade de capital físico também são importantes determinantes da inovação ambiental nas indústrias de transformação brasileiras. No capítulo 3 utilizamos uma abordagem baseada na função de custo translog e analisamos o impacto de inovações ambientais na participação de emprego e massa salarial nas indústrias brasileiras de manufatura. Os resultados obtidos indicam que as tecnologias ambientais são enviesadas para o trabalho não qualificado, favorecendo o emprego e salários de mão de obra menos qualificada (ou diretamente ligada à produção) em detrimento da mão de obra mais qualificada (ou não diretamente ligada à produção). Os empregos \"verdes\" derivados da adoção de tecnologias ambientais são, em muitos casos (especialmente nos setores de baixa ou média intensidade tecnológica), ocupados por trabalhadores de baixa qualificação treinados com habilidades \"verdes\" e, portanto, capacitados para lidar com os desafios da preservação do meio ambiente. Por outro lado, as inovações ambientais organizacionais registraram um impacto negativo na contratação e nos salários de mão de obra de baixa qualificação, reforçando a hipótese de mudança tecnológica enviesada para a qualificação, uma vez que a mão de obra qualificada é mais bem preparada para lidar com o aumento da incerteza, atividade multitarefas e aumento de responsabilidade. Em relação aos efeitos da adoção de inovações ambientais no valor adicionado da empresa, no capítulo 4 adotamos como estratégia de modelagem uma função de produção translog, devido à sua flexibilidade para representar diferentes estruturas produtivas, especialmente no caso de mais de dois fatores de produção. Os resultados indicam que tanto as IA tecnológicas quanto as organizacionais apresentam impacto positivo sobre o valor adicionado das firmas brasileiras. Nós analisamos quatro tipos diferentes de IA tecnológicas com o intuito de considerar as diferentes características de cada tipo de IA, incluindo aquelas que reduzem o consumo de recursos e aquelas que reduzem as externalidades negativas sobre o meio ambiente, tradicionalmente entendidas como custos adicionais de conformidade à regulação ambiental vigente. Todos os diferentes tipos de IA testados registraram correlação positiva com variações no valor adicionado. Investimento em redução de poluição também foi testado e indicou efeito positive sobre o valor adicionado, ainda que em menor intensidade.

Segundo a definição do Banco Central do Brasil (2015) o spread bancário é resultado da diferença entre as taxas de juros das operações de crédito (taxas de aplicação) e as taxas de captação. Mesmo com a abertura econômica do Brasil ao mercado internacional, não foi observada redução significativa do spread e o país destaca-se como um detentor de um dos spreads bancários mais altos quando comparado a outros países (OREIRO et al, 2006). Muitos estudos na literatura concluíram que o spread no Brasil está entre os mais altos do mundo (JORGENSEN e APOSTOLOU, 2013). O objetivo deste estudo consiste em identificar quais dos fatores macroeconômicos e dos indicadores de atividade industrial influenciam o spread bancário no período de Março de 2011 a Março de 2015, por meio de regressão linear multivariada. O Banco Central do Brasil alterou metodologicamente as séries de spread a partir de 1º de março de 2011, sendo esta a data inicial de análise deste trabalho. Foram utilizados dados mensais de séries temporais obtidas majoritariamente por consulta ao Sistema Gerenciador de Séries Temporais (SGS) do Banco Central. Ao todo foram utilizadas dezoito variáveis como candidatas às determinantes do spread no período de análise. Nove o determinam positivamente; a inadimplência total, o IPI para bens de capital, IPI bens intermediários, IPI bens de consumo duráveis, IPI bens semiduráveis e não duráveis, a Selic, o PIB, a taxa de desemprego região metropolitana e o EMBI+. Quatro o determinam negativamente; o IPI bens de consumo, o IPI geral, o saldo da carteira de crédito total para recursos livres e o índice de volume de vendas no varejo. Foi considerado p-valor de até 5,0% para as variáveis que se mostraram inferior a este valor. Foi considerado p-valor de até 10% para as variáveis que se mostraram inferior a este valor e maior que 5,0%. / According to the Central Bank of Brazil (2015) bank spread is the result of the difference between interest rates of credit operations (application rates) and funding rates. Although Brazilian economy has opened to international markets it has not been observed any significant reduction in the Brazilian bank spread and it still stands out as one of the highest bank spreads when compared to other countries (OREIRO et al, 2006). Many studies concluded that spreads in Brazil are the highest in the world (JORGENSEN & APOSTOLOU, 2013). The aim of this study is to identify which of the macroeconomic factors and the industrial activities indexes (IPIs) influence bank spread in the period from March 2011 to March 2015, by using multivariate linear regression. Brazil\'s Central Bank methodologically changed the spread time series starting from March 1st 2011, this is the initial date of this study\'s analysis. Monthly time series data were used mostly obtained by consulting the Time Series Management System (SGS) from the Brazilian Central Bank. Eighteen variables were used as possible candidates to be determinants over bank spread in the period. Nine were found to be positive determinants over bank spread, they are; the total delinquency, the capital goods IPI, intermediate goods IPI, consumer durables IPI, semi-durable and non-durable goods IPI, the Selic (Brazilian basic interest rate), the GDP, the unemployment index for metropolitan area and the EMBI +. Four were found to be negative determinants over bank spread; the overall IPI, the consumer goods IPI, the balance of the total loan portfolio and the sales volume index for total retail. It was considered a 5,0% p-value for the variables which showed to be below this. It was considered a 10% p-value for the variables which showed to be below this value and above 5,0%.

Déséquilibres macroéconomiques et leur résolution. / Large imbalances in both the US and within the Eurozone preceded the global financial and economic crisis of 2008-2009 (the Great Recession). Ex-post, it seems surprising that not enough attention was given to the fast rise of these imbalances -especially to the development of housing price bubbles- by economists, and even less by policy makers. A long period of relatively low macroeconomic volatility occurring between the mid-1980s to the late 2000s -the so called “Great Moderation”- along with the underestimation of the existence of bubbles in asset prices gave the impression that the large crises of the past were unlikely to reappear. Many economic commentators even saw this as a sign of the decreased relevance of the International Monetary Fund since the global financial stability seemed warranted. The policy of low inflation was viewed by most in the economics profession as more than sufficient to maintain macro stability, and the efficient market hypothesis, developed first by Eugene Fama in the 1970s, dominated the macro-models used in the academia, international organizations, and in central banks (Shiller’s best seller “Irrational Exuberance”was among one of the courageous exceptions). As a result of this inattention, the fast unwinding of these imbalances plunged in 2008-2009 the global economy in an unprecedented crisis -by many measures- since the Great Depression. The recovery from the Great Recession has been slow, with a “double-dip” recession in the Eurozone, and the prospects for a return to sustained high growth still remain uncertain.

A literatura empírica que buscou investigar os efeitos da independência do banco central sobre os custos de desinflação encontra, quase que em sua totalidade, uma relação positiva entre estas duas variáveis, indicando que episódios desinflacionários mais custosos estão relacionados a países com bancos centrais mais independentes, contrariando a teoria novo clássica, que atribui um prêmio para a credibilidade da política monetária em termos de custos de desinflação. No entanto, a maioria desses trabalhos limita-se à utilização de uma amostra que compreende apenas países desenvolvidos durante o período 1960-1990. Além disso, a metodologia econométrica freqüentemente utilizada é a de Mínimos Quadrados Ordinários, método incapaz de controlar para a existência de algum tipo de endogeneidade ou viés de seleção na relação de interesse. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho busca complementar a literatura existente de duas formas: (1) utilizando uma amostra mais ampla, que inclua não somente países em desenvolvimento, mas também episódios desinflacionários mais recentes; e (2) empregando os métodos baseados em \\textit{propensity score}, metodologia econométrica capaz de controlar para a possível existência de viés de seleção na relação entre independência do banco central e custos de desinflação. Algumas conclusões importantes são obtidas. Primeiramente, quando as metodologias que lidam com a existência de viés de seleção são utilizadas, encontra-se um efeito insignificante do grau de independência do banco central sobre os custos de desinflação. Este resultado se sustenta não somente fazendo uso da amostra introduzida neste trabalho, mas também da amostra frequentemente empregada pela literatura empírica sobre o tema. Ademais, a utilização isolada da amostra mais ampla também aponta para um efeito insignificante da independência, indicando que ainda que houvesse um impacto positivo da independência do banco central sobre os custos de desinflação até o final da década de 1980, as diversas mudanças no ambiente econômico ocorridas nas duas últimas décadas foram capazes de, no mínimo, reduzir tal efeito. / The majority of the empirical literature about the effects of central bank independence on disinflation costs found a positive relationship between these variables, meaning that more costly disinflationary episodes are related to countries with more independent central banks, opposing to the new classical theory, which states that there is a credibility premium in terms of disinflation costs for monetary policy. However, most of these works are concentrated only in disinflationary episodes of developed countries between the period of 1960-1990. Furthermore, the dominant econometric method used is Ordinary Least Squares, a technique incapable of controlling for the existence of endogeneity or selection bias. In that sense, the present work tries to contribute to the existing literature in two distinct ways: (1) by using a broader sample, which includes not only developing countries, but also more recent disinflationary episodes; and (2) by applying models based on propensity score, an econometric method capable of dealing with the possible existence of selection bias in the relationship between central bank independence and disinflation costs. A couple of important conclusions are obtained. First of all, when the models based on propensity score are used, a statistically insignificant effect of the central bank independence on disinflation costs is found. This result is sustained not only when making use of the broader sample introduced in the present work, but also when the sample commonly employed on the empirical literature is used. Moreover, the merely usage of the broader sample also yields an insignificant effect, meaning that even if there was a positive effect of central bank independence on disinflation costs until the end of the 1980\'s, the several changes occurred in the economic environment in the last two decades might have, at least partially, offset this impact.

Submitted by Rosivalda Pereira (mrs.pereira@ufma.br) on 2017-05-24T18:14:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JesseSalesRego.pdf: 1367385 bytes, checksum: b922c47e1d339b723df57400b026874c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-24T18:14:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JesseSalesRego.pdf: 1367385 bytes, checksum: b922c47e1d339b723df57400b026874c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / The present dissertation aims to present the social security debate in Brazil, in the World and its macroeconomic implications. The choice for this theme is justified by the absence of studies that, in addition to the technical aspects behind social security systems, present together historical, philosophical and, above all, political economy questions. For this, the debate is classified into two main categories: the conservative perspective and the perspective of the demand for social security. In addition, the debate in Brazil is focused on the macroeconomic controversies and on the relationship between social security spending and fiscal equilibrium. / A presente dissertação tem por objetivo apresentar o debate previdenciário no Brasil, no Mundo e suas implicações macroeconômicas. A escolha por esse tema justifica-se pela ausência de estudos que para além dos aspectos técnicos, por trás dos sistemas previdenciários, apresentem juntamente questões históricas, filosóficas e principalmente de economia política. Para isso, classifica-se o debate em duas grandes categorias: a da perspectiva conservadora e a da perspectiva das demanda por seguridade social. Além disso, apresenta-se o debate no Brasil com foco nas controvérsias macroeconômicas e na relação gasto previdenciário x equilíbrio fiscal.

Sun, Wu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-45). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.I / 摘要 --- p.II / Acknowledgments --- p.III / Chapter Essay 1. --- The Effect of Impatience on Determinacy --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- The model --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Conclusion --- p.8 / Chapter Essay 2. --- Determinacy under Non-separable Utility --- p.9 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2 --- The basic model --- p.10 / Chapter 2.3 --- Conclusion --- p.21 / Chapter Essay 3. --- Determinacy under Calvo-Style Sticky Price Model --- p.23 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2 --- The model --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- With staggered price only --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Incorporating firm-specific capital --- p.30 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Incorporating staggered wages --- p.35 / Chapter 3.3 --- Conclusion --- p.41 / Reference --- p.43 / Appendix --- p.46 / Table 1: Baseline Calibration --- p.46 / Table 2: Baseline Calibration --- p.46

By examining a sector of the economy that was exposed to increased imports more than four decades ago, Crumley illuminates the economic pressures, resistance, and reform that help to shape Russia's agrarian sector today. Contents: The impact of trade on Russian agrarian institutions: an introduction -- Conceptualizing alternative approaches to institutional change in Russia -- Soviet agrarian institutions and interests -- Administrative and organizational changes as agrarian reform, 1972-1990 -- The decentralization of decision-making institutions in the era of market reforms, 1990-2002 -- Government incentives, traditional values, and the shaping of agrarian interests -- Changes and constraints in agrarian institutions. / https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1037/thumbnail.jpg

Despite the abundance of theoretical literature on and qualitative analyses of relocating manufacturing production, consequences of offshoring on labor markets, and foreign trade policy, very little empirical analysis has been conducted in order to examine the trends and patterns in economic variables that led to the rise in manufacturing offshoring in the first place. Focusing on the U.S. manufacturing offshoring to China, this thesis uses a comprehensive dataset of labor compensation costs and labor productivity for 20 manufacturing industries across 27 years for China and the United States to investigate the relationship between U.S. offshoring and productivity per wage for a unit of labor (α) in China vis-a-vis the U.S. I find that the effect of α on growth in offshoring across industries is not only positive but also statistically significant. Further, this thesis also attempts to combine empirical findings with a qualitative analysis of the prominent trends in the data that might help understand the S-shape of the offshoring curve over three periods (or states of the curve): rise (1990-1999), rule (2000-2008), and graduation (2009-2016).

The study is an informative presentation of both qualitative and quantitative values observable in Japan today. By utilizing two uniquely distinct fields of study, I hope to gain greater context of Japan’s economy and its contemporary challenges. With close focus on ethnographical studies, I hope to derive potential relationships and develop further context for quantitative results highlighted in previously published economic studies. Ethnography provides an intimate look into specific groups, culture or subcultures in Japan. With emphasis on close observations, interviews, and field notes, empirical studies like that of many ethnography papers provides an intimate scope into the lives of Japanese people. Detailed publications of Japanese people and their daily lives should be valued with equal relevance to that of quantitative results. Moreover, in response to the stagnancy and demographic challenges highlighted by policy makers and political parties, I believe the value of ethnographical publications will continue to grow. Japan struggled to develop effective policies to combat issues of falling birthrates, an aging population and shortages in labor.

This paper examines the performance of Indian banks by studying the effects of recent reforms and macroeconomic events. Indian banks went through a period of reforms in the past twenty years. The impact of these reforms and major macroeconomic events has been examined using time-series analysis. Event studies offer additional perspective on the short-run effect of the events on different types of Indian banks. Although, the event dates are not all statistically significant in the time-series regressions, the demonetization of 2016 is significant in the event study analysis. Thus, while reforms and events have immediate impact on the performance of Indian banks, the effects did not always persist over the larger time-period.