This dissertation concerns economies with public projects. Public projects are a special case of public goods which size is not necessarily measured by units and which are either built at some fixed cost or not built at all. Our theoretical studies of public projects are based on personalized prices for access to the public project rather than personalized prices for the units consumed of public goods as in the literature on Lindahl equilibrium. Furthermore, the private provision of public projects is experimentally investigated with a double oral auction market for assets that are required in order to produce public projects. The first paper (Chapter 2), "Economies with Multiple Public Projects" (joint work with Robert P. Gilles), discusses an economy with multiple public projects each separately produced by a distinct provider operating under a different cost function. In an economy with the non-Euclidean representation of multiple public projects space we show that the two welfare theorems hold for valuation equilibria in which a public project is financed through a (non-linear) system of taxes or subsidies, called a valuation system, and that the core allocations are equivalent to the set of valuation equilibria with a nonnegative valuation system. Furthermore, if a Euclidean space is used to describe the public projects specified to the standard case of public goods, every Pareto efficient allocation is supported as an affine valuation equilibrium which is characterized with a price per unit of public good and a lump sum tax or subsidy. The second paper (Chapter 3), "Market Provision of Public Projects: Some Experimental Results" (joint work with Sheryl B. Ball), presents experimental evidence on the provision of a public project which is produced by a coalition of economic agents in the population. A double oral auction asset market is employed as the trading institution for assets that are required in order to produce the public project. The experimental environments differ by rules about who can produce the project, information about the benefits to the other agents of the project, and parameters which include the symmetry and size of individual valuations of the assets and the magnitude of social benefits from the project. We find that individually rational client outcomes which are identified by a theoretical analysis based on Chapter 2, are more likely in some environments than others, and suggest that these findings may have implications for the usefulness of this mechanism for public project provision. The third paper (Chapter 4), "Economies with Costly Trade Links," is an application of the model of economies with public projects to the case of an economy with endogenous formation of costly trade links between industries in different sectors of the economy. The trade links reduce transaction costs, but inevitably incur set-up costs. We prove that the two welfare theorems hold for trade equilibria in which each trade link is separately financed with budget neutrality as well as profit maximization. Furthermore, we introduce an industry-wise efficiency concept which requires that no industry can insure itself a better outcome for the industry itself by changing the industry's trade structure, and show that Pareto efficiency strictly implies industry-wide efficiency. The fourth paper (Chapter 5), "Efficiency and Egalitarian-Equivalence in Economies with a Public Project" (joint work with Robert P. Gilles), is an application of the model of economies with public projects to the equity concept of egalitarian-equivalence. An allocation is egalitarian-equivalent if there exists a fixed commodity bundle (the same for each agent) that is considered by each agent to be indifferent to the bundle that he/she actually gets in the allocation under consideration. A public project is also produced by a coalition of economic agents as in Chapter 3. We prove that there exist efficient egalitarian-equivalent allocations, which are not equivalent to the set of valuation equilibria and also may not be in the core. / Ph. D.

Background: The World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa region experiences multiple public health emergencies (PHEs) annually. PHEs have been documented to affect the provision of health services including immunisation. To our knowledge, there is a scarcity of studies characterising PHEs and the performance of national immunisation programmes (NIPs) in countries within the WHO Africa region that have experienced PHEs. This study assessed PHEs (armed conflicts, disasters, and disease outbreaks) and the performance of NIPs in the context of PHEs using global and regional immunisation targets. Methods Countries in the WHO Africa region that were reported to benefit from the African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF) were used as case studies. Data on PHEs and immunisation indicators recorded between 2010 and 2019 in the study countries were extracted from different electronic PHE databases (the Emergency Events database, the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, the WHO Emergency Preparedness and Response, and the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases Mail) and the WHO/UNICEF immunisation database, respectively. The PHEs and immunisation indicators were stratified by country and summarised using descriptive statistics. The Mann-Whitney U test was carried out to determine the association between the frequency of PHEs and the performance of NIPs in the selected countries from 2010 to 2019. Statistical significance was defined at p-value < 0.05. Results Thirteen countries were included in this study. A total of 175 disease outbreaks, 288 armed conflicts, and 318 disasters were reported to have occurred within the 13 countries from 2010 to 2019. The Democratic Republic of Congo had the highest total PHE count (n=208), while Liberia had the lowest (n=20). Only three of the 13 countries had a median coverage value for the third dose of the combined Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis vaccine (DTP3) that had attained the target for ≥90% immunisation coverage. Higher counts of armed conflict and total PHEs were statistically significantly (p=0.03) associated with not attaining MNT elimination. Conclusion PHEs are prevalent in the WHO Africa region, irrespective of the level of a country's immunisation maturity. In absence of effective interventions, PHEs have the potential to derail the progress of NIPs in the WHO Africa region. As we enter the Immunisation Agenda 2030 era, this study advocates for the prioritisation of interventions to mitigate the impacts of PHEs on the NIPs.

L´objectif générale de cette étude consistait d´analyser la présence et/ou l´absence de groupes sociaux et d´institutions représentatives visant à formuler et/ou intervenir dans les politiques publiques du travail qui traitent les femmes, les noirs, les personnes avec des incapacités, les travailleurs avec plus de 40 ans (publics multiples), dans le CODEFAT (Conseil Délibératif du Fond d´Assistance au Travailleur). Ces publics étaient choisis en raison d´être les plus vulnerables à l´entrée du marché du travail et peuvent être conçus comme une des principales cibles dans la formulation de politiques publiques. La période analysée s´étendait de 1990 à 2002, de la formation jusqu´à la fin du second gouvernement de Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Dans ce contexte, prenant comme point de repère le processus décisoire tout au long de douze ans, on a analysé si le Conseil peut être considéré comme ´´une sphère publique forte´´ en termes théoriques et empiriques, s´il est délibératif, partiel ou tripartiel et s´íl maintient la capacité normative de formuler les politiques publiques d´une manière autonome, au moins, du point de vue formal. Dans cette façon, la question principale était la suivante : le Conseil était-il perméable à la présence et à la représentation des publics multiples dans le processus de la formation de politiques publiques ? On a employé comme base en premier lieu, la théorie de Nancy Fraser qui a réalisé une relecture de la conception de la sphère publique à Habermas, privilégiant une analyse des groupes socialement vulnerables. Il est également convenu d´étudier le fonctionnement du Conseil, l´existence ou inexistence d´autonomie dans son rapport avec l´Executif, vu qu´on a formulé le concept d´ambiguité institutionale à partir du cas en question et d´une revision de la littérature, comme un possible modèle explicatif du fonctionnement de la sphère publique au Brésil. / objetivo geral da pesquisa foi analisar a presença e/ou ausência de grupos sociais e instituições representativas que buscaram formular e/ou intervieram nas políticas públicas de trabalho que tratavam das mulheres, negros, pessoas com deficiência e trabalhadores com mais de 40 anos de idade (múltiplos públicos), no Conselho Deliberativo de Fundo de Amparo ao Trabalhador (CODEFAT). Estes públicos foram escolhidos por serem os mais vulneráveis ao ingresso no mercado de trabalho e poderiam se constituir como um dos principais focos na formulação de políticas públicas. O período analisado foi entre 1990 e 2002, compreendendo seu momento de formação até o término do segundo governo de Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Nesse contexto, analisamos, a partir do processo decisório ao longo de doze anos, se o Conselho pode ser compreendido como "esfera pública forte" em termos teóricos e empíricos, por ser deliberativo, ser paritário, tripartite e ter poder normativo para formular políticas públicas autonomamente, ao menos do ponto de vista formal. Assim, a principal questão foi perceber se o Conselho foi permeável à presença e representação dos múltiplos públicos no processo de formulação de políticas públicas, utilizando como base, especialmente, a teoria de Nancy Fraser, que realizou uma releitura da concepção de esfera pública em Habermas e privilegiou a análise de grupos socialmente vulneráveis. Coube também analisar o funcionamento do Conselho, captando a existência ou não de autonomia em relação ao Executivo, sendo que a partir do caso analisado e da revisão da literatura, apresentamos o conceito de "ambigüidade institucional" como uma proposta de modelo explicativo do funcionamento de esferas públicas no Brasil. / The general objective of this research was to analyze the presence and/or representative absence of social groups and institutions that tried to formulate and/or intervened in the public politics of work that dealt with women, black people, handicapped people and workers of 40 years old and over (multiple public), at the Deliberative Body of Fundo de Amparo do Trabalhador (CODEFAT) - Worker’s Supporting Fund. These groups were chosen for being the most vulnerable to enter the job market and could be considered as being the main focus in the shaping of public policy. The period under analysis was between 1990 and 2002, comprising the beginning until the end of Fernando Henrique Cardoso government. In this context, the decision-making spreading twelve years was analized, in addition to weather the council can be considered as "strong public sphere" in theoretical and empirical terms, as b eing deliberative, as be equal, tripartite and as having normative power when autonomously formulating public policy, at least in the formal point of view. Thus, the main question was to analyze weather the council was permeable to the presence and representation of the multiple publics in the process of formulation of public policy, using as a base, especially, the theory of Nancy Fraser, who carried through a new conception of public sphere in Habermas and privileged the socially vulnerable group analysis. It was also possible to analyze the functioning of the council, observing the existence or inexistence of autonomy in relation to the Executive, based in the case in hand and the revision of literature, we presented the concept of "institutional ambiguity", as a proposal for a clarifying model of the functioning of public spheres in Brazil.

L´objectif générale de cette étude consistait d´analyser la présence et/ou l´absence de groupes sociaux et d´institutions représentatives visant à formuler et/ou intervenir dans les politiques publiques du travail qui traitent les femmes, les noirs, les personnes avec des incapacités, les travailleurs avec plus de 40 ans (publics multiples), dans le CODEFAT (Conseil Délibératif du Fond d´Assistance au Travailleur). Ces publics étaient choisis en raison d´être les plus vulnerables à l´entrée du marché du travail et peuvent être conçus comme une des principales cibles dans la formulation de politiques publiques. La période analysée s´étendait de 1990 à 2002, de la formation jusqu´à la fin du second gouvernement de Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Dans ce contexte, prenant comme point de repère le processus décisoire tout au long de douze ans, on a analysé si le Conseil peut être considéré comme ´´une sphère publique forte´´ en termes théoriques et empiriques, s´il est délibératif, partiel ou tripartiel et s´íl maintient la capacité normative de formuler les politiques publiques d´une manière autonome, au moins, du point de vue formal. Dans cette façon, la question principale était la suivante : le Conseil était-il perméable à la présence et à la représentation des publics multiples dans le processus de la formation de politiques publiques ? On a employé comme base en premier lieu, la théorie de Nancy Fraser qui a réalisé une relecture de la conception de la sphère publique à Habermas, privilégiant une analyse des groupes socialement vulnerables. Il est également convenu d´étudier le fonctionnement du Conseil, l´existence ou inexistence d´autonomie dans son rapport avec l´Executif, vu qu´on a formulé le concept d´ambiguité institutionale à partir du cas en question et d´une revision de la littérature, comme un possible modèle explicatif du fonctionnement de la sphère publique au Brésil. / objetivo geral da pesquisa foi analisar a presença e/ou ausência de grupos sociais e instituições representativas que buscaram formular e/ou intervieram nas políticas públicas de trabalho que tratavam das mulheres, negros, pessoas com deficiência e trabalhadores com mais de 40 anos de idade (múltiplos públicos), no Conselho Deliberativo de Fundo de Amparo ao Trabalhador (CODEFAT). Estes públicos foram escolhidos por serem os mais vulneráveis ao ingresso no mercado de trabalho e poderiam se constituir como um dos principais focos na formulação de políticas públicas. O período analisado foi entre 1990 e 2002, compreendendo seu momento de formação até o término do segundo governo de Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Nesse contexto, analisamos, a partir do processo decisório ao longo de doze anos, se o Conselho pode ser compreendido como "esfera pública forte" em termos teóricos e empíricos, por ser deliberativo, ser paritário, tripartite e ter poder normativo para formular políticas públicas autonomamente, ao menos do ponto de vista formal. Assim, a principal questão foi perceber se o Conselho foi permeável à presença e representação dos múltiplos públicos no processo de formulação de políticas públicas, utilizando como base, especialmente, a teoria de Nancy Fraser, que realizou uma releitura da concepção de esfera pública em Habermas e privilegiou a análise de grupos socialmente vulneráveis. Coube também analisar o funcionamento do Conselho, captando a existência ou não de autonomia em relação ao Executivo, sendo que a partir do caso analisado e da revisão da literatura, apresentamos o conceito de "ambigüidade institucional" como uma proposta de modelo explicativo do funcionamento de esferas públicas no Brasil. / The general objective of this research was to analyze the presence and/or representative absence of social groups and institutions that tried to formulate and/or intervened in the public politics of work that dealt with women, black people, handicapped people and workers of 40 years old and over (multiple public), at the Deliberative Body of Fundo de Amparo do Trabalhador (CODEFAT) - Worker’s Supporting Fund. These groups were chosen for being the most vulnerable to enter the job market and could be considered as being the main focus in the shaping of public policy. The period under analysis was between 1990 and 2002, comprising the beginning until the end of Fernando Henrique Cardoso government. In this context, the decision-making spreading twelve years was analized, in addition to weather the council can be considered as "strong public sphere" in theoretical and empirical terms, as b eing deliberative, as be equal, tripartite and as having normative power when autonomously formulating public policy, at least in the formal point of view. Thus, the main question was to analyze weather the council was permeable to the presence and representation of the multiple publics in the process of formulation of public policy, using as a base, especially, the theory of Nancy Fraser, who carried through a new conception of public sphere in Habermas and privileged the socially vulnerable group analysis. It was also possible to analyze the functioning of the council, observing the existence or inexistence of autonomy in relation to the Executive, based in the case in hand and the revision of literature, we presented the concept of "institutional ambiguity", as a proposal for a clarifying model of the functioning of public spheres in Brazil.

L´objectif générale de cette étude consistait d´analyser la présence et/ou l´absence de groupes sociaux et d´institutions représentatives visant à formuler et/ou intervenir dans les politiques publiques du travail qui traitent les femmes, les noirs, les personnes avec des incapacités, les travailleurs avec plus de 40 ans (publics multiples), dans le CODEFAT (Conseil Délibératif du Fond d´Assistance au Travailleur). Ces publics étaient choisis en raison d´être les plus vulnerables à l´entrée du marché du travail et peuvent être conçus comme une des principales cibles dans la formulation de politiques publiques. La période analysée s´étendait de 1990 à 2002, de la formation jusqu´à la fin du second gouvernement de Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Dans ce contexte, prenant comme point de repère le processus décisoire tout au long de douze ans, on a analysé si le Conseil peut être considéré comme ´´une sphère publique forte´´ en termes théoriques et empiriques, s´il est délibératif, partiel ou tripartiel et s´íl maintient la capacité normative de formuler les politiques publiques d´une manière autonome, au moins, du point de vue formal. Dans cette façon, la question principale était la suivante : le Conseil était-il perméable à la présence et à la représentation des publics multiples dans le processus de la formation de politiques publiques ? On a employé comme base en premier lieu, la théorie de Nancy Fraser qui a réalisé une relecture de la conception de la sphère publique à Habermas, privilégiant une analyse des groupes socialement vulnerables. Il est également convenu d´étudier le fonctionnement du Conseil, l´existence ou inexistence d´autonomie dans son rapport avec l´Executif, vu qu´on a formulé le concept d´ambiguité institutionale à partir du cas en question et d´une revision de la littérature, comme un possible modèle explicatif du fonctionnement de la sphère publique au Brésil. / objetivo geral da pesquisa foi analisar a presença e/ou ausência de grupos sociais e instituições representativas que buscaram formular e/ou intervieram nas políticas públicas de trabalho que tratavam das mulheres, negros, pessoas com deficiência e trabalhadores com mais de 40 anos de idade (múltiplos públicos), no Conselho Deliberativo de Fundo de Amparo ao Trabalhador (CODEFAT). Estes públicos foram escolhidos por serem os mais vulneráveis ao ingresso no mercado de trabalho e poderiam se constituir como um dos principais focos na formulação de políticas públicas. O período analisado foi entre 1990 e 2002, compreendendo seu momento de formação até o término do segundo governo de Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Nesse contexto, analisamos, a partir do processo decisório ao longo de doze anos, se o Conselho pode ser compreendido como "esfera pública forte" em termos teóricos e empíricos, por ser deliberativo, ser paritário, tripartite e ter poder normativo para formular políticas públicas autonomamente, ao menos do ponto de vista formal. Assim, a principal questão foi perceber se o Conselho foi permeável à presença e representação dos múltiplos públicos no processo de formulação de políticas públicas, utilizando como base, especialmente, a teoria de Nancy Fraser, que realizou uma releitura da concepção de esfera pública em Habermas e privilegiou a análise de grupos socialmente vulneráveis. Coube também analisar o funcionamento do Conselho, captando a existência ou não de autonomia em relação ao Executivo, sendo que a partir do caso analisado e da revisão da literatura, apresentamos o conceito de "ambigüidade institucional" como uma proposta de modelo explicativo do funcionamento de esferas públicas no Brasil. / The general objective of this research was to analyze the presence and/or representative absence of social groups and institutions that tried to formulate and/or intervened in the public politics of work that dealt with women, black people, handicapped people and workers of 40 years old and over (multiple public), at the Deliberative Body of Fundo de Amparo do Trabalhador (CODEFAT) - Worker’s Supporting Fund. These groups were chosen for being the most vulnerable to enter the job market and could be considered as being the main focus in the shaping of public policy. The period under analysis was between 1990 and 2002, comprising the beginning until the end of Fernando Henrique Cardoso government. In this context, the decision-making spreading twelve years was analized, in addition to weather the council can be considered as "strong public sphere" in theoretical and empirical terms, as b eing deliberative, as be equal, tripartite and as having normative power when autonomously formulating public policy, at least in the formal point of view. Thus, the main question was to analyze weather the council was permeable to the presence and representation of the multiple publics in the process of formulation of public policy, using as a base, especially, the theory of Nancy Fraser, who carried through a new conception of public sphere in Habermas and privileged the socially vulnerable group analysis. It was also possible to analyze the functioning of the council, observing the existence or inexistence of autonomy in relation to the Executive, based in the case in hand and the revision of literature, we presented the concept of "institutional ambiguity", as a proposal for a clarifying model of the functioning of public spheres in Brazil.