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<p>This bachelor thesis examines the convergence properties of inflation rates of the Euro-pean Monetary Union (EMU) countries over the period 1992 to 2007. The period can be naturally split into two periods, according to the Maastricht Treaty and the introduction of the Euro. Since countries were striving to meet the Maastricht inflation criterion for 1997 we will analyse inflation behaviour of the pre-Euro period (1992 to 1997) and post-Euro period (1998 to 2007), in order to see whether each country’s inflation rates have con-verged to the calculated mean of the sample. To analyse the issue we used CPI inflation rate data from IMF Statistical Database over the period 1992 to 2007.</p><p>We study convergence by means of ADF unit-root tests, Engle-Granger cointegration tests and Johansen cointegration tests. These are complemented with descriptive statistics that measure dispersion of inflation rates within the EMU.</p><p>The conclusion to the research problem can be summaries as follows: Our analysis pre-sents clear evidence of reduction in inflation rate dispersion for the period 1992 to 1997, indicating that the Maastricht Treaty had a major impact on the convergence of inflation rates within the EMU for that period. However, we found that only two countries, Austria and Portugal, had a cointegration relationship with the average rate of inflation of the other countries in the sample. For the period 1998 to 2007, the descriptive statistics indicated that the introduction of the Euro resulted in a divergence of inflation rates within the EMU. Those results were further strengthened by the fact that no cointegration relation-ship was found for that period.</p>

The focus of this study was the development of an improved correlation that more accurately quantifies the relationships between optimum salinity, optimum solubilization ratios, chemical formulation variables such as surfactant and co-solvent structures, and the EACN. Entrained in this study are improved correlations for co-solvent partition coefficients and correlations for the optimum salinity and solubilization ratio with EACN. Several trends in the oil-water partition coefficient were observed with the alcohol type (IBA and phenol), the number of ethylene oxide groups in the co-solvent, the EACN of the oil, temperature, and salinity. New EACN measurements were made using optimized formulations containing various combinations of primary surfactants, co-surfactants, co-solvents and alkali. The new EACN measurements ranged from 11.3 to 21.1. These new data significantly expand the total number of reliable EACN values available to understand and correlate chemical EOR formulation results. An improved correlation that more accurately quantifies the relationship between surfactant structure, co-solvents, oil, temperature, and optimum salinity was developed using a new and much larger high quality formulation dataset now available from studies done in recent years in the Center for Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. The correlation is useful for understanding the now very large number of microemulsion phase behavior experiments as well as the uncertainties associated with these data, and for suggesting new chemical structures to develop and test. / text

This bachelor thesis examines the convergence properties of inflation rates of the Euro-pean Monetary Union (EMU) countries over the period 1992 to 2007. The period can be naturally split into two periods, according to the Maastricht Treaty and the introduction of the Euro. Since countries were striving to meet the Maastricht inflation criterion for 1997 we will analyse inflation behaviour of the pre-Euro period (1992 to 1997) and post-Euro period (1998 to 2007), in order to see whether each country’s inflation rates have con-verged to the calculated mean of the sample. To analyse the issue we used CPI inflation rate data from IMF Statistical Database over the period 1992 to 2007. We study convergence by means of ADF unit-root tests, Engle-Granger cointegration tests and Johansen cointegration tests. These are complemented with descriptive statistics that measure dispersion of inflation rates within the EMU. The conclusion to the research problem can be summaries as follows: Our analysis pre-sents clear evidence of reduction in inflation rate dispersion for the period 1992 to 1997, indicating that the Maastricht Treaty had a major impact on the convergence of inflation rates within the EMU for that period. However, we found that only two countries, Austria and Portugal, had a cointegration relationship with the average rate of inflation of the other countries in the sample. For the period 1998 to 2007, the descriptive statistics indicated that the introduction of the Euro resulted in a divergence of inflation rates within the EMU. Those results were further strengthened by the fact that no cointegration relation-ship was found for that period.

Regression models with correlated errors lead to nonadditivity of the information matrix. This makes the usual approach of design optimization (approximation with a continuous design, application of an equivalence theorem, numerical calculations by a gradient algorithm) impossible. A method is presented that allows the construction of a gradient algorithm by altering the information matrices through adding of supplementary noise. A heuristic is formulated to circumvent the nonconvexity problem and the method is applied to typical examples from the literature. (author's abstract) / Series: Forschungsberichte / Institut für Statistik

The study was done within the local government environment. It was conducted with the aim of assisting municipalities to achieve optimum levels of operational efficiency, following the realisation that all over the world there is an increasing need for organisations, including government organisations, to become efficient. One of the major challenges facing governments worldwide is the need for them to supply basic services to their populations, who are increasing at a disproportionate rate to the resources available to sustain and improve the quality of life of these people. Thus for government to overcome these challenges, it needs to utilise its available resources cautiously to be able to meet these escalating challenges effectively. Therefore, ten practices were presented in this study as key instruments capable of bringing about efficiency to the manner in which local government operates or delivers services. It was found during the literature review that when these practices are deployed, they will ensure the achievement of operational efficiency within the local sphere of government. The empirical study was conducted in Matjhabeng Local Municipality (MLM), located in the Northern region of the Free State Province. This local municipality came into existence on the 5th of December 2000 after the amalgamation of the former six transitional local councils into one financially viable and economically sustainable municipality. It incorporates the city of Welkom and the towns of Virginia, Odendaalsrus, Hennenman, Allanridge and Ventersburg, with an estimated population of more than 500 000 people. During the background review of the municipality, several challenges were encountered which included parts of the population without access to proper sanitation and electricity. However, in all the municipal challenges presented, it was argued that the solution can be found in the effective management of municipal input with relation to its output, which means that the municipality has the huge task of managing its scarce resources in an efficient manner to be able to deliver on its mandate and to meet the expectations of its residents. Furthermore, the study was conducted from a sample consisting of the four senior managers and twenty line managers from the four departments within the municipality. A representative sampling method was employed to ensure that all relevant aspects (such as race, gender and department), considered important for selecting a sample, are included and to also obtain global responses from respondents selected to participate in the study. Furthermore this sample was drawn from a population of nine senior managers and 35 line managers. The research was conducted with the expressed permission from the office of the accounting officer. Different impressions of the responses made by the participants from this municipality were obtained and then analysed. Overall, there was a negative response from the majority of the participants regarding most of the questions on the ten practices identified. Moreover, in terms of the devised model for measuring efficiency of the municipality based on three levels, the most desirable being Level 3, it was found that the municipality could be classified as a Level 1 organisation, which means that the municipality is at an elementary phase as far as achieving efficiency in its operations is concerned. Lastly, recommendations were made based on the findings of the empirical research conducted. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.