This article develops a novel methodological framework to investigate the exposure of eco- nomic systems to the risk of physical capital stranding. Combining Input-Output (IO) and network theory, we define measures to identify both the sectors likely to trigger relevant capital stranding cascades and those most exposed to capital stranding risk. We show how, in a sample of ten European countries, mining is among the sectors with the highest external asset strand- ing multipliers. The sectors most affected by capital stranding triggered by decarbonisation include electricity and gas; coke and refined petroleum products; basic metals; and transporta- tion. From these sectors, stranding would frequently cascade down to chemicals; metal products; motor vehicles water and waste services; wholesale and retail trade; and public administration. Finally, we provide an estimate for the lower-bound amount of assets at risk of transition-related stranding, which is in the range of 0.6-8.2% of the overall productive capital stock for our sample of countries, mainly concentrated in the electricity and gas sector, manufacturing, and mining. These results confirm the systemic relevance of transition-related risks on European societies. / Series: Ecological Economic Papers

This dissertation aims to provide evidence on the inter-relationship between per-capita income variation and worker effort indices through nutritional intakes or income to food expenditure ratio. Based on these worker effort indices, there are two data sets / 69 countries data for the year 1980, 1990 and 2000 and 17 regionalized Turkish provinces data for 1994 and 2003. One major contribution is the definition of human and physical capital interactions since accumulation of human capital (H) and physical capital (K) depends on each other within a given technology. This is called &ldquo / complementary interaction&rdquo / . Therefore, we emphasize K and H ratios are key factors in an economy rather than the absolute sizes. Another our main contribution to the literature is the data sources we employ. The 1980, 1990 and 2000 data are the first in the literature for 69 countries and more importantly, it is the first study for Turkish provincial level. While some studies are held for particular countries in terms of health proxy levels, there is no such study of any type pertaining to the Turkish economy. Our health proxies empirically play a very important role in our economic growth study. While health proxies make an important contribution in explaining income disparity approach, we do not see such effect on the convergence rate.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T21:00:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 andrekitaharaturma2004.pdf.jpg: 11588 bytes, checksum: cbc5e333573c742bd52864288a94667f (MD5) andrekitaharaturma2004.pdf: 562754 bytes, checksum: 6cc4c9638200f54cfb2ba073fa6c64d5 (MD5) andrekitaharaturma2004.pdf.txt: 58696 bytes, checksum: 5701a6ee0c061a04665a66a87e5f88d3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-06T00:00:00Z / O presente trabalho utiliza a teoria do crescimento econômico a fim de analisar a relação das taxas de investimento em capital fixo e a evolução da produtividade total dos fatores no Brasil a partir de 1950 ate 2005. A partir de pesquisas bibliográficas abordam-se os estudos de Romer, Arrow, Pires, Solow se apresenta conceitos como o "learning by doing", "spillovers" e decomposição da produtividade a fim de embasar teoricamente o estudo. As pesquisas apontam a importância da variável eficiência sobre a produtividade total dos fatores no caso brasileiro, principalmente durante os anos de incidência de inflação elevada. A metodologia aplicada no trabalho se utiliza dos dados coletados junto ao IPEAdata e Pen World Tables para formação bruta de capital fixo, produto interno bruto e dados populacionais para o cálculo da produtividade total dos fatores seguindo a metodologia proposta por Solow. Utilizam-se os dados calculados para se extrair uma relação matemática entre a produtividade total dos fatores e ao nível de estoque de capital físico. O estudo comprova a relação entre a produtividade e o investimento em capital físico, também fica demonstrada a grande importância da eficiência sobre a produtividade no caso brasileiro. / This work uses the theory of economic development to analyze the relation between capital investment and total factor productivity in the Brazilian economy from 1950 to 2005. Using bibliographic research are found studies of Romer, Arrow, Pires, Solow and present concepts like ìlearning by doingî, ìspilloversî and decomposition of productivity aiming to create some foundation to the study. The research point out the importance of the efficiency over total factor productivity in the Brazilian case, principally over the years of high inflation rates. The applied methodology uses data collected on the IPEAdata database to physical capital formation, gross domestic product, and demographic data to calculate the total factor productivity under Solowës method. The study uses data calculated to extract a mathematical relation between total factor productivity and the level of physical capital. The study shows that in Brazil this relation between investment and productivity do exists and shows also great relevance of efficiency over productivity in the Brazilian case.

With the decreasing importance of national borders and rise of regions as main actors in economic activity, regional disparities are one of the pressing issues faced by many governments. The objective of this thesis is to look at the case study of trends of Mexican regional disparities. The paper draws from the New Economic Geography, which stresses importance of human and physical capital for economic growth, and Porter's theory of clusters which finds the importance of export for regional development. The paper divides Mexico into three regions: the North; the Centre and the South and uses the SWOT analysis for evaluation of each region. The thesis finds that the North is the region with highest economic performance which is the result of its export-based manufacturing industry. It benefits from its closeness to the US, but it lacks technological research connected to its products, as that takes place in the US. The Centre has been also experiencing growth. Most of its economic activity is located around Mexico City but various clusters have been created in other areas as well. Lastly, the South is the poorest and most diverse region. Its economy is based on oil, tourism and agriculture and it consists of well-performing states as well as of states in viscous cycles of poverty. The paper offers a...

The overall purpose of this thesis is to investigate, discuss and problematise different aspects of movement ability. The four sub-studies of the thesis deal with various issues concerning assessment of movement ability. First, the focus is on how the concept of physical literacy has influenced the steering document of the subject physical education and health (PEH) in Sweden. The question is: What kind of tensions and conflicts arise when different approaches and interpretations of movement ability are used in an educational context? Second, a structural validation is conducted of the NyTid test, an assessment tool developed to assess basic and complex movement skills at the ages of 12-16 years. The question is: Which categories of movement skills are identified through the validation of the NyTid test? Third, the study examines how ‘ability’ is conceptualised, configured and produced in movement tests and movement assessment tools. Finally, an investigation of how or whether an assessed low or high movement ability at the age of 15 matters for developing an interest in, or taste for, sport and physical activities nine years later, in young adulthood. Movement ability is studied from different perspectives, including a multidisciplinary sport science approach using mixed methods. The theoretical standpoint in the sociocultural analyses is inspired by Bourdieu’s theories and concepts of habitus, capital, field and doxa, which are used as analytical tools. Different theories relating to the evaluation of movement abilities as product- or process oriented assessment are also made use of. Movement abilities tests and assessment tools are also found to construct a specific and narrow form of physical capital strongly related to traditional sports. Accordingly, the social construction of movement ability through assessment tools is far from neutral and could affect how children see themselves and their sense of ‘ability’. Furthermore, the assumption that an acquired high level of movement ability plays a central role for being physically active is challenged in the thesis. Even though pupils at the age of 15 had a low level of assessed movement ability, it did not prevent them from acquiring a taste for sport and physical activity later in life. However, more studies on movement ability and the underlining mechanisms and factors for engaging in physical activities are necessary. / Forskningslinjen Utbildning

La présente thèse analyse l’impact de l’inflation sur la croissance économique et ses différents déterminants. Dansun premier temps, notre étude s’intéresse à deux aspects de la relation entre l’inflation et la croissance économique.Ainsi, nous examinons tout d’abord la non-linéarité du lien entre l’inflation et la croissance économique et identifionsplusieurs seuils pour l'échantillon global ainsi que pour les différents sous-échantillons définis selon le niveau durevenu. Ensuite, nous procédons à l’identification de certaines caractéristiques macroéconomiques au niveau despays qui influencent cette non-linéarité. Nos résultats empiriques corroborent les deux éléments d’analyse précédentset montrent que la non-linéarité de la relation entre l'inflation et la croissance dépend de l’ouverture commerciale dupays, de son accumulation de capital et du niveau de ses dépenses publiques (chapitre 2). Puis, dans un secondtemps, nous nous intéressons à l’explication de la non-linéarité de la relation entre l’inflation et la croissance entestant l’effet Tobin de l’inflation sur le capital physique et sur l’effet de substitution entre le travail et l’éducationpour le capital humain. Nous montrons que l’impact positif des taux d’inflation modérés résulte de l’effet Tobin surle capital physique, tandis que la réduction de l'impact de l'accélération de l'inflation provient d’une meilleureaccumulation du capital humain. Nous confirmons tous ces effets et mettons en évidence le rôle du développementfinancier pour l'ensemble de ces mécanismes (chapitre 3). Enfin, nous abordons la question du manque de cohérenceentre la vision macroéconomique fondée sur la détermination d’un seuil optimal d'inflation et les préférences réellesdes banques centrales à travers le monde. Nous remarquons que les banques centrales utilisent des modèlesmicroéconomiques néo-keynésiens qui définissent le taux d'inflation optimal comme celui minimisant les dispersionsdans les marchés des produits et des facteurs de production. Nous testons alors l'effet de l'inflation sur la variabilitédes prix relatifs et de la croissance ; nos résultats montrent que seul un faible taux d’inflation positif réduit cesincertitudes et cela quel que soit le niveau de revenu du pays. Concernant les pays émergents de notre échantillon, lechoix du régime de politique monétaire affecte également cette variabilité (chapitre 4). / This thesis is concerned with the effects of inflation on output growth and on its determinants. In the first step, ourstudy analyzes two aspects of the inflation–growth relationship. First, it examines the nonlinearity of the relationshipbetween inflation and output growth and identifies several thresholds for the global sample and for various incomespecificsub-samples. Secondly, it identifies some country-based macroeconomic features that influence thisnonlinearity. Our empirical results substantiate both views and validate the fact that the inflation–growth nonlinearityis sensitive to a country’s trade openness capital accumulation, and government expenditures (chapter 2). After that,we explain this inflation–growth nonlinearity by testing a Tobin effect of inflation on physical capital and asubstitution effect – from work to education – for human capital. We find that the positive effects of moderateinflation rate are due to the Tobin effect on physical capital whereas a weak negative effect of high inflation ratestems from a better human capital accumulation. We identify a strong role of well developed financial systems in allthese mechanisms (chapter 3). Lastly, we address a lack of coherence between the macro based optimal inflationthresholds for output growth and the actual preferences of central banks around the world. We notice that centralbanks use micro based New-Keynesian models and their optimal inflation rate is the one that minimizes dispersionsin factors and product markets. We test the effect of inflation on relative price variability and output growthvariability and, for all income groups, the results support a slight positive inflation rate to minimize theseuncertainties. For our selected emerging economies, monetary policy regimes also affect these dispersions (chapter4).

Historical fencing represents an interesting leisure time activity that thousands of people in the Czech Republic devote, most of them joining historical fencing groups. There is a relatively strong hierarchy within a number of groups. The main goal of the thesis is to reveal mechanisms, by which the hierachies in the particular group are generated, maintained, how these hierarchies affect the behaviour of individuals and how an individual can move up and down in the group's hierarchy. The secondary goal of the thesis is to focus on the role of gender in relation to group hierarchies and how is gender done in a group. To get the data qualitative research methods of participant observation and semi-structured interviews are used. The thesis is supplemented by a photo documentation. Theoretical framework used in the research is mainly Bourdieu's capitals and the subculture capital. In addition the concept of authenticity became important during the research. Based on the data the most important capitals are objecitified and embodied subcultural capital, physical capital and social capital. For subcultural studies is very typical the engagement in the subculture, in this case subcultural engagement proved to be important mainly for the non-fighting members of the group. Within the group gender has not...

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The objective of this study was to develop an understanding of the effects of the construction of hydro dams on nearby communities. The construction of the 400 megawatt Bui dam (8o16I 42II N, 2o143I 9 I I W) in Ghana has inundated seven communities and nearly a quarter of Bui National Park, including the destruction of community resources that provide for the livelihood needs of the people living near the dam. The dam led to the resettlement of seven communities, coordinated by the Bui Power Authority. Concerns expressed about the resettlement process indicate some weakness in stakeholder consultations relating to the resettlement, as well as weakness in the development of opportunities to address the anticipated effects of the Bui dam, including effects on community assets. These issues were examined through a study of how the construction of Bui Dam was perceived by local communities representing several ethnic-linguistic groups, including the Ewe, Mo, and Nafana. A mixed methods approach was used in the research, including document analysis, quantitative interviews of 329 households, key informant interviews with 22 households, and case studies of four families, including two families each from resettled and non-resettled communities. Data was obtained from 13 nearby communities, 7 of which had been relocated because of the dam. The study considered examined how the Bui Dam was perceived to influence seven capital assets: cultural; natural; social; human; political; physical; and financial. Overall, people perceive these capital assets to be decreasing in most aspects as a result of the Bui Dam, with some variability among households. This variability was explored through analysis of a number of predictor variables: relocation, ethnicity, livelihood type, age, and gender. Villages not relocated tended to perceive effects less negatively, as did people of Nafana ethnicity, and those who rely mainly on a farming livelihood. Gender and age had little effect: gender mediated effects on some aspects of social and political capital, while age affected only some aspects of cultural capital. Further analysis through the use of multiple regression analysis was undertaken to determine the relative influence of each of these predictor variables. Overall, each multiple regression analysis was significant, with high R squared values ranging from 0.761 to 0.260. The most powerful predictor was whether communities had been relocated or not (“relocate”), which was significantly related to each capital asset, with beta values ranging from 0.826 to 0.418. “Livelihood” was the next most important predictor variable, significantly related to all capital assets and with beta values varying from 0.520 to 0.231. “Ethnicity” was a significant predictor for four of seven capital assets, with beta values ranging from 0.133 to 0.055. “Gender” was a significant predictor variable for two of seven capital assets (social capital, with a beta value of 0.084, and political capital, with a beta value of 0.119). “Age” was a significant variable for just one capital asset (cultural), with a beta value of 0.038. In summary, this study is consistent with other studies that have examined the effect of dams on the livelihoods of nearby communities in that for most households the consequences have been negative, although not as severe for those households that were not forced to relocate, people of Nafana ancestry, or people who rely mainly on farming. The presence of Bui National Park may have moderated these negative effects somewhat, through employment provided in the park; and through ecosystem services such as vegetative cover in the park supporting cloud formation and rain occurrence / Graduate / 0366 / 0534 / 0628 / jonesarthur2002@yahoo.co.uk