University of Macau / Faculty of Law

University of Macau / Faculty of Law

This thesis analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of various types of eco-labels, focusing primarily on differences between mandatory and voluntary eco-labeling programs. I argue that many of the problems with eco-labeling could be addressed by improving regulations. The current regulation of eco-labeling in the United States is discussed, especially the shortcomings of the FTC’s Green Guides. I recommend creating enforceable national legislation to regulate environmental claims that includes involvement of key stakeholders, a list of acceptable environmental claims, enforceable national definitions of environmental terms, an avenue for manufacturers and consumers to challenge environmental claims, consumer education, and periodic review and revision.

My dissertation consists of three essays on the Korean labor market. The first essay studies how the extensive provision of maternity leave and childcare leave in Korea affects the employment and wages of young women. This reform is expected to increase the labor supply and decrease the labor demand for young women. As a result, the mean wage of young women should fall. But the direction of the change in their employment probability is hard to infer because it depends on the relative magnitudes of the shifts of the labor supply and demand curves. A difference-in-difference-in-differences model having older women, older men, and young men simultaneously as the control group suggests that neither the employment nor the hourly wages of young women are affected. The second essay explores why married men have higher hourly earnings and employment propensity than otherwise comparable single men. In a fixed effects regression, which controls for the selection of more productive men into marriage, married men do not experience faster growth in earnings and employment rate before marriage. Rather, when marriage takes place, the earnings of married men start increasing relative to those of single men. Also, that South Korean men have a greater earnings growth after marriage than U.S. men is consistent with the national difference in the degree of specialization within married households. Married men are more likely to work than single men only for the first few years of marriage, and single men outperform married men afterwards. The final essay studies why gender differences in earnings and earnings growth exist among new Korean college graduates before women take time off of work for marriage and motherhood. I find that women do not face an initial earnings gap after graduating college compared to men who finished military service. The lower earnings that women receive can be entirely explained by the difference in age at graduation between men and women. However, women's earnings grow slower than those of men who finished military service. This is partly because a greater percentage of women graduate from colleges of education, which provide slower earnings growth than other types of colleges. Most of the gender difference in earnings growth remains unexplained. / text

This dissertation uses the latest development in consumer protection law in Vietnam (the adoption of the Consumer Protection Law of 2010 to regulate transactions between consumers and traders) to test key claims in competing legal transplantation theories. This research investigates comparative law debates about the legitimacy, usefulness and possibility of legal transplantation in law reform in developing and transitional countries. Alan Watson and his proponents believe strongly in the possibility of legal transplants, but fail to provide a clear and concrete methodology for producing effective and efficient laws. On the other hand, Robert Seidman and Ann Seidman openly reject the legitimacy of legal transplants, but offer a comprehensive methodology for effectively conducting law reform projects. They believe that, by following a problem-solving institutionalist legislative theory, legal drafters and law-makers in charge of law reform projects can easily produce effective and efficient laws. This dissertation argues that the nature of the reform of laws regulating consumer transactions in Vietnam is much more complex than Watson’s theory imagines. It also shows that, although the reception of foreign legal models is part of this law reform project, past legal transplants as well as the local law-making culture may filter or even inhibit the reception of foreign legal solutions. This research also reveals that current consumer law reform in Vietnam tends to follow the problem-solving approach, although it deviates somewhat from the legislative methodology proposed by the Seidmans. This dissertation attempts to clarify these deviations and explain the reasons for them. / Graduate

Data matching is the automated process permitting the comparison of significant amounts of personal data from two or more different databanks in order to produce new information. Its use by governments implicates many rights and freedoms, including the protection against unreasonable search and seizure under section 8 of the Canadian Charter. / In the author's opinion, a governmental data matching program will probably constitute a search or seizure under section 8 when a positive answer is given to two questions. First, is there a use or transfer of information which implicates constitutionally protected information? Generally, section 8 will only protect biographical personal information, as described in the Plant case. Second, one must determine if a reasonable expectation of privacy exists as to the purpose for which the information will be used. In other words, one must determine if the two governmental databanks are separate on the constitutional level. / However, a positive answer to both of theses questions does not mean that the matching program necessarily infringes section 8. It will not be considered unreasonable if it is authorised by law, if the law itself is reasonable, and if the execution of the program is reasonable. Presuming that the program is authorised by law, it is probable that a matching program aimed to detect individuals collecting illegally social benefits will not be considered unreasonable.

A COMPARATIVE APPROACH TO NATIONAL PROTECTION LAW (1940-1956) Erdemir, &Ouml / mer M.A, Department of History Supervisor: Prof.Dr. Se&ccedil / il Karal Akg&uuml / n December 2004, 130 pages This thesis introduces a comparative history of National Protection Law of 1940 and 1956. It analyzes the two applications of the law, first, by the Republican People&rsquo / s Party governments during World War II, and second, by the Democratic Party Government during the years between 1956 and 1960 in view of the general economic policies followed during both periods. It argues, in reference to the ideological struggle over Turkish economic development during the twentieth century, that the enactments and applications of the first and second National Protection Law address the authoritarian characteristics of both the Republican People&rsquo / s Party and the Democratic Party. It further argues, the enactment and application of National Protection Law by the Democratic Party government contradicted with the party&rsquo / s economic principles whereas the Republican governments had already been on the interventionist path that they inherited from the previous decade of etatism. In addition, the thesis reveals that the first National Protection Law was more widely applied than the second. In both cases, the application of National Protection Law failed to solve economic problems and aroused a public discontent which brought about political losses for its executors.

This thesis deals with the economic analysis of the costs of abandoned animals. It focuses on the costs of shelters in the South Bohemian Region. The work alludes to changes in legislation and innovations in it. The main objective of this work was to determine what costs are associated with caring for abandoned animals. Cost compa-rison of selected shelters regard to the structure and size of the city for which it was built shelter. Also take into account the number of dogs who have passed refuge, shelter locations in houses etc. Then a comparison was made on the basis of specific criteria and a summary of the results. The work was compiled based on information provided by the representatives of the shelters. The obtained data were then statistically evaluated in graphs and tables.

This study is a comparison of Swedish and Danish legislation on recycling of MSWI (Municipal Solid Waste Incineration) residues for construction purposes. The aim has been to look for differences and figure out whether these could be a reason for the minor use of MSWI ashes in Sweden compared to Denmark. To do this, text analysis has been performed on Swedish and Danish environmental legislation with focus on recycling of incineration ashes for constructions. In Denmark, use of incineration ashes was very common and large amounts were recycled during the 1980’s and 1990’s. The new legislation, more similar to the Swedish in terms of an increased need for assessments along with tightened limits for hazardous substances, has diminished the use. This shows that changes in Danish legislation towards the Swedish complicate the use of incineration ashes. Thereby the minor use of ashes from MSWI in Sweden could, at least partially, be explained by differences in Danish and Swedish legislation.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master’s Degree in Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / As a result of weaker bargaining power, consumers are often exploited or treated unfairly in the business arena. Whilst consumer abuse is a global problem, South African consumers are more vulnerable due to various socio-economic conditions that affect their ability to negotiate equally in the marketplace. Factors such as poverty and illiteracy contribute to consumer abuse and is perpetuated by the discrimination which was inherent in the apartheid era. Accordingly, the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (CPA) was promulgated to promote the respect for consumer rights, create awareness, enhance consumer protection and eliminate unfair and dishonest business practices which were prevalent at the time. This study aims to investigate the implications of consumer rights for service delivery within the retail sector. The main objective of this research was to explore the levels of awareness of consumer rights and to identify consumers’ expectations and perceptions of service delivery in relation to the CPA. The research design was quantitative in nature. A questionnaire was designed to assess the levels of awareness of rights and consumers’ expectations and perceptions of the service delivered by retailers, in relation to the service quality dimensions. Using convenience sampling, data was obtained from 337 respondents in the greater Durban area. Data was analysed using SPSS version 24.0 and interpreted using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the gap analysis revealed that the respondents’ perceptions of service quality was consistently lower than their expectations, in respect of several dimensions of service quality. These negative gaps indicate that the level of the delivered service had fallen below the respondents’ expectations of service quality amongst retailers. This implies that respondents’ were dissatisfied with business compliance with provisions of the CPA. Businesses are hence encouraged to take steps to ensure legal compliance, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction and attaining higher levels of service excellence. / M