M. Tech. Business Administration / Provision of grants by financial institutions, government units and state owned agencies is of paramount importance in the development of entrepreneurs to the level of self-sustainability. Grants should be given on merit and also according to the needs of entrepreneurs; this can be established by means of feasibility studies done by entrepreneurs and effective funding models. Gert Sibande District is a municipality within the Mpumalanga Province which can be categorised as one of the areas that has previously disadvantaged individuals and most of the areas are rural, semi-rural and declared poverty pocket areas by the Provincial Government. This study was undertaken to analyse the impact of grants on the effective development of entrepreneurs and their sustainability in Gert Sibande District of Mpumalanga Province. The capability of the entrepreneurs and the roles of the support structures in addressing this problem were explored.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

China's phenomenal economic growth has coincided with a substantial increase in FDI inflows and hence led researchers, including the author, to believe that increased inflows of FDI into China has had important implications for the country's trade and economic development over the past decades. The objective of this thesis is to identify and investigate several key issues associated with inward FDI in the Chinese economy. These include the determinants of FDI inflows at the sectoral level, spillover effects of FDI on labour productivity and innovation, the causal linkage between FDI and China's bilateral trade with selected OECD countries, and the performance of foreign funded enterprises (FFEs) compared to the performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in China. This thesis adds to the existing research on the role that FDI has played in recent growth of the Chinese economy by applying new as well as established techniques to China's regional and sectoral data. In particular, it integrates descriptive and empirical analysis to extend existing studies in several ways. First, analyses in the empirical chapters of this thesis are undertaken using data at the regional and sectoral level. Second, this thesis uses panel data from official sources for all empirical examinations. Last, whereas most existing studies have ignored the importance of unit-root issues when using panel data, and therefore possibly producing unreliable results, this thesis employs unit-root tests for all panel data analyses. The key findings in this thesis can be summarized in four points. First, at the sectoral level, for China as a whole, foreign investors are influenced by labour productivity, wage costs and innovation activities but not by the level of state ownership. For Guangdong province, foreign investors are concerned with labour productivity and wages as well as state ownership at sectoral level. However, the level of innovation does not play an important role in influencing inflows of FDI into Guangdong province at sectoral level. Second, the thesis found that FDI generates spillover effects on labour productivity in China although no spillover effects on the level of innovation were detected. At the regional level, it was concluded that the coastal and western regions experience a greater amount of spillover effects from FDI than do the municipal cities. Furthermore, the western region is the only region that experiences greater spillover effects from FDI on innovation than the municipal cities. Also, the spillover effects of FDI appear to be no different prior to or post-1997 when the Asian financial crises occurred. Third, a co-integrating relationship exists between FDI and total trade, FDI and exports, and FDI and imports in China. The thesis further concluded that bidirectional causality between FDI and trade variables exists in China in the long-run. However, short-run causality runs only from FDI to trade. Fourth, the thesis further shows that FFEs in China are more efficient than SOEs. Over time it is observed that SOEs and FFEs in the municipal cities and the coastal regions experienced greater productivity gains than those in the central and western regions during the sample period. It is also concluded that both SOEs and FFEs in the municipal cities have experienced more productivity growth than those in other regions with SOEs in the central region and FFEs in the western region experiencing the least productivity growth.

This thesis examines the changing patterns of mortality in Scotland, with particular emphasis on whether there are widening mortality inequalities among small areas in Scotland. The annual number of deaths in Scotland has decreased steadily since the 1950s, yet mortality rates in Scotland are amongst the highest in Europe for many causes. Furthermore, mortality from some causes, such as suicide, has been increasing over time, particularly among young adults. Evidence suggests that inequalities in mortality have widened over time in Scotland, despite substantial investment in policies aimed at reducing inequalities. Therefore, it is important to seek geographical clues that might help explain what causes these high mortality rates. The changing patterns in Scottish mortality between 1980 and 2001 were examined for small areas, created by the author, known as Consistent Areas Through Time (CATTs). These areas have the same boundaries for each census, so that direct comparisons over time are possible. In this study, CATTs have been used to investigate three aspects of the mortality gap in Scotland. First, the widening mortality gaps between 1980-1982 and 1999-2001 are examined for the total population and for premature mortality (<65 years). Second, the influence that geographic scale and deprivation have on the relationship between population change and premature mortality are assessed. Third, suicide inequalities are examined for the younger (15-44 years), older (45+) and total population, using mortality ratios and statistical modelling. The research found that inequalities in premature mortality (< 65) have widened for all causes of death studied, particularly for suicide. The negative association between mortality and population change was affected by geographic scale, but this relationship could not be fully explained by deprivation. Small area analyses found that the Highlands and Islands had higher suicide rates than elsewhere in Scotland for males, but not females, when social variables were controlled for.

Orientador: Francisco Luiz Cazeiro Lopreato / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Economia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T14:58:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vieira_DaniloJorge_D.pdf: 2431411 bytes, checksum: 2d2419cd21154a04944edb4c21dd064a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: A tese examina a evolução das políticas estaduais de atração de investimentos no contexto de maiores restrições derivado do regime fiscal estabelecido no país após o Plano Real, de modo a verificar a dinâmica assumida pelas disputas subnacionais em torno de projetos privados de inversões produtivas nesse mencionado momento de redesenho e de fixação de novos parâmetros para a gestão das finanças públicas. Demonstra, com base no acompanhamento dos programas de quatro estados selecionados (RJ, PE, BA e PR), que a nova institucionalidade orçamentária emergente, cujos pilares foram definidos no bojo da renegociação da divida dos estados (Lei 9.496/1997) e consolidados pela Lei Complementar nº 101/2000 (a LRF), exigiu ajustes nas estratégias de fomento locais, que se tornaram paulatinamente mais agressivas, redundando, assim, na conformação de um quadro acirrado e persistente de guerra fiscal. A análise parte da ideia de que as iniciativas aplicadas por entes subnacionais visando impulsionar as bases produtivas de suas jurisdições não seriam concorrenciais por natureza, nem muito menos consistiriam em novas convenções propagadas nas últimas décadas, configurando um ambiente generalizado de disputas inter-regionais implosivas, suscitadas pela atual dominância de paradigmas "localistas" de extração liberal no campo teórico e prático do desenvolvimento. Interpelando essa visão hegemônica, o argumento elaborado foi no sentido de sustentar que as estratégias de fomento dessas subunidades político-territoriais são remotas e coexistiram, em relativa harmonia, com ações similares adotadas por outras instâncias inferiores e aquelas traçadas e executadas centralmente desde o nível nacional. Sob tal perspectiva, a guerra fiscal seria a expressão de um processo de degeneração das políticas subnacionais de desenvolvimento, que as tornaria gradualmente hostis, à medida que os parâmetros de subsidiamento sistêmicos e genéricos fossem atenuados a favor de práticas mais discriminatórias destinadas a prestar apoio diferenciado a projetos privados específicos, em decorrência de diversos fatores, entre os quais assume importância explicativa decisiva a fragilização do Estado, engendrando problemas de coordenação e de intervenção. No Brasil, as reformas liberais dos anos 1990 incitaram práticas de fomento produtivo crescentemente concorrenciais e agressivas. As mudanças liberalizantes inicialmente exacerbaram os problemas de coordenação, fazendo ressurgir a guerra fiscal entre os estados, que se lançaram, juntamente com muitos municípios, numa desenfreada corrida de incentivos a fim de influenciar as decisões privadas de alocação espacial de investimentos. A reestruturação das finanças estaduais alicerçada no refinanciamento condicionado das dívidas (Lei 9.496/1997), desdobrando na constituição de um regime fiscal rígido compromissado com a solvência financeira e orçamentária intertemporal (LRF), fixou novas bases contextuais para a implementação das políticas subnacionais de atração de investimentos. Os problemas de intervenção que vieram então a ser adicionados exigiram ajustes forçosos a fim de compatibilizar tais iniciativas às condições restritivas prevalecentes. As correções adaptativas fizeram com que as ações estaduais de fomento abrandassem seus elementos sistêmicos e genéricos, reforçando a dominância dos componentes seletivos. Assim, os ajustes ocasionados pelos problemas de intervenção acentuaram as características concorrenciais das estratégias de fomento dos estados e, somando-se aos problemas de coordenação pré-existentes, exasperaram e rotinizaram o tensionado quadro de guerra fiscal do país / Abstract: The thesis examines the evolution of sub-national policies of attraction of investments in the context of hard budget constraints derived from the fiscal regime established in the country after the Plano Real, to verify the dynamics assumed by disputes involving state governments around the projects of private investments in this mentioned moment of redesign and definition of new parameters for the management of public finances. The research shows, based on the observation of four programs selected states (Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, Bahia and Paraná), that the new institutionality budget emerging, whose pillars were built under the renegotiation of the debt of states (Law nº 9.496/1997) and consolidated by the Fiscal Responsibility Law, demanded adjustments in the local development strategies, which gradually became more aggressive, resulting thus in an panorama of fiscal competition aggressive and persistent. The analysis starts from the idea that the initiatives implemented by sub-national entities to stimulate the productive base of their jurisdictions would not be competitive by nature, or would consist new conventions propagated in recent decades, shaping a generalized and implosive situation of inter-regional disputes, caused by the current paradigm liberal "localist" dominant in the theory and practice of development. Questioning this hegemonic view, the argument developed was in the direction to sustain that the development strategies of these political-territorial subunits are remote and coexisted in relative harmony with other similar actions taken by entities of the same level and those drawn and implemented centrally from the national government. From this perspective, the fiscal competition would be the expression of a process of degeneration of sub-national development policies, which gradually would become hostile, while the parameters systemic and generic of economic aid were attenuated in favor of practices more discriminatory aimed at providing support differentiated to specific private projects, due to several factors, between which it assumes importance explicative decisive the fragility of the State, generating problems of coordination and problems of intervention. In Brazil, the liberal reforms of the 1990 years incited productive promotion practices increasingly competitive and aggressive. The liberalizing changes initially exacerbated the problems of coordination, making resurging the fiscal competition among states, which joined, together with many municipalities, in a wild race of incentives to influence private decisions spatial allocation of investment. The fiscal adjustment of the states based in the refinancing conditioned of the debts (Law nº 9.496/1997), unfolding in the constitution of a rigid fiscal regime tied with the financial and budgetary solvency permanent (LRF), has established new circumstantial basis for the implementation of the sub-national fomentation policies. The problems of intervention that came to be added demanded adjustments forcible to accommodate such initiatives in the restrictive conditions prevalent. These corrections has made the fomentation strategies of states eased his elements systemics and generics, reinforcing the domination of the selective components. Thus, the adjustment required by the problems of intervention resulted in the strengthening of characteristics competitive of the development strategies of states and, together with the problems of coordination pre-existing, exasperated and made enduring the scenario of fiscal competition / Doutorado / Desenvolvimento Economico, Espaço e Meio Ambiente / Doutor em Desenvolvimento Economico

In the past decades, exacerbating regional disparities in the European Union as well as the newly joined Eastern European states have led to a growing interest in examining the spatial embeddedness of development. Hungary, a small and very monocentric country, has experienced rapid growth in the region of its capital city and its surrounding, whereas formerly lagging regions continued to fall behind. This thesis examines growing regional disparities in Hungary in order to provide a more comprehensive overview of the phenomenon and synthesise a growing body of both Hungarian and international literature based on their relevance for Hungary. As regional disparities rarely form an explicit research subject, the first aim of this thesis was to establish a suitable method for a comprehensive national level analysis. Within a mixed methodological framework, three theoretical perspectives on regional development were selected to analyse and reveal structural disparities, which were set in contrast with GDP levels of regions. On the one hand, the method proved to be useful to establish a refined rank order of the regions based on their approximated level and speed of development. On the other hand, the three different perspectives revealed structural strength and weaknesses underlying general development level of regions. The results did confirm the multiple advantages of the most developed regions, as well as the complex disadvantage of the most backward regions. Based on this experience a further increase in disparity levels can be expected in Hungary. Regions between the two extremes showed more heterogeneous outcomes across the perspectives, revealing very different development path and structural problems behind the performance level of these regions. Taken together, these findings support the heightening need of decentralization in Hungary, in order to tackle growing regional disparities and establish policy responses at a regional level.

The goal of the thesis is to analyse the reasons for the low level of drawing of the EU structural funds in Slovakia and provide closer insight onto possibilities for change. Furthermore, it aims to examine structure of resource implementation in Slovakia from the perspective of operational programmes, amount of the funds allocated and objectives of convergence policy of the EU with the consequence to Slovak policy. Likewise the research is expected to provide statistics of drawing of the resources and its influence on Slovakia from a number of perspectives. Suggested changes may also moderate hitherto daunting impact on Slovak economy and regions. The paper is divided into three parts in which regional policy is evaluated and the main focus is on the development of regions.

British Columbia is characterized by a relatively hierarchical urban system. This study aims to identify areas of potential for the development of Polycentric Urban Regions (PURs) to provide a counterweight to the dominant urban core and to develop higher functions in peripheral areas to increase their long-term viability. Three methods are employed to assess the spatial-functional and political-institutional dimensions of organizing capacity for the development of PURs: spatial analysis to determine proximity between population centres by driving time and distance; Pareto analysis to measure the existing degree of polycentricity in regional districts; and a survey of regional planners to assess their knowledge, current planning activities and attitudes towards polycentricity. Eleven areas with potential for PUR development were identified, which each have unique spatial and political challenges and opportunities. In general, many areas have good spatial conditions, but differences in the role of the regional district as a planning coordinator will make a common approach to PUR development challenging. In future studies of these regions, it is recommended to focus on the outcomes of PUR development and the benefits that could be realized in each region according to more specific local conditions.

The European Union aims to reduce interregional disparities through its regional policy. This thesis deals with the effectiveness of EU regional policy and trends of regional disparities according to selected indicators. In the case study the impact of EU regional policy is observed in Ireland, the Czech republic and Bulgaria. Regional disparities are examined at NUTS 2 level. The Williamson curve is tested to explore the association between the level of economic development and level of disparities. In the comparative study the values of indicators are compared to the EU average. In the end, the thesis is focused on evaluation of EU regional policy efectiveness and seven recommendations are proposed to contribute to the improvement of EU regional policy so that goals of Europe 2020 Strategy are achieved.

This study investigates regional average hourly wage differences in the United States furniture industry. County level census data used to compare average wages in the South with average wages in the non-South showed a considerably lower wage structure in the South. Regression models suggest wage variation is strongly influenced by factors related to economic organization, and moderately influenced by labor market characteristics, urbanization, and product type; however, region provides the single best estimate of wages. Dividing the sample into South and non-South subsamples and constructing separate regression models increased the predictive power of the models in the non-South, but failed to predict wage rates in the South. / Master of Science