Reduced-impact logging (RIL) was identified as a measure, complementary to other identified measures, which can contribute to Indonesia reducing emissions from forestry and forest degradation (REDD+). In this light, the research was aimed to investigate the economy-wide impact of implementing RIL on the economy, which was studied at the district level. For this purpose, an expert opinion survey method was integrated with Berau computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The expert opinion survey was utilised to: (i) generate information and confirm the impact of implementing RIL on logging costs, and (ii) obtain an estimate of the incentive required by logging companies to maintain the practice of RIL. Results of this approach provided input to the Berau CGE model. In addition, multiple ways of data gathering were employed to develop the dataset required for the general equilibrium analysis. Simulation results suggest that the economic impact of implementing RIL policy is negative but small on the Berau economy compared to a situation where the RIL is not implemented. Worker households (particularly agricultural worker households) are worse off and non-agricultural households are better off. Furthermore, providing compensation, which was simulated as a logging output- based subsidy, can improve the Berau economy, although to only a lesser degree. The RIL policy causes a significant negative impact on logging output which further leads to output reduction in forest-based and pulp & paper industries. The policy implementation, however, simulates production increase in other agricultural activities, notably in oil palm plantation. Furthermore, results simulations with the logging output-based subsidy suggest the magnitude of economic impacts is reduced from what would otherwise occur in the scenario of implementing RIL only (no subsidy is provided). The RIL policy also seems to result in ̳unexpected‘ emissions leakage indicated by increases in output of some agricultural-based activities such as oil palm plantation, other estate crops, and food crops. Increase in emissions is also expected to occur outside the Berau District stimulated by the increase in the District‘s import of timber.

O objetivo geral da presente pesquisa consiste em averiguar a percepção dos usuários externos dos relatórios anuais das empresas quanto à qualidade das informações sociais e ambientais neles contidas. As principais justificativas para a realização do estudo são: (i) os relatórios anuais das empresas são considerados importante meio de evidenciação; (ii) o número de empresas que divulgam informações socioambientais tem aumentado consideravelmente; (iii) o mercado de capitais é considerado importante usuário da informação contábil e foco de muitos estudos, mas não o único; por isso, se fazem necessários estudos que possam averiguar a qualidade da informação para os demais usuários. A pesquisa, de caráter descritivo, foi conduzida por uma survey, utilizando questionários como instrumento de coleta de dados. Os questionários foram hospedados no site do Formsite.com. Considerou-se a amostra por acessibilidade, composta de 169 representantes de empresas de capital aberto, 438 analistas credenciados na CVM e 220 acadêmicos, representados por professores de programas de pós-graduação em ciências contábeis recomendados pela CAPES. Foram obtidas 211 respostas válidas, representando um índice de resposta de aproximadamente 30%. Antes da análise dos dados, foi averiguada a confiabilidade do instrumento e o efeito da não resposta. O teste de confiabilidade demonstrou satisfatória a consistência interna do instrumento. O teste da não resposta apontou a não rejeição da hipótese de que não existe diferença significativa entre os respondentes pontuais e retardatários. Após os testes de consistência e não resposta, realizou-se, inicialmente, a análise descritiva dos dados, que consistiu na organização, sumarização, descrição da amostra, evidenciada por meio de tabelas e gráficos. Na segunda parte da análise, foram realizados testes de significância, com a finalidade de explorar relações de semelhanças/dessemelhanças entre os grupos estudados, por meio do teste paramétrico ANOVA e dos testes não paramétricos Qui Quadrado, Teste Exato de Fischer e Teste de Mann-Whitney. As análises demonstraram que os usuários consideram úteis tanto as informações sociais e ambientais, quanto a DVA. No entanto, usuários que não reconhecem a utilidade dessas informações não as utilizam, especialmente, analistas. Os respondentes concordam que as informações sociais e/ou ambientais divulgadas nos relatórios anuais das empresas têm por finalidade atender a acionistas, administradores, credores, empregados, governo, investidores institucionais e, notadamente, à sociedade. Os usuários consideram a preocupação com a imagem da empresa o principal motivo, dentre os sugeridos, para a evidenciação de informações sociais e/ou ambientais e entendem que, como consequência da referida evidenciação, as empresas passam a utilizar o relatório anual como meio de promoção. Os usuários são favoráveis a normas que exijam a evidenciação de informações de caráter social e ambiental e preferem que essas sejam evidenciadas, no relatório anual, em uma seção separada. Os usuários entendem que a DVA tem por fim demonstrar a contribuição da empresa para a riqueza nacional, a contribuição da empresa para a sociedade e a carga tributária. Os analistas demonstraram ser menos satisfeitos com as características qualitativas das informações. Os resultados apontam que a percepção dos usuários, quanto às informações sociais e/ou ambientais, bem como em relação à DVA, é divergente. Adicionalmente, analisou-se, por meio da Regressão Logística, a existência de relação entre o uso das informações sociais e/ou ambientais, inclusive a DVA, para tomada de decisões e a qualidade dessas informações, sob a perspectiva dos usuários. Os resultados apresentados pelas regressões logísticas não suportam que as características qualitativas sejam atributos que tornem as informações sociais e/ou ambientais, incluindo a DVA, úteis aos usuários. Os resultados apresentados não são, portanto, coerentes com a teoria. / This research has as propose to investigate the perception of external users of company annual reports about the quality of social and environmental information. The main reasons for conducting the study are: (i) the companies\' annual reports are considered important means of disclosure, (ii) the number of companies that disclose environmental information has increased considerably, (iii) the capital market is considered important user of accounting information and focus of many studies, but not the sole, so that investigations are necessary to ascertain the quality of information for other users. A survey was conducted by using questionnaires as a tool for data collection. The questionnaires were staying at the site Formsite.com. We considered the accessibility of sample composed of 169 representatives from public companies, 438 analysts registered in CVM and 220 academics, represented by teachers in graduate programs in accounting recommended by CAPES. We obtained 211 valid responses, representing a response rate of approximately 30%. Before data analysis, was determined the reliability of the instrument and the effect of non-response. Reliability testing demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency. The test of no response indicated the nonrejection of the hypothesis that there is no significant difference between punctual and late respondents. After the tests of consistency and non-response, there was initially a descriptive analysis of data, which consisted in the organization, summarization, description of the sample, as evidenced by tables and graphs. In the second part of the analysis, significance tests were performed, aiming to explore relationships of similarities/dissimilarities between groups through parametric test ANOVA and nonparametric tests Chi-Square, Fisher\'s exact test and Mann- Whitney. Analysis showed that users find useful both social and environmental information, as DVA. However, users who do not recognize the usefulness of this information does not use them, especially analysts. The respondents agree that social and/or environmental information disclosed in company annual reports are designed to attend shareholders, managers, creditors, employees, government, institutional investors and, especially, to society. Users consider the concern with corporate image the main reason, among those suggested for the disclosure of social and/or environmental information and understand that as a consequence of that disclosure, the companies started to use the annual report as a means of promotion. The users are in favor of regulations requiring disclosure of social and environmental information and prefer that these be shown in the annual report in a separate section. Users understand that DVA is intended to demonstrate the company\'s contribution to national wealth, the company\'s contribution to society and the tax burden. Analysts have been shown to be less satisfied with the qualitative characteristics of information. The results indicate that user´s perspective, about the social and/or environmental information, as well as about DVA, is divergent. Additionally, we analyzed, by logistic regression, the existence of a relationship between the use of social and/or environmental information, including DVA, for decision making and the quality of the information from the user´s perspective. The results presented by logistic regressions do not support that the qualitative features are attributes that make the social and/or environmental information, including DVA, useful to users. The results presented are not consistent with the theory.

Este trabalho analisa a estrutura socioeconômica da produção de etanol no Brasil tendo como enfoque o uso de fatores primários de produção terra, capital e trabalho e as relações entre este setor e as demais atividades da economia. Para tanto, utilizou informações do Sistema de Contas Nacionais SCN, publicado pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística IBGE, para estimar uma matriz insumoproduto para o ano 2004. Esta matriz foi desagregada em 142 contas com destaque para a desagregação do setor sucroalcooleiro em quatro atividades: dois tipos de canade- açúcar (de alta e baixa produtividade relativa), etanol e açúcar. Além disso, desagregou-se o fator primário de produção trabalho em dez categorias salariais e o consumo das famílias em 10 categorias de renda. Tal desagregação utilizou os microdados da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios PNAD e da Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares - POF, ambas também publicadas pelo IBGE. Posteriormente, foi estimada uma matriz de contabilidade social e calculado seus multiplicadores contábeis em sua forma decomposta em efeitos transferência (transfer), intergrupos (open-loop) e extragrupo (closed-loop). A análise desses multiplicadores mostrou que choques exógenos de demanda no setor sucroalcooleiro provoca impactos relevantes sobre o próprio setor e sobre a indústria química, farmacêutica, de cosméticos, de alimentos e dos refinados de petróleo, mostrando que este setor tem uma cadeia produtiva relativamente pouco extensa. Porém, este setor tem importância estratégica no que tange a política de empregos uma vez que utiliza grande número de trabalhadores de baixa qualificação e de pequenos produtores rurais. Este trabalho constata, ainda, que a incorporação de tecnologia à cultura da cana-de-açúcar, além de torná-la mais produtiva, a torna mais rentável; que a intensidade de criação de emprego é maior na produção de cana-de-açúcar de menor produtividade; e, que a produção de etanol tem efeito multiplicativo relativamente intenso para capital, de forma que pode trazer boas remunerações aos investidores neste setor. Uma simulação foi realizada considerando dois cenários: aumento de produção de etanol em 204,55% e aumento de consumo das famílias e exportações em 166,15% e 412,5%, respectivamente, respeitando as projeções de agentes do setor. Estas simulações confirmaram a análise obtida por meio dos multiplicadores da matriz de contabilidade social e mostraram, finalmente, a importância dos efeitos intergrupo e extragrupo na economia, dado que o resultado obtido pela exogeinização da consumo das famílias foi menor que o esperado. / This work analyses the social and economical structure of ethanol production in Brazil focusing the primary production factors use land, capital and labor and the relationship among this sector and other economic activities. It is used national accounting system information, published by Brazilian Geography and Statistic Institute (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística IBGE), to estimate an input-output matrix to year of 2004. This matrix has been disaggregated in 142 accounts with highlight for sugarcane industry disaggregation in four economic activities: two kind of sugarcane (one with high productivity and another with low productivity), ethanol and sugar. Besides that, the primary production factor Labor has been disaggregated in ten wage categories and the household consumption, also, in ten outcome categories. Such disaggregation has used the micro-data of National Household Sample Research (Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios PNAD) and Household Budget Research (Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares POF), both also published by IBGE. After that, a Social Accounting Matrix and its decompounded accounting multipliers have been estimated. The multipliers analysis shows exogenous shocks in sugarcane industry demand cause relevant impacts on own sector and on chemical, medicines, cosmetics, food and oil by products industries, showing that such industry has a production chain relatively small. But, this sector has strategic importance on employment policy because use a high number of employees with low qualification level and small farmers. This work checked that an increasing in technology use in sugarcane growing, besides that became them more productive, become them more profitable. However, the intensity of job creation is higher in low productivity sugarcane production. The ethanol production has multiplicative effect relatively intensive to capital and, hence, it can bring good remunerations for investors. A simulation has been realized considering two scenarios: increasing in ethanol production in 204,55% and an increasing of household consumptions and exports in 166,15% and 412,5%, respectively, considering some sector agents expectations. Such simulation confirmed the analyses obtained through social accounting matrix multipliers and shows, finally, the open-loop and closed-loop effects importance in accordance with the household consumptions exogenation results lower than expected.

In many low-income and 'fragile' states, citizens' committees are elected to co-manage basic social services. However, the effects of such committees on service delivery, and the way they are influenced by local contexts, remain understudied. This thesis seeks to fill these gaps by examining the case of the health facility committees in Burundi and South Kivu between 2011 and 2014. It relies on original health facility and committee surveys, household surveys, nested interviews and focus groups, and interviews with key informants. The thesis firstly explores how the committees came about. It then looks at the questions, What makes them get involved in decisions at their health facility? and, How do measures designed to improve committee functioning lead to changes in service delivery, if at all? Mixed-methods work finds that chief nurses largely dominate the health facilities, and the committees appear to be both the product of recent political and administrative changes and a façade of community governance. The work's randomised controlled trial tests the idea that this inefficiency arises from an 'institutional knowledge gap': the committee members and nurses do not know the committee's (official) functioning. An information session has strengthened the committees and led to changes in health facility management in South Kivu, but not in Burundi. This difference seems to come from dissimilar management structures and people's relationships to service providers. The intervention has had no effect on service provision. The remaining chapters report on additional interventions in Burundi, which theory and qualitative research suggest might improve the effects of the knowledge intervention: trust-building between nurses and committee, information about health facility performance, and increased interaction between local leaders and committees. These are either ineffective or have unintended consequences. Overall, the thesis nuances the promises of social accountability mechanisms and stresses the importance of power relationships within basic social services.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Economics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Företagsledningar ägnar en stor del av sin tid åt att hantera strategiska frågor av delvis annan art än de klassiska affärsstrategiska områdena som marknadspositionering och produktutveckling. Visavi intressenter som ägare, regering, massmedia och fackklubbar utformar de strategier för att säkra resursflöden och legitimitet. Att hantera en dylik koalition av en mängd intressenter med olika och ofta konflikterande förväntningar på företaget är en svår uppgift. Lätt uppstår rollkonflikter och legitimitetskriser som hotar företagets existens om felaktig eller ingen strategi sätts in. Denna studie fokuseras på två huvudfrågor. Den första är hur formering och förändring av dylika intressentstrategier sker. Den andra frågan är om en interaktiv planering är ett kraftfullt verktyg för företag att utveckla framgångsrike intressentstrategier. För att söka besvara dessa frågor valdes en klinisk forskningsansats. Tre fältexperiment genomfördes i ett par svenska företag med en unik möjlighet att följa de relativt dramatiska strategiska förloppen i respektive företag. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk.

Στην μελέτη αυτή εξετάζονται μία σειρά από συναφή ζητήματα τα οποία συνδέονται άρρηκτα μεταξύ τους: Α) Πως μετριούνται οι κοινωνικές επιδόσεις των εταιρειών; Β) Ποιες συνέπειες μπορεί να έχει μία καλή κοινωνικώς απόδοση; Γ) Ποιες σχέσεις τεκμηριώνονται εμπειρικώς ανάμεσα στην απόδοση σε κοινωνικούς όρους και στην απόδοση σε οικονομικούς όρους. Δ) Είναι εφικτό ένα κοινωνικό συμβόλαιο μεταξύ επιχειρήσεων και κοινωνίας; Ποια μορφή μπορεί αυτό να πάρει; Ε) Τι ρόλους καλείται να παίξει και πως η Κοινωνική Λογιστική των Εταιρειών; Ποια επιμέρους είδη Κοινωνικής Λογιστικής έχουν αναπτυχθεί και ποιες σκοπιμότητες-χρησιμότητες υπηρετούν; ΣΤ) Τι εννοείτε ως ηθική συμπεριφορά στον Τραπεζικό τομέα; Ζ) Case-Study: «Η Alpha Bank» / In this study i examine, throw desk research, a series of related issuew which are closely connected: A) How the Corporate Social Performance is measured? B) What consequences can have a socially good performance? C) Which relationships are empirically documented between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance? D) Is it feasible a social Contract between corporation and society? E) Which roles has been called the Micro-Social Accounting to play? What kinds of Micro-Social Accounting have been developed and which scope does each serve? F) What do we mean as ethical behaviour in banking sector? G) Case-Study: “Alpha Credit Bank”

Society's strategy for achieving well being is incompatible with long term global development. The consequences of economic growth and expansion are manifested in severe ecological and social crisis. Structural changes are needed throughout society's institutions to shift the dominant concept and pursuit of progress toward a concept of progress that is based on the development of balanced social, ecological and economic well being. This involves changing roles, responsibilities and accountability of many global institutions and organizations including government, corporations and civil society. Reviews of both dominant theory's (classical theory) and current corporate-led practices' perceptions about corporate social responsibility and accountability elucidate their limitations to motivate or support structural changes, thus prompting the need to explore alternative theories and practices for structural change. Social institution theories and structural change theories are examined as alternatives, as well as alternative practices that build corporate social responsibility. The main objective of the thesis is to explore social accounting as tool for corporations and other organizations to build social responsibility and accountability in society. This objective is explored by studying and analyzing the current practices and theoretical perspectives on social accounting and auditing. Social accounting and auditing principles are applied and further examined by developing a multiple bottom line framework for VanCity Credit Union's Alternative Lending Program. Social accounting and auditing has limited applicability to large corporations since their profit motive prevents their transparency and accountability. The contribution of social accounting and auditing in society is to increase the accountability of some organizations: it allows some corporations with unique social goals to substantiate their claims for social responsibility. Social accounting and auditing is also key in assessing the performance of organizations in the social economy since their social contributions to society are undermined by mainstream bottom line assessment. The role of civil society in advancing social accounting practices is essential. It is concluded that social accounting and auditing should be developed in conjuntion with practices that resist negative outcomes of the growing global economy, as well as in co-ordination with local strategies that strive to develop an economy focused on meeting local needs.

South Africa's North West Province is dependent on gold and platinum exports for its economic growth and employment. Whether this specialisation is optimal from an economic growth, employment creation and welfare point of view, or whether greater export diversification should be encouraged, can most appropriately be evaluated using a general equilibrium framework. Moreover, the answer of whether such specialisation or rather diversification is appropriate may differ depending on the spatial level of analysis that is taken. For instance, export diversification or specialisation on a national level might differ from export diversification or specialisation on sub-national (e.g. provincial) level. A general equilibrium framework is most appropriate for investigating the potential differences between these levels as it takes into consideration a region's economic structure, and the economy-wide linkages between demand, supply, production structure and income distribution. In this light this thesis proposes a regional applied general equilibrium (RAGE) model for the North West Province to address these issues. The question asked is, how can a RAGE model be formulated and implemented for the North West Province of South Africa in order to study the differential impacts of greater export specialisation versus greater export diversification? In answering this question this thesis provides policy makers at regional/provincial level with access to a potentially useful modelling tool, to analyse regional economic issues; it contributes to better understanding the spatial concentration and spatial dynamics of economic activity in the North West Province; and contributes toward the practical policy debate in South Africa. This thesis reviews the literature on export diversification and specialisation, by investigating the extent of export diversification and specialisation in the North West Province over the period 1995-2006 and its relationship to GDP per capita, and using a RAGE model to investigate the economy-wide impacts of greater export diversification versus greater export speciaRsation. These results are contrasted by investigating the economy-wide impacts of greater export diversification versus greater export specialisation on the national level, using a country-wide applied general equilibrium (AGE) model for South Africa. It is found that greater export diversification results in a more substantial increase in exports (of between 0.95 and 1.73 per cent) than in the case of greater export specialisation. In fact it was found that if the North West Province were to specialise in mining exports, such exports would need to grow or increase from the base year by approximately 78 per cent (with no increase in the export demand for other sectors) to result in the same level of growth of total export volumes as is found under export diversification. Avenues for further research are identified. These are a need for more research on elasticities and parameters at regional level, an expansion of the transport services sector in the model, incorporating Tourism Satellite Accounts, BEE and SMME aspects into the model, etc. In conclusion, the thesis implemented the first provincial regional applied general equilibrium model for South Africa, and illustrated that it can make an important contribution to the policy debate on a provincial level in South Africa. The construction of Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs) for all of South Africa's provinces, and the maintenance of these provincial databases could therefore make further contributions to the quantitative assessment of policy options facing government on both the national and provincial level. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Economics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

This research study focuses on providing evidence that indicates that, making use of contemporary green building practices within a low cost subsidised housing project have more social, economical as well as environmental benefits than that of a conventional, non-green approach. Low cost subsidised housing units have become an everyday sight in the light of the global as well as the local economy. The increasing levels of unemployment and subsequent social problems lead to growing needs for this form of housing. As these projects consume a number of resources, steps need be taken to lighten the load – such as the carbon emissions - that is put on the environment. According to the United Nations, the key areas that are influenced by sustainability are environmental, economical as well as social. In South Africa, a number of government as well as local policies exist that regulates the planning and building practices of the low cost subsidised housing projects. These policies have been used as a foundation for this study. This study focuses on the Lufhereng project as a case study, and technology used in the Kuyasa as well as Cosmo City developments furthermore assisted in the groundwork for the comparison between the different construction approaches. The challenges facing the utilisation of a contemporary green building approach were researched, identified, discussed and recommendations were made. SAM (social accounting matrix) multiplier analysis on the Gauteng SAM obtained from the DBSA (Development Bank of South Africa), analysis and comparison of existing data as well as a qualitative questionnaire that was sent to industry stakeholders were utilised to obtain relevant information. The quantitative as well as qualitative data obtained from the primary as well as secondary research indicated that there are a number of aspects which has an influence on method of construction used in subsidised low cost housing units. The findings from literature as well as empirical research were analysed and discussed accordingly. Recommendations and suggestions regarding strategies that may be followed to increase the use of contemporary green approaches in these projects were made. These recommendations were based on the findings from literature as well as the research conducted for this study. The use of contemporary green approaches are vital for the social, economic as well as environmental sustainability of the country, and thus, ultimately of the world as a whole. It is, in this light, imperative that everything in our power should be done to preserve our resources by any means possible. / PhD (Urban and Regional Planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013