This thesis argues that the explanation for underdevelopment should be sought primarily in the structural distortions of the domestic economy, the incoherence of national interests, as well as other internal political contradictions. By looking at the dynamics of Japan's relations with Nigeria between 1960 and 1985, it seeks to demonstrate how these factors militate not only against a beneficial interchange with a Northern economy, but against effective participation in the international economy. This constitutes a contrary diagnostic position to the literature which underpins the logic on which The Bretton Woods and Dependency Schools of thought are based. The thesis considers the following issues. First, it critically examines the role of the trading pattern, characterized by its vertical structure, along with trade policies, in the relationship between Nigeria and Japan. Secondly, it considers whether Japanese investments in Nigeria have contributed to the growth and development process in Nigeria. To that extent it considers whether they were merely part of a calculated trade objective; namely, the dominance of certain sectors of the Nigerian economy. The thesis also examines the role played by Nigerian domestic policies and its environment in determining the degree of reciprocity and interdependence. Finally, it seeks to assess the role played by Japanese aid and the degree of importance attached to Nigeria in particular and development issues in general in Japan's foreign policy. The thesis concludes that at the time of Nigeria's independence, the relationship was potentially one of interdependence and the explanation for any subsequent asymmetry needs to be sought in government's failure to mobilize national potential and in terms of the operation of the international market economy. At issue is not just the nature of a particular bilateral relationship but the management of North-South relations.

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This thesis studies the interaction between the environmental regulations/ agreements and international trade. I investigate and verify pollution haven hypothesis with panel regression with industries and country level data. The pollution haven hypothesis states that stringent environmental policies may drive the dirty industries to the countries with less stringent regulations. This paper verifies the pollution haven hypothesis from three aspects. Imports will increase for European Union Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS) members for dirty industries while exports decrease. Both the inward and outward foreign direct investments of dirty industries decrease for EU ETS countries. In the last chapter, I consider all types of multilateral environmental agreements and show that the presences of multilateral environmental agreements decrease countries total trade volume.

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Trade shows, a powerful tool to introduce and sell products and services, need to attract, hold, persuade and inform visitors. In trade shows, well-designed social spaces can facilitate active communications and interactions between exhibitors and visitors. Besides being amenities to retain visitors, social spaces can balance or re-stimulate visitors’ emotion. Based on the interdisciplinary exploration of urbanism, environmental psychology, and exhibition design, the practicum proposes a new strategy of organization for exhibition layout, structured by social spaces in various scales and levels. Case studies of existing trade shows identify the context and design factors in existing social spaces. The understanding of human behaviour and activities determines an appropriate configuration of social spaces. Systematic programming will delineate the context relating to the practicum topic. The final product is to find appropriate solutions and approachable settings to develop effective social spaces within a public trade show, improving the comprehensive quality of exhibitions.

This paper uses data acquired from five Baseball statistics websites from the 2006-2010 Major League Baseball seasons to test the effect of increasing information in the Trade Market. Specifically, to test how increasing information affects teams’ preferences in the Trade Market. Player age and service time were used as predictors of team preferences, and an interaction variable between team winning percentage and week of season was used as a predictor of increasing team information. This paper finds that—with significance—the effect of a team’s winning percentage in relation to week in the season a given trade takes place has a negative effect on an acquired player’s tenure and a positive effect on an acquired player’s age. This relationship is likely due to the fact that more successful clubs are looking for established veteran players who can provide immediate help to their Major League team. Conversely, poorly performing clubs are likely looking for younger players who will contribute to their Major League team in future seasons.

This thesis is concerned with the analysis of shipping cost in theory and in the practice of Saudi shipping companies. Previous studies on cost structures and cost functions have been surveyed. Factors which affect each cost element have been derived from the surveyed studies to be used in establishing the cost functions of Saudi vessels. The empirical part of the thesis covers many related topics. First, costing systems and cost reports in Saudi shipping companies have been evaluated. Second, cross sectional cost and operation data of vessel samples in Saudi Arabia have been analysed. The results of this analysis are cost structures and cost functions. Several statistical techniques have been used for the analyses of cost data in the empirical part of the thesis. On the basis of this investigation, the researcher has arrived at several propositions. The most important contribution of the thesis is that it presents to the management of Saudi shipping companies relevant information to establish policies for cost reduction.

This thesis looks at the problems of trade and exchange in the Middle Saxon period (AD 650- 850), using, as a case study, the imported pottery excavated in Ipswich over the past 20 years. Richard Hodges' study of the imported pottery from Hamwic was taken as the starting point, although his work deals almost exclusively with pottery from France. Much more of the Ipswich material originated in the Rhineland, and it is postulated that these two emporia were operating under different trade diasporas. The context of the trade in pottery and other imported goods is discussed with reference to anthropological research into long distance trade and exchange. The social position of the traders and who they were is discussed. Part II deals with the trading settlements themselves. The roles of the four major English emporia of Ipswich, Hamwic, London and York are examined, and their chronology, archaeological evidence and imported ceramics are considered. The relationship between the English emporia and their continental counterparts is discussed, and four of the major continental emporia are described. Part III describes the methodology used for analysing the ceramics, and gives detailed descriptions of the main types recovered at Ipswich. The macroscopic and thin-section analyses are described, and the problems of the various ceramic types, in particular the northern French Black wares and Tating ware, are discussed. The appendices give details of the thin-section analysis undertaken. In Part IV the implications of the sequence and origins of imported pottery are discussed for England in general, and for Ipswich and East Anglia in particular. The changing roles of the emporia within their societies are discussed The problems of coinage, gift-exchange and the development of markets and a monetary economy are examined in Chapter 7, looking at the problems of using ceramics as a means of understanding social and economic development.