The goal of the master thesis titled "Trade openness and income inequality in Eastern Europe" is to analyze the effects on income inequality changes in the population in the period of transformation from centrally planned economies to market economies in the last decade of the twentieth century. The first part of the thesis focuses on the development before the individual countries started to join the European Union. The subsequent liberalization in the early 21st century is evaluated in the second part of the thesis. The multiple regression analysis is used to estimate the effects. The data were provided by the World Bank for the period of from 1989 to 2014. The objective of the thesis is to enlighten the factors which are influencing the changes in income inequality.

O principal objetivo deste trabalho é entender como coalizões de países em desenvolvimento são bem-sucedidas nas negociações do GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) e da Organização Mundial de Comércio (OMC). Normalmente, sustenta-se que coalizões temáticas são mais bem-sucedidas do que grupos abrangentes (Higgot e Cooper, 1990; Cooper, Higgot e Nossal, 1990); e que coalizões com maiores recursos de poder são mais bem-sucedidas do que grupos fracos (Narlikar, 2003). Como hipótese alternativa, sugerimos que quanto maior for o grau de abertura comercial da coalizão - ((exportações+importações)/PIB) - maior será a chance de elas serem bemsucedidas nas negociações do GATT/OMC. Utilizaremos uma abordagem multimétodos (qualitativa e quantitativa) para realizar nossa pesquisa. Analisaremos um número (N) médio (entre 28 a 39 casos) de coalizões internacionais para descobrir quais as principais causas dos sucessos e fracassos destes grupos de países. Codificaremos a variável dependente (sucesso versus fracasso) conforme as descrições de casos particulares conduzidos por pesquisadores independentes. A variável independente categórica (coalizões temáticas versus abrangentes) será mensurada segundo procedimento semelhante. Por fim, o PIB agregado das coalizões (nossa medida de poder) e a abertura comercial agregada e abertura comercial média das coalizões (nossas medidas de abertura comercial) foram coletadas na base de dados Penn World Table 6.2. Os trabalhos que conhecemos sobre o tema utilizam a abordagem qualitativa de maneira pura, especialmente estudos de casso. Assim, até onde sabemos, este trabalho realizará a primeira análise estatística sobre o tema. / The main goal of this study is to understand how developing country coalitions obtain benefits in the GATT/WTO negotiations. Usually it is argued that issue-based coalitions are more successful than broad-based groups (Higgot and Cooper, 1990; Cooper, Higgot and Nossal, 1990), and that powerful coalitions are more successful than weaker ones (Narlikar, 2003). Alternatively, we suggest that the greater the degree of trade openness - ((exports+imports)/GDP) - the greater the chance that they will succeed in the GATT/WTO negotiations. We use a mix-method approach (qualitative and quantitative) to conduct our research. We will analyze a medium-N (from 28 to 39) cases of international coalitions to find out the main causes of coalitions\' successes and failures. We will code our dependent variable (success versus failure) according to cases studies conducted by independent researchers. Our categorical independent variable (issue-based versus broad-based coalitions) will be measured adopting the same procedure. Finally, aggregate GDP - our measure of power -, aggregate trade openness and mean aggregate trade openness of the coalitions - our measures of trade openness - were collected in the Penn World Table 6.2. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first statistical analysis on the subject.

Employing Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), this dissertation aims to explore the principal influential factors of economic growth from external and internal perspectives. After extensive analysis and previous research, trade openness is the external factor considered, while financial markets and institutions are the internal ones. Based on the dataset of four typical fast-growing emerging economies-- China, India, South Africa and Russian Federation, this study found that there is a significant long-term equilibrium among GDP growth, trade openness, financial markets and institutions in China, and bidirectional causality can be observed between trade openness and GDP growth. Regarding the remaining economies, there are two sets of long-term relationships among these variables, where internal factors concerning financial development are more crucial in these countries, which also significantly affect the trade volumes in the long run. Results from this research indicate that the dominant growth-enhancing factors are closely related with a country's policy, history, and the most importantly, the focus of its development strategy.

In our thesis we seek the answer to if trade openness has an effect on income gaps within countries. Since different trade flows can have different effects based on who the trading partners are, we disaggregate the trade flows based on these criteria. Using a dynamic two-ways fixed-effects model (LSDV) based on unbalanced panel data we follow 160 countries (of which 155 contribute to the variance since they have more than one observation) over the time-period 1970-2019 and a gini-coefficient that measures disponible household income. Furthermore, we also include a measurement of absolute poverty, measured as the share of the population living on less than 3,2 USD a day, where we have data for 130 countries (of which 111 with more than one observation, and the earliest observation is 1974). We divide our sample in low-, middle- and high-income countries and control for the effects on the gini-coefficient and absolute poverty stemming from both exports as well as imports. Our results indicate that when low-income countries exports to other low-income countries it decreases the income gaps within the exporting country. Low-income countries trade flows with middle- and high-income countries however seem to have a positive relationship with their income gaps, which we argue provides support for skill-enhancing trade (SET) and skill-biased technological change (SBTC). For high- and middle-income countries we don’t find any support for a relationship between income gaps and trade openness. Regarding absolute poverty we mostly see significant results for high-income countries, where export to other high-income countries decreases poverty while import from other high-income countries increases poverty. / I vår uppsats söker vi svar på om handelsöppenhet har en påverkan på inkomstklyftor inom länder. Då olika handelsflöden kan ha olika påverkan disaggregerar vi även handelsflödena med hänsyn till ursprungsland och handelspartner. Med hjälp av en dynamisk two-ways fixed effects modell (LSDV) baserad på obalanserad paneldata följer vi 160 länder (varav 155 bidrar till variansen då de har mer än en observation) över tidsperioden 1970-2019 och en gini-koefficient som mäter disponibel hushållsinkomst. Utöver detta inkluderar vi även ett mått på absolut fattigdom, mätt som andel av befolkningen som lever på mindre än 3,2 USD om dagen där vi har data för 130 länder (varav 111 med mer än en observation). Vi delar upp vårt sampel i låg-, medel- och höginkomstländer och kontrollerar för både exportens och importens påverkan på gini-koefficienten och absolut fattigdom. Våra resultat indikerar att när låginkomstländer exporterar till andra låginkomstländer minskar inkomstklyftorna i det exporterande landet. Låginkomstländers handelsflöden med medel- och höginkomstländer har däremot ett positivt samband med deras inkomstklyftor, något vi argumenterar för antyder ett stöd för skill-enhancing trade (SET) och skill-biased technological change (SBTC). För medel- och höginkomstländer finner vi inga belägg för ett samband mellan inkomstklyftor och handelsöppenhet. Gällande absolut fattigdom ser vi framförallt signifikanta resultat för höginkomstländer, där export till andra höginkomstländer minskar absolut fattigdom medan import från höginkomstländer ökar absolut fattigdom.

No description available.

Yes / This paper uses a new measure of international trade, i.e. the international trade potential index, to measure the welfare gains from trade across countries. The measure is based on the import shares of countries in their gross domestic products. It is observed that gains from international trade are low in prosperous economies, but they are larger in poorer economies. Then, the paper investigates the impact of the index of international trade potential on renewable energy consumption in the unbalanced panel dataset of 36 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries from 1966 to 2016. The novel evidence is that international trade potential is positively related to renewable energy consumption. It is also found that per capita income, per capita carbon dioxide emissions, and energy prices increase the demand for renewable energy. / The authors acknowledge the financial support from the Philosophy & Social Science Fund of Tianjin City, China (Award #: TJYJ20-012).

Over the past few decades, many countries have experienced a marked decline in the volatility of output. However, there is still a significant difference between developed and developing countries in the level of output volatility. A proposed explanation for this phenomenon is the impact of economic policies on output volatility in developing countries. The empirical results reported in this study support this view. Trade openness and discretionary fiscal policy seem to increase volatility in developing countries, while the converse is true in developed countries. Furthermore, a flexible exchange rate regime is desirable to decrease volatility. However, many developing countries still use fixed rates for reasons such as a fear of floating, which contributes to volatility. The impact of monetary policy was found to be stabilising, but this could be the result of a favourable global economic environment. It should be noted, however, that uncontrollable factors such as financial systems and institutions play a vital role in all the above relationships. / Economics / M.Com. (Economics)

Cette thèse s’intéresse aux questions de soutenabilité dans le financement de la santé au sein des pays à revenus faible et intermédiaire. Elle est articulée autour de quatre chapitres. Les deux premiers chapitres proposent respectivement d’explorer les déterminants de l’efficience technique des dépenses de santé et de leur niveau par habitant dans les pays à revenus faible et intermédiaire. Le premier chapitre analyse l’effet de l’ouverture commerciale sur l’efficience technique des dépenses de santé. Le second chapitre étudie l’effet de la pollution de l’air sur les dépenses de santé. Dans les deux derniers chapitres, nous nous focalisons sur les pays d’Afrique subsaharienne. Le troisième chapitre étudie le rôle que joue le financement prépayé de la santé pour l’amélioration de la santé dans les ménages tandis que le quatrième chapitre se fixe pour objectif d’analyser les déterminants des dépenses prépayées de santé en se focalisant plus particulièrement sur l’instabilité politique. / This thesis focuses on the sustainability issues in health financing in low-and middle –income countries. It is articulated around four chapters. The two first chapters propose to respectively explore the determinants of technical efficiency of health expenditures and their level per capita in low-and middle –income countries. The first chapter analyzes trade openness effect on the technical efficiency of health expenditures. The second chapter investigates air pollution effect on health expenditures. In the two last chapters, we focus on Sub-Saharan African countries. The third chapter studies the role that plays prepayment health financing for health improvement in households whereas the fourth one sets the goal to analyze the determinants of prepayment health expenditures, by particularly focusing on political instability.

Over the past few decades, many countries have experienced a marked decline in the volatility of output. However, there is still a significant difference between developed and developing countries in the level of output volatility. A proposed explanation for this phenomenon is the impact of economic policies on output volatility in developing countries. The empirical results reported in this study support this view. Trade openness and discretionary fiscal policy seem to increase volatility in developing countries, while the converse is true in developed countries. Furthermore, a flexible exchange rate regime is desirable to decrease volatility. However, many developing countries still use fixed rates for reasons such as a fear of floating, which contributes to volatility. The impact of monetary policy was found to be stabilising, but this could be the result of a favourable global economic environment. It should be noted, however, that uncontrollable factors such as financial systems and institutions play a vital role in all the above relationships. / Economics / M.Com. (Economics)

This study uses annual data for the period 1975-2014 for South Africa and Botswana, and 1979-2013 for Lesotho to examine empirically the impact of trade openness on economic growth in these three South African Customs Union (SACU) countries. The motivation for this study is that SACU countries are governed by the common agreement for the union that oversees the movement of goods that enter the SACU area. However, although these countries are in a com-mon union, they have quite different levels of development. Based on the country’s level of development, Lesotho is a lower middle-income and least developed country, whereas Botswana and South Africa are upper middle-income economies. Thus, these disparities in the levels of economic development of SACU countries i are expected to have different implications in relation to the extent to which trade openness affects economic growth. It is within this background that the current study seeks to examine what impact trade openness has on economic growth in each of the three selected countries. To check the robustness of the empirical results, this study uses four equations based on four different indicators of trade openness to examine the linkage between trade openness and economic growth. While Equation 1, Equation 2 and Equation 3 employ trade-based indicators of openness, Equation 4 uses a modified version of the UNCTAD (2012a) trade openness index that incorporates differences in country size and geography. Using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration and error-correction modelling, the study found that the impact of trade openness on economic growth varies across the three SACU countries. Based on the results for the first three equations, the study found that trade openness has a positive impact on economic growth in South Africa and Botswana, whereas it has no significant impact on economic growth in Lesotho. Based on Equation 4 results, the study found that after taking the differences in country size and geography into account, trade openness has a positive impact on economic growth in Botswana, but an insignificant impact in South Africa and Lesotho. For South Africa and Botswana, the main recommendation from this study is that policy makers should pursue policies that promote total trade to increase economic growth in both the short and the long run. For Lesotho, the study recommends, among other things, the adoption of policies aimed at enhancing human capital and infrastructural development as well as the broadening of exports, so as to enable the economy to grow to a threshold level necessary for the realisation of significant gains from trade. / Economics