In an open economy economic agents distribute their spending between domestic and various import goods and they may reconsider their choice whenever relative international prices change. Armington elasticities quantify these reallocations in demand for goods produced in different countries. Recent analytical frameworks allow to further differentiate between a macro elasticity of substitution between domestic and import goods and a micro elasticity between different import sources. Despite the relevance of Armington elasticities for evaluating trade policy there has been no systematic study on whether micro and macro elasticities significantly differ for highly integrated economies within a free trade area and whether there is a common pattern. Using highly disaggregated data, this paper estimates Armington elasticities for a panel of 15 EMU Member States. Empirical results indicate a significant difference between micro and macro elasticities for up to one half of the consistent product groups considered, implying preferences across EMU countries are not perfectly aligned with non-discriminatory tariffs. I conclude that both the absolute and relative macro elasticities are informative and that heterogeneous preference patterns link to current trade imbalances. (author's abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

This thesis is a comprehensive investigation of the transport containers produced in Roman Sicily over a chronological period composed of five phases: Early Roman period (30 BC–AD 100); Middle Roman period (AD 100–300); Late Roman period (AD 300–440); Vandal Perios (AD 440/535) and Early Byzantine period (AD 536/600). The research investigates the production and transportation of Sicilian foodstuffs (especially wine) from the major ports of the island to Mediterranean ports and northern Europe. The results demonstrate the wide distribution of Sicilian amphorae and their important role within the wider economy of the Roman Empire. The importance of this research lies in the fact that, despite the agricultural prosperity of Sicily in the Roman Period and its strategic topographical position, transport amphorae remain understudied especially in economic terms. In regards to typology, chronology and distribution, our current knowledge of regional containers has not reached a level comparable to that of amphorae manufactured in other territories. The key discussion focuses on the commercial dynamics of Roman Sicilian amphorae from local, regional and Mediterranean-wide perspectives. The research aims to outline the distribution trends of Sicilian amphorae, looking at the different relative quantities of each amphora type and consequently the extent to which they are present in regions inside and outside Sicily, while considering presences and absences within the more general and homogeneous context of the Mediterranean basin. The organisation of Sicilian amphora production is also tackled through the presentation of probable production sites and excavated kilns. Using these examples, the study investigates the management of production of these containers on the island. The initial data obtained by this research represents a first step in determining differences between Sicilian amphorae workshops producing amphorae — therefore trading wine — for Mediterranean export and manufacturing sites specializing in local/regional trade. Other key achievements include the creation of a new illustrated typology with profile drawings of all the amphora forms and a summary and catalogue of Sicilian amphorae fabrics. In the thesis, the results of archaeometric analysis (thin-sections) carried out on more than 120 Sicilian amphora samples, provided by numerous institutions in Sicily and abroad, are presented. These results add significantly to our knowledge of the fabric composition, manufacture technology, origin and consequently movement of these amphorae around the Mediterranean over six centuries. More generally the research shows that the study of Sicilian material culture along with archaeological evidence is essential for recording the economic dynamics of Sicily, with the intent of dispelling the stereotype that Sicily's primary role was as a grain supplier to Rome. Besides grain — widely produced and exported throughout the imperial period, as attested by ancient sources and inscriptions — the archaeological evidence clearly indicates the export of foodstuffs, especially wine, at an inter-provincial level from the 1^st until the second half of the 6^th century AD.

Access to electricity is an important precondition to many aspects of human and economic development. Yet, in rural sub-Saharan Africa in particular, access rates remain very low — at an average of 17% and much lower in some cases. Rural electrification in Kenya, the focus of this thesis, had only reached 7% in 2014. Given the goal of universal electrification by 2030, formulated as part of Sustainable Development Goal 7, scalable and replicable approaches that are able to support productive and non-productive uses are required. Mini-grids are one promising solution to this problem, alongside grid extension and off-grid approaches such as solar home systems. However, their long-term operational sustainability has historically been a challenge. While the academic literature to date on sustainable energy access has largely been two-dimensional in its analysis of mini-grids (focusing on technology and economics or financing), this thesis contributes to an emerging body of recent contributions to the literature, which have begun to foreground socio-cultural considerations. Bridging the literature on collective action for common-pool resource (CPR) management and property rights theory, a refined theoretical framework is produced for the purpose of analysing the institutional conditions for sustainable management of rural mini-grids. The utility of this framework and of treating electricity in a mini-grid as a CPR is demonstrated via empirical analysis of three case studies of mini-grids in rural Kenya and evidence from 24 expert interviews. This yields insights on nontechnological approaches to addressing operational challenges relating to sustainable mini-grid management, e.g. fair allocation of limited amounts of electricity to different consumers in ways that are acceptable to the entire community. This thesis develops contributions to the literature on sustainable CPR management and collective action, property rights theory and energy access in developing countries. From these theoretical and empirical insights, it explores a novel institutional structure for sustainable management of pro-poor mini-grids in the form of a community–private property hybrid management platform, thereby opening up opportunities for future research into the implementation of such a platform. The thesis represents the first comprehensive attempt to analyse the institutional aspects of pro-poor mini-grid management as well as the first comprehensive attempt to treat electricity in a mini-grid as a CPR.

Aunque las diferencias entre países en la productividad total de los factores (TFP) sectorial está en el corazón de la teoría Ricardiana de comercio y en el de muchos modelos de crecimiento y desarrollo, muy poco se sabe acerca de su forma y tamaño. Los dos primeros artículos intentan rellenar esta brecha utilizando un modelo de comercio híbrido de Ricardo-Heckscher-Ohlin y datos bilaterales de comercio sectorial. Se brinda un conjunto comparable de productividades para sectores industriales en más de sesenta países en todas las etapas de desarrollo, y las estimaciones se aplican para probar teorías de desarrollo que tienen implicancias sobre el patrón de productividades sectoriales entre países. El tercer artículo se enfoca en los efectos de la liberalización comercial sobre la estructura productiva de los países. Se estiman matrices de transición que describen la dinámica de especialización en economías liberalizadas. La sección final del artículo relaciona empíricamente la especialización sectorial con la dotación e intensidad de factores