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Thesis (M.Eng.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-152). Also available online.

The subject matter of this thesis is the definition, measurement and use of marginal cost as a tool of analysis to assist the process of decision-making in the water supply industry. Demand management is viewed in broad terms to include the establishment of an optimal structure and level of prices and investment in optimal capacity as well as investment in demand-restraining measures such as leakage detection and control. The study examines the definition of marginal cost as a benchmark for price setting. It provides empirical estimates of the various components of marginal cost of water supply in the Hampshire area, part of the Southern Water Authority. These estimates assume an exogenously determined level of demand and therefore exclude any possible direct interaction between the pricing and investment decisions. Departing from this tradition the study also examines a number of models where, under specific assumptions, optimal prices, output and capacity levels over a chosen planning horizon are simultaneously determined. This allows for direct interaction between the pricing and investment decisions. The study simulates optimal paths of prices, output and capacity expansion in the Hampshire area. This is carried out under various assumptions, one of which admits the potential of staging capacity expansion in order to take advantage of economies of scale in the capital cost function. An analysis of leakage detection and control as a demand management tool is presented in the final part of the study. The purpose of this analysis is to investigate how leakage detection and control may be conducted using either cost-benefit analysis or an appropriately defined tool of marginal cost.

Thesis (MA)--University of Montana, 2009. / Contents viewed on December 18, 2009. Title from author supplied metadata. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

This thesis challenges the neoclassical and the state-oriented views on economic and industrial development, using a strategic decision making theory framework and by focusing on the changing governance of the Korean water sector as an in-depth case. This research finds that a governance structure controlled by a few elites from the market or the state inevitably fails to meet the public interest. Strategic decision making theory (SDT) in this research incorporates Barzelay’s institutional processualism (Barzelay, 2003, Barzelay and Gallego, 2006) and Moe’s concept of purposive incentive (1981), in order to explain ‘changing’ governance and the reasons why some actors voluntarily participate in democratic decision making despite ‘collective action problems’. The Korean water sector, the case of this research, illustrates these ideas by showing that governance changes result from intense interaction between interested and purposive actors, critical events, and context. SDT analysis is complemented by an econometric analysis, which shows that the decentralisation of decision making power does not necessarily come with better performance unless proper governance is introduced. Solutions suggested in this thesis are democratic industrial governance and, as an intermediate means, a democratic regulatory agency, which is beyond merely (economic) regulation to remedy ‘market failure’ and economic bureaucrats pursuing long term career path.

Water companies are continually adopting catchment management as a way of improving the quality of raw water prior to treatment. The catchments from which raw water is abstracted are often heterogeneous which regularly presents multiple pollutant issues and variability in the spatial distribution of pollutant-contributing areas. For catchment management to be effective, it is crucial that water companies select and target appropriate interventions at multi-pollutant high risk areas. Within this thesis a conceptual framework is developed to disaggregate and compare multiple pollutant risks in drinking water catchments to aid water companies in this decision making process. A review of pollutant processes highlights links between pollutants often mitigated using catchment management and therefore confirms the feasibility for a multi- pollutant framework. Criteria were developed with water industry catchment management professionals to determine framework requirements. No current framework or model fully meets these criteria.

Na indústria da água, as fraudes cometidas pelos clientes para acessar a água sem pagar afetam a receita da empresa, contribuem para aumentar as perdas físicas e interferem na ordem econômica, causando danos à sociedade. Os custos de transação ex post envolvem inspeção in loco se houver suspeita de fraude e execução legal no caso de uma fraude ser confirmada. No entanto, os indivíduos podem reagir de forma diversa frente aos custos e benefícios relacionados ao cumprimento das normas contratuais e legais. Analisamos 115.695 fraudes constatadas pela concessionária entre janeiro de 2010 e junho de 2016 na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo. Os resultados indicaram que a fiscalização não apresentou influência importante sobre a quantidade de fraudes. Na categoria de uso residencial as áreas mais pobres e com baixo nível de instrução formal apresentaram as maiores quantidades de fraudes. Conclui-se que o fraudador típico nesta categoria está na fronteira do crime e assim sendo precisaria de um \"incentivo\" para escolher não cometer fraude. Nesse caso propomos dois caminhos inter-relacionados: impor um caráter mais educativo do que punitivo às inspeções e instituir um tipo de troca multilateral (Coase, 1960). Por outro lado, nas áreas com nível sócio econômico alto e muito alto apresentaram maior quantidade de fraudes na categoria de uso comercial relativamente às quantidades de fraudes constatadas na categoria de uso residencial. Esse resultado encontra respaldo em Becker (1968; 1974), cujo argumento incorpora o comportamento racional ilegal, e traz à cena o argumento de Hirschmann (1977), de que cabe à sociedade e às firmas tornar as estruturas políticas repressivas efetivas em adesão ao interesse civilizado. Devido às diferenças de governança dentro da empresa e no ambiente legal e social, a validade dos resultados é limitada à RMSP. / In water industry, frauds committed by customers to access water without paying affect firm´s revenue, contribute to increase physical losses and interfere in the economic order causing harm to society. Ex post transaction costs involve inspection in loco if fraud is suspected and legal enforcement in case a fraud is confirmed. However, individuals may react differently to the costs and benefits of complying with contractual and legal standards. We analyzed the 115,695 frauds registered in management system of the concessionaire between january 2010 and june/2016 in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo. The results indicated that the inspections did not have an important influence on frauds quantity. Frauds were much more numerous in residential category of use in poorest areas with low level of formal education. It is concluded that typical fraudster in this category is at the border of crime. Therefore, he needs an \'incentive\' to choose not commit fraud. In this case we propose two interrelated paths: to impose a more educational than punitive character on the inspections and to institute a type of multilateral exchange (Coase, 1960). On the other hand, in commercial category of use frauds were much more numerous in areas with high and very high socioeconomic level. This result is supported by Becker (1968; 1974), whose argument incorporates the illegal rational behavior and brings to the scene Hirschmann´s argument (1977), that it is up to society and firms to make effective repressive political structures in adherence to civilized self-interest. Due to differences in governance within the firm and in legal and social environment, the validity of the results is limited to the MRSP.

The Thesis intends to introduce business in government regulated Water Industry, accurately the area of Water Supply and Sewerage. Its aim is to describe the business market of this field. Moreover, to find out whether the companies in private multinational corporation ownership don't burden their customers with too high price of water supply and find if there is any relationship between the price of water and the profitability of these enterprises. To achieve this aim, companies are categorized into five groups and compared. These groups are created on the basis of the shares of private foreign corporation. A separate group is made of companies that are in ownership of municipalities that means without the influence of private foreign corporations. Firstly the one component prices are compared, then two-component ones. In conclusion, these prices are compared to profitability of these enterprises.

abstract: 中国水环境行业当前正处在以质量驱动、效率提升为主导的发展阶段，为积极响应国家政策以及环境发展导向，平衡公众日益增长的公共品需求同公共品短缺、低效之间的矛盾，抓住市场发展机遇，提高企业市场竞争中的核心能力，水环境行业必须要明确资本驱动、效率导向、服务标准提高要求下的价值流方向，加快行业发展动力的创新改革。因此，本文立足政府充分授权下的水环境企业战略联盟模式（具体体现为BOT模式）影响因素研究，包括如下几部分内容： 第一，界定政府充分授权下水环境企业战略联盟内涵，分析其形成的理论基础、水环境企业战略联盟的类型、发展差异性及战略联盟动因。通过梳理战略联盟理论国内外研究现状回顾及评述，提出政府充分授权下水环境企业战略联盟模式研究的主要问题。 第二，探索政府充分授权下水环境企业战略联盟模式的影响因素。通过对水环境基础设施战略联盟项目合同关键内容的深入分析，识别出政府充分授权下水环境企业战略联盟模式的关键影响因素。 第三，实证分析各关键因素对政府充分授权下水环境企业战略联盟模式效果的影响。运用回归分析方法对项目规模、政府政策、监督管理、激励机制、风险分配和投资回报对联盟模式效果的影响进行实证检验，验证了各影响因素对政府充分授权下水环境企业战略联盟模式效果的正向作用。 最后，对政府充分授权下水环境企业战略联盟模式影响因素及作用研究的结论进行总结。 / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Business Administration 2019