<p>The theory of economic growth predicts that poorer regions will eventually converge towards the income level of the wealthier regions (Barro & Sala-i-Martin, 2004). The aim of this Bachelor thesis is to establish if absolute convergence in Gross Regional Product (GRP) growth rates exists across LA-regions in Sweden during the period 1994-2004. The variables used in the model of absolute convergence are; the level of initial GRP per capita in the year 1994 and the growth rate of GRP per capita. The authors of this thesis find support of absolute convergence among Swedish LA-regions of 1.67 percent per year. Convergence estimations are also performed for high-, mid-, and low-performing groups of regions in respect to their income level per capita. The low-performing group of regions is in fact converging faster towards the income level of the wealthier regions in Sweden than the mid- and high-performing group. Alternative measurement of convergence is the so called sigma-convergence. The authors find that it only holds for the group of high-performing regions. However, this measurement cannot be considered reliable, as the existence of absolute convergence is necessary for sigma-convergence, but it is not sufficient.</p> / <p>Ekonomisk tillväxtteori förutspår att fattigare regioner med tiden kommer att konvergera mot samma inkomst nivå som rikare regioner har (Barro & Sala-i-Martin, 2004). Syftet med denna Kandidatuppsats är undersöka ifall det förekommer betingad konvergenstillväxt av Brutto Regional Produkt (BRP) nivåer mellan svenska LA-regioner under perioden 1994-2004. Variablerna som används i modellen för betingad konvergens är den ursprungliga nivån av BRP per capita under år 1994, och tillväxtnivån av BRP per capita under perioden 1994-2004. Författarna av denna uppsats har funnit stöd för betingad konvergens bland svenska LA-regioner med en konvergenstakt på 1,67 procent per år. En estimering av konvergens är därtill utförd för hög-, mellan- och lågpresterande grupper av regioner med respekt till deras inkomstnivå per capita. Den lågpresterande gruppen har en snabbare konvergeringstakt mot den inkomstnivå de rikare regionerna i Sverige har, än vad de mellan- och högpresterande grupperna. Ett alternativt mått på konvergens är den så kallade sigma-konvergensen. Författarna finner att detta mått endast håller för gruppen av högpresterande regioner. Emellertid kan inte detta mått räknas som tillförlitligt, då förekomsten av betingad konvergens är nödvändigt för sigma-konvergens, men det är inte tillräckligt.</p>

Den Europeiska Unionen är en mångfacetterad samling länder med ett brett spektra av historisk bakgrund, geografisk placering och ekonomiska förhållanden. I denna uppsats undersöks huruvida en gemensam europeisk identitet kan bidra till en ökad tillit från medborgarna i unionen till EU som institution. Uppsatsens teoretiska underlag består av tidigare forskning. Denna forskning skapar ett fundament för den statistiska modell som används för att besvara frågeställningen. Med hjälp av data samlad ur bland annat Eurobarometerrapporter tar uppsatsen, via multipel linjär regression, fram en modell som förklarar förhållandet mellan den beroende variabeln ”förtroende för EU” och de oberoende variablerna ”uppfattning av gemensam europeisk identitet”, ”avstånd till Bryssel”, ”BNP per capita” och ”antal år som medlem i EU”. Resultatet visar en koppling mellan en högre grad av upplevd gemensam identitet hos medborgarna i ett land och ett ökat förtroende för EU. Vidare visar modellen ett negativt samband mellan förtroendet för EU och ett stigande värde på var och en av de övriga förklaringsvariablerna. Med andra ord: ju längre avstånd till Bryssel, ju högre BNP per capita och ju längre medlemskap i unionen desto lägre förtroende känner den genomsnittlige medborgaren för EU. / The European Union is a diverse group of countries characterized by a wide spectra of historical background, geographical location and economic situation. The topic of this essay is whether a common European identity can contribute to an increased level of trust from the citizens towards the EU as an institution. Previous research constitute the theoretical basis of the essay. Using this research, I create the foundation for the statistical model used to answer the question at issue. Using multiple linear regression on data gathered from Eurobarometer reports and other sources, I create a statistical model that explains the relationship between the dependent variable “trust in EU” and the independent variables “feeling of being an EU-citizen”, “distance to Brussels”, “BNP per capita” and “number of years as member of EU”. The results shows a connection between a higher level of feeling of being an EU-citizen and a higher level of trust in EU. Moreover, the model shows a negative connection between trust in EU and an increasing value on each of the other independent variables. In other words: the further away the average citizen is from Brussels, the higher level of BNP per capita her country has and the longer her country has been a member of the EU, the lower trust she has in the EU.

Este trabalho analisou o comportamento da produtividade da terra na agricultura brasileira, avaliando se há ou não convergência na evolução dessa variável. A análise compreende o período de 1960 a 2001 e alguns sub-períodos desses 42 anos, mais precisamente, os sub-períodos de 1970 a 2001, 1975 a 2001 e 1980 a 2001. A convergência é um processo em que uma mesma variável (por exemplo, renda per capita, produtividade da terra) apresenta diferentes valores entre países, regiões ou estados, mas essa diferença se reduz ao longo do tempo, indicando que a desigualdade diminui. As razões para haver o processo de convergência são várias, destacando-se as mudanças estruturais no processo de produção, a difusão tecnológica, a retirada de obstáculos ao crescimento da produção, dentre outras. A ocorrência da convergência da produtividade torna mais homogênea, do ponto de vista da modernidade, a agricultura do país. Para atingir o objetivo proposto na tese, desenvolveu-se um modelo teórico sobre convergência da produtividade da terra, tomando como base o modelo de Barro e Sala-i-Martin (1990). Quatro indicadores de convergência foram testados, os quais são: convergência- &#946; absoluta, convergência &#963;, grupos de convergência e convergência- &#946; condicional. Os dados utilizados referem-se às produtividades das culturas de algodão herbáceo, arroz, batata-inglesa, café, cana-de-açúcar, feijão, fumo, laranja, mandioca, milho e soja, coletados no Anuário Estatístico do Brasil. Inicialmente, testou-se a presença de convergência- &#946; absoluta para as onze culturas supracitadas. Apenas seis culturas apresentaram essa convergência (café, cana-de-açúcar, fumo, laranja, mandioca e soja). Para as mesmas onze culturas foi testada a presença de convergência- &#963; e apenas a cultura da soja a apresentou para todos os sub-períodos analisados e as culturas da laranja e mandioca para o período de 1960 a 2001. Isto não invalida o resultado da convergência- &#946; absoluta, pois a literatura mostra que se houver convergência &#963;, necessariamente haverá convergência- &#946; absoluta, mas não o inverso. Para as culturas de algodão-herbáceo, arroz, batata-inglesa, feijão e milho foi testada a presença de grupos de convergência, diagnosticando-os para as culturas do algodão-herbáceo, batata-inglesa e feijão a convergência- &#946; absoluta para os estados com maior produtividade. Finalmente, para a cinco culturas que não apresentaram convergência- &#946; absoluta, testouse a presença de convergência- &#946; condicional, usando como variáveis explicativas a produtividade inicial da cultura, a deficiência hídrica e o capital humano. Bons resultados econométricos foram obtidos para a convergência- &#946; condicional da produtividade do algodão-herbáceo, da batata-inglesa e do feijão. No entanto, não se obteve resultados satisfatórios para as culturas do arroz e do milho. A partir desses resultados, o trabalho sugere algumas medidas de política econômica capazes de melhorar a convergência da produtividade da terra na agricultura brasileira, em especial para as culturas do arroz e do milho. Isto permitiria uma modernidade mais homogênea na agricultura nacional. / This work analyzed the behavior of land productivity in the Brazilian agriculture, evaluating if there is or not convergence in the evolution of this variable. The analysis is taken in the time period from 1960 to 2001 and also in some sub-periods of these 42 years, more precisely, the sub-periods of 1970-2001, 1975-2001 and 1980- 2001. The convergence is a process in which the same variable (for example, per capita income, land productivity) presents different values among countries, regions and states, but this difference is reduced during the time, indicating that the inequality decreases. There are several reasons to appear a convergence process, especially the structural changes in the production process, technological diffusion, removal of obstacles in the production growth, among others. The occurrence of the productivity convergence becomes more homogenous the country’s agriculture, from the modernity point of view. To reach the objective proposed in the thesis, a theoretical model about convergence in the land productivity was developed, based on Barro and Sala-i-Martin model (1990). Four convergence indicators were used, which are: &#946;- convergence, &#963;-convergence, groups of convergence and &#946;-conditional convergence. The data used refer to the productivity of herbaceous cotton, rice, potato, sugar cane, beans, tobacco, orange, manioc, corn and soybeans crops, collected from Brazilian Annual Statistical Yearbook. Initially, the presence of &#946;-convergence was tested for the eleven crops commented above. Only six crops presented this convergence (coffee, sugar cane, tobacco, orange, manioc and soybeans). For the same eleven crops, the presence of &#963;-convergence was tested and only soybeans presented it for all the subperiods analyzed and the orange and manioc crops for the period of 1960-2001. This does not invalidate the &#946;-convergence result, because the literature shows that if there is &#963;-convergence, the &#946;-convergence will necessarily happen, but not vice-versa. For cotton, rice, potato, beans and corn crops the presence of convergence groups was tested, and it was diagnosed for cotton, potato and beans crops that &#946;-convergence appear among the states with highest productivities. Finally, for the five crops which did not present &#946;-convergence, the presence of &#946;-conditional convergence was tested, using initial value of land productivity, hydric deficiency and human capital as explicative variables. Good econometric results were obtained for the cotton, potato and for beans. However, for corn and rice crops not satisfying results were obtained. From these results, the work suggests some policies that are able to improve land productivity convergence in the Brazilian agriculture, especially for rice and corn crops. This would allow a more homogenous modernity in the domestic agriculture.

Banco do Nordeste do Brasil / The company apparently always ignored (or did not spend enough attention) externalities of economic activity harmful to the environment and, consequently, is facing its possible effects in recent decades. Recently, now more conscious of their actions, their continued growth policies are usually formulated taking into account the growth the trade-off between economic growth and environmental preservation cluttered, given that "the agenda" is to combine increased income with sustainability and environmental preservation. Thus, this thesis investigated the relationship between CO2 emissions and economic activity, considering an overall look from the second half of the twentieth century. However, it is used as a motto the literature of economic growth by considering that the relationship above can be analyzed from the Environmental Kuznets Curve, the estimation of the trend of CO2 emission intensity and the analysis of convergence Emission CO2pc. According to the results achieved by three chapters, one can say that to reduce the level of CO2 emissions and mitigate the effects of global warming we need to establish a new regime of CO2 emission quotas with more countries than what has been agreed with the PQ and still contemplate developing countries like China, Ãndia, MÃxico and Ãfrica do Sul At the same time, we must establish a system of taxation for GHG emissions in order to achieve the desired goals of stabilizing and subsequently reduce the emission levels more easily. Moreover, it is necessary that quotas and taxation of CO2 emissions are set from the current level of emissions and the speed of convergence for clubs highest emission level. However, there must be differentiated quotas schemes for the rich countries and developing countries, so allow them to reach the income levels of rich countries. The differentiated regime is necessary because the effects of global warming on society in the XXI century and elevations are consequences of the gas atmosphere during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Therefore, it is for developed countries to further reduce CO2 emissions, according to their historical emissions. However, less developed nations can not fail to participate in this system and also is a need to reconcile economic growth with environmental preservation in such a way to mitigate the effects of global warming on future generations. Another measure that tends to be efficient in combating global warming is to support the development of alternative energy sources with low emission intensity, so increasing the speed of convergence for economies with low GHG emissions. That is, we must achieve energy efficiency from the use of clean energy (less carbon-intensive) and, for that necessarily need to replace fossil fuels. Moreover, it is necessary to transfer technologies with low carbon emissions of developed countries to developing nations in order to generate a global welfare, since this measure tends to increase speed of convergence to a low- CO2 emissions. / As sociedades aparentemente sempre ignoraram (ou nÃo despenderam atenÃÃo suficiente) as externalidades da atividade econÃmica danosas ao meio ambiente e, como consequÃncia, vem enfrentando seus possÃveis efeitos nas Ãltimas dÃcadas. Recentemente, agora mais consciente de suas aÃÃes, suas polÃticas de continuidade do crescimento sÃo geralmente formuladas levando-se em consideraÃÃo o crescimento o trade-off entre crescimento econÃmico desordenado e preservaÃÃo ambiental, haja vista que âa ordem do diaâ à conciliar aumento da renda com sustentabilidade como a preservaÃÃo do meio ambiente. Neste sentido, esta Tese investigou a relaÃÃo entre as emissÃes de CO2 e a atividade econÃmica, considerando um aspecto global a partir da segunda metade do sÃculo XX. No entanto, utiliza-se como mote a literatura de crescimento econÃmico por considerar que a relaÃÃo supracitada pode ser analisada a partir da Curva de Kuznets Ambiental, da estimaÃÃo da tendÃncia da Intensidade de EmissÃo de CO2 e da anÃlise de ConvergÃncia de EmissÃo de CO2 per capita (CO2pc). De acordo com os resultados alcanÃados pelos trÃs capÃtulos, pode-se dizer que para reduzir o nÃvel de emissÃo de CO2 e mitigar os efeitos do aquecimento global à preciso estabelecer um novo regime de cotas emissÃo de CO2 com mais paÃses do que o que foi acordado com o Protocolo de Quioto e, ainda, contemplar os paÃses em desenvolvimento como China, Ãndia, MÃxico e Ãfrica do Sul. Ao mesmo tempo, à preciso estabelecer um sistema de tributaÃÃo para as emissÃes de gases de efeito estufa (GEE), a fim de permitir alcanÃar os objetivos de estabilizar e, posteriormente, reduzir os nÃveis de emissÃo de maneira mais fÃcil. AlÃm disso, à preciso que as cotas e a tributaÃÃo de emissÃo de CO2 sejam definidas a partir do nÃvel atual de emissÃo e da velocidade de convergÃncia para clubes de maior nÃvel de emissÃo. No entanto, deve haver regimes de cotas diferenciadas para os paÃses ricos e os paÃses em desenvolvimento, de tal maneira a permitir que estes alcancem os nÃveis de renda dos paÃses ricos. O regime diferenciado se faz necessÃrio porque os efeitos do aquecimento global sobre a sociedade nos sÃculo XX e XXI sÃo consequÃncias dos gases alÃados a atmosfera terrestre durante os sÃculos XVIII e XIX. Por isso, cabe aos paÃses desenvolvidos a maior reduÃÃo das emissÃes de CO2, em funÃÃo do seu histÃrico de emissÃo. Todavia, as naÃÃes menos desenvolvidas nÃo podem deixar de participar deste sistema e, ainda, à necessÃrio conciliar crescimento econÃmico com preservaÃÃo ambiental de tal forma a mitigar os efeitos do aquecimento global sobre as futuras geraÃÃes. Outra medida que tende a ser eficiente ao combate do aquecimento global à subsidiar o desenvolvimento de fontes alternativas de energia com baixa intensidade de emissÃo, de tal modo a aumentar a velocidade de convergÃncia para economias de baixa emissÃo de GEE. Ou seja, à preciso alcanÃar a eficiÃncia energÃtica a partir do consumo de energia limpa (menos intensiva em emissÃo de carbono) e, para isto, necessariamente, à preciso substituir os combustÃveis fÃsseis. AlÃm do mais, se faz necessÃrio a transferÃncia de tecnologias com baixa emissÃo de carbono dos paÃses desenvolvidos para as naÃÃes em desenvolvimento a fim de gerar um bem-estar global, uma vez que esta medida tende a aumentar velocidade de convergÃncia para uma economia de baixa emissÃo de CO2.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-17T18:10:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTACAO LEILIVANIA LIMA DA SILVA.pdf: 2554215 bytes, checksum: b6835a3bf49ce95d3b4c5b8f2272c25d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-19 / Evidences about the income inequality in Maranhão in the period between the year 2000 and 2010. It emphasizes the role of economic growth and income transfers in this process. Income inequality, in practice, is usually assessed by indicators such as the Gini index, Theil L index and the income proportions of the poorest 40% and the richest 10%. The per capita income as a variable emphasized by researchers, can be analyzed by four angles: GDP per capita, average per capita household income, income from earnings and Income Transfers. Besides income and inequality, it is made a reference to the incidence of poverty in the state, measured by personal income as a result of the level of inequality. The results point to the fact that most of the reduction in income inequality over the period was due to changes in income not derived from work, given that, although the work is the main source of household income, the share of labor income in total income declined over this period, while the share of income from cash transfers increased sharply. / Evidências a respeito da desigualdade de renda no Maranhão no período compreendido entre os anos de 2000 e 2010. Enfatiza-se o papel do crescimento econômico e das transferências de renda nesse processo. A desigualdade de renda, na prática, costuma ser avaliada por indicadores tais como o índice de Gini, índice de Theil-L e pelas proporções da renda dos 40% mais pobres e 10% mais ricos. A renda per capita, como variável enfatizada pelos pesquisadores, pode ser analisada por quatro ângulos: PIB per capita, Renda média domiciliar per capita, Renda proveniente de rendimentos do trabalho e Renda de Transferências. Além da renda e da desigualdade faz-se referência à incidência de pobreza no estado, avaliada pela própria renda, como resultado do nível de desigualdade. Os resultados apontam para o fato de que boa parte da redução da desigualdade de renda ao longo do período deveu-se a transformações na renda não derivada do trabalho, tendo em vista que, embora o trabalho seja a principal fonte de renda das famílias, a participação dos rendimentos do trabalho na renda total declinou no período analisado, ao passo que a participação da renda proveniente de transferências de renda aumentou de forma acentuada.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-18T17:23:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Raimundo Nonato.pdf: 1884188 bytes, checksum: 100b0a1fc418486684dd7f0aadb6da3c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-13 / The consumption of treated water in the world is increasing, while water availability has been reduced each year, thus per capita consumption should be better observed that public policies can maintain the balance between availability and demand. In this context, this paper is to evaluate the local level, per capita consumption of water in the water in the municipality of Itapecuru Mirim, operated by the Companhia de Saneamento Ambiental do Maranhão. With this peolpe system was assessed for both the daily consumption in homes equiped that have water meters and compare with data from the National Information System on Sanitation. The survey of the population count and measurement of water supplied daily to each consumer, the average value found of per capita was 136.8 L.hab⁻1. day⁻¹. Research validates the methodology used by SNIS, because we know that the period in CAEMA is unimpressive. Us energy aspects, noted a gradual improvement of efficiency in the consumption of electricity in four recent yearshaving the same fact occurred with CAEMA. / O consumo de água tratada no mundo vem crescendo, enquanto a disponibilidade hídrica tem sido reduzida a cada ano. Desta forma, o consumo per capita deve ser melhor observado para que as políticas públicas possam manter o equilíbrio entre a disponibilidade e a demanda. Neste contexto, este trabalho tem com objetivo avaliar, a nível local, o consumo per capita no sistema de abastecimento de água do município de Itapecuru Mirim, operado pela Companhia de Saneamento Ambiental do Maranhão. Para tanto, foi avaliado o consumo diário em residências locais que possuem hidrômetros e comparar com os dados do Sistema Nacional de Informações sobre Saneamento. A pesquisa realizada com a contagem de população e medição da água fornecida diariamente a cada unidade consumidora, o valor médio encontrado do per capita foi 136,8 L.hab⁻¹ . dia⁻¹. A pesquisa valida a metodologia utilizada pela SNIS, pois sabemos que a micromedição na CAEMA é inexpressiva. Nos aspectos energéticos, nota-se uma gradual melhoria da eficiência no consumo da energia elétrica nos quatros últimos anos, tendo o mesmo fato ocorrido com a CAEMA.

This bachelor’s thesis examines the relationship between economic freedom and political freedom on economic growth. The main purpose of the thesis is to analyze the differences in how these freedom categories affect growth in per capita GDP using two data sets for OECD countries and middle-income countries, respectively. The analysis builds on a cross-national panel set of 72 countries for the period 2000-2019, i.e., 36 countries in each group. The findings show that gross capital formation, foreign direct investment and general government final consumption have had positive and statistically significant effects on economic growth in OECD countries during the above period. There is also a statistically significant and positive relationship between economic freedom and per capita GDP growth among the OECD countries while this was not the case for the degree of political freedom. The results also indicate that economic freedom is positively related to per capita GDP growth in middle-income countries, but this relationship was not statistically significant. Thus, my main conclusions is that there is a positive relationship between economic freedom and per capita GDP growth, at least in the OECD group. However, political freedom does not appear to help explain economic growth rates among middle-income countries. / Denna kandidatuppsats undersöker sambandet mellan ekonomisk frihet, politisk frihet och tillväxten i BNP per capita. Huvudsyftet med denna uppsats är att analysera skillnaderna i hur dessa frihets kategorier påverkar tillväxt i BNP per capita med hjälp av två datamängder för OECD-länder respektive medelinkomstländer. Analysen bygger på en paneldataanalys med 72 länder för tidsperioden 2000–2019, det vill säga 36 länder i vardera grupp. Slutsatserna visar att inhemska bruttoinvesteringar, utländska direktinvesteringar och offentlig konsumtion hade en positiv och statistiskt avgörande effekt på den ekonomiska tillväxten i OECD-länderna under den givna tidsperioden. Det fanns även ett statistiskt signifikant och positivt samband mellan ekonomisk frihet och tillväxt i BNP per capita bland OECD-länderna medan detta inte var fallet för graden av politisk frihet. Resultaten indikerar också att ekonomisk frihet är positivt relaterad till tillväxt i BNP per capita i medelinkomstländer, dock var detta samband inte statistiskt signifikant. Således är mina huvudsakliga slutsatser att det finns ett positivt samband mellan ekonomisk frihet och tillväxt i BNP per capita, åtminstone i OECD gruppen. Men politisk frihet verkar inte hjälpa till att förklara den ekonomiska tillväxttakten i medelinkomstländer.

Denna forskningsstudies syfte är att undersöka sambandet mellan internationell handel och ekonomisk tillväxt och effekten som internationell handel har på ekonomisk tillväxt i afrikanska länder söder om Saharaöknen (Subsahariska Afrika). Majoriteten av tidigare studier och forskning inom detta område hävdar att det finns en positivt korrelation mellan dessa två variabler men ändå så finns det fortfarande vissa som ifrågasätter hur pass stor påverkan dessa två variabler egentligen har, om den effekten verkligen är tillräckligt signifikant för att anses vara betydelsefullt samt viktig. Informationen och datan som använts i denna studie är tagna från World Bank Group (Världsbanken), Human Development Reports och Fraser Institute. Studiens teoretiska referensram använder sig av tillväxtteorier, vilket bestod av Solowmodellen, endogen tillväxtteori och institutionell teori samt handelsteorier, som bestod av den Ricardianska modellen och Heckscher-Ohlin modellen för att bättre förklara konceptet av ekonomisk tillväxt och hur internationell handel kan komma att påverka processen till att uppnå ekonomisk tillväxt. Inom denna undersökning utfördes en panel-data studie med stöd av en regressionsanalys för att kunna mäta korrelationen mellan internationell handel och ekonomisk tillväxt. Den beroende variabeln för denna forskningsstudie var ekonomisk tillväxt i form av den årliga BNP per capita-tillväxten medan de oberoende variablerna innehöll bland annat internationell handel, utbildning, kapital, befolkningstillväxt, arbetskraft, korruption och ekonomisk frihet. Dessutom inkluderar undersökningen 36 utav de totala 48 möjliga länder i Subsahariska Afrika och är avgränsad till en tioårsperiod mellan 2009–2019. Slutresultatet av denna studies forskning visar att det finns ett signifikant positivt korrelation mellan ekonomisk tillväxt och internationell handel och kommer då fram till slutsatsen att internationell handel faktiskt har en viktig effekt/påverkan och är därför nödvändig för att uppnå ekonomisk tillväxt. / The purpose of this research study is to examine the relationship between international trade and economic growth and the effect that international trade has on economic growth in sub-Saharan African countries (Sub-Saharan Africa). The majority of previous studies and research in this area claim that there is a positive correlation between these two variables, yet there are still some who question how much these two variables actually have influenced each other and if that effect is really significant enough to be considered significant as well as important. The information and data used in this study are taken from the World Bank Group, Human Development Reports and Fraser Institute. The study's theoretical framework uses growth theories, which consisted of the Solow model and endogenous growth theory, and trade theories, which consisted of the Ricardian model, the Heckscher-Ohlin model, and institutional theory to better explain the concept of economic growth and how international trade can affect the process of achieving economic growth. Within this research, a panel dataset study was carried out with the support of a regression analysis in order to measure the correlation between international trade and economic growth. The dependent variable for this research study was economic growth in the form of annual GDP per capita growth, while the independent variables included international trade, education, capital, population growth, labor force, corruption and economic freedom. Additionally, the study includes thirty-six out of a total of forty-eight possible countries in sub-Saharan Africa and is limited to a ten-year period between 2009-2019. The final result of this study's research shows that there is a significant positive correlation between economic growth and international trade and concludes that international trade actually has a very important effect/impact and is essential to achieving economic growth.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / John A. Fox / Child mortality is defined as the death of children under five years old. Worldwide, child mortality was about 8.1 million in 2009, of which over fifty percent is related to diarrhea, pneumonia and malaria. Food and water borne pathogens are an important cause of deaths related to diarrhea and pneumonia. Illiterate or semi-literate populations are often slow to adopt food and water safety standards. Practices such as washing of food in sewage water, which would repulse most westerners might be considered normal in some parts of the world. Understanding some of the basic science underlying food safety standards is important for the farm worker in California, the villager in Africa and the child in Afghanistan. Ultimately, food safety practices in production can affect the consumer of agricultural products no matter where they are in the world, and inadequate food safety standards can affect the producer as a result of diminished consumer confidence in their product, or lack of access to export markets. In the instance of food contamination, young children and the elderly are typically most at risk. Perhaps the most sobering consequence of inadequate food safety standards is child mortality. This thesis uses a regression model to investigate determinants of the level of child mortality. We find that income distribution and levels of tertiary education, particularly for females, are significantly correlated with child mortality rates. Estimates suggest that a one percent increase in tertiary education in the female workforce is associated with a reduction of almost seven percent in the child mortality rate in countries where the rate of female tertiary education is below fifteen percent.

The positive contributions of entrepreneurship towards the economic development were already proved by the previous researchers. The main aim of this study was to analyse the determinants of entrepreneurial activity in the Nordic countries over the period of years 2004‑2013 to provide the supportive empirical analysis for the Nordic entrepreneurial policy makers. Data were obtained from the various databases and were formed into the panel dataset. Entrepreneurial activity was quantified by the two variables, rate of registered business activity and established business ownership rate. For each entrepreneurial activity, acting as the dependent variable, was estimated the set of econometric models following the econometric approach with the Fixed Effects Estimator. The results obtained for the both dependent variables did not substantially differ from each other and were generally in agreement with the results obtained by the previous scholars. The hypothesis stating the positive relationship between unemployment rate, GDP per capita and entrepreneurial activity, during the analysed period, were accepted. Also the negative impact of administrative barriers on entrepreneurial activity was confirmed. However, no statistically significant empirical support was obtained for the hypothesis assuming the positive relationship between R&amp;D sector and entrepreneurial activity.