Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Kevin Dhuyvetter / Establishing a cross border swine production system is the focus of this thesis. There are three basic sections to this project: 1) the business plan information 2) the study of economic principles and the state of the industry, and 3) the implementation of starting the business. First the project develops a basic business plan for Great Lakes Pork, and then uses economic theories to evaluate business opportunities. The project incorporates basic business plan information such as establishing a business philosophy, which includes company goals and objectives. The process involved the creation of specific business entities and the analysis of different corporate structures: Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), Sub S Corporation, and Class C Corporation. Through this process of establishing this cross border swine production company the Partnership and Cooperative business structures are also evaluated and formed. Great Lakes Pork, Inc was incorporated in Michigan as a Sub S corporation. Economies of size and scale are used as the background for developing this business entity. The Cobweb model is used to help understand and explain the existence of a hog cycle and the ramifications this has for Great Lakes Pork, Inc. These economic principles are applied to current North American data to determine an entry point and to predict the best time to enter the swine industry. A study of the United States-Canada exchange rate is required to understand the dynamics of establishing a swine production company that crosses an international border. The study discusses global issues and possible threats that exist to an international corporation. Finally the implementation phase used models to estimate asset values and incorporated tax planning methods to determine the final corporate structure. The implementation phase includes pro-forma financial statements that were used to secure financing. The implementation phase also included renegotiating supplier contracts based on the data learned during the state of the industry analysis to establish a cost of production that could be profitable for the businesses going forward. The end result is an example of the process used to establish a cross border swine production company.

As equações de diferenças (ou equações discretas) desempenham papel fundamental na modelagem de problemas em que o tempo é medido em intervalos discretos, por exemplo, dia, mês, ano. Elas estão presentes em sistemas físicos, químicos, biológicos, sociais e econômicos. O objetivo desse trabalho é estudar as equações de diferenças de primeira ordem, focando aspectos teóricos, análise do comportamento assintótico das soluções através de técnicas analíticas (teoremas de estabilidade) e técnicas gráficas (diagramas de Cobweb). Também são desenvolvidas algumas aplicações. Além disso, são apresentadas três propostas didáticas relacionadas ao tema para serem trabalhadas no Ensino Médio. / The difference equations (or discrete equations) play a key role in shaping problems in which time is measured at discrete intervals, e.g., day, month, year. They may be applied to physical, chemical, biological, social and economic systems. The aim of this work is to study the first-order difference equations, focusing on theoretical aspects, asymptotic behavior of solutions throughout analytical techniques (stability theorems) and graphical techniques (Cobweb diagrams). Some applications are also shown. Three teaching proposals related to the theme are presented in order to be developed in High School.

As equações de diferenças (ou equações discretas) desempenham papel fundamental na modelagem de problemas em que o tempo é medido em intervalos discretos, por exemplo, dia, mês, ano. Elas estão presentes em sistemas físicos, químicos, biológicos, sociais e econômicos. O objetivo desse trabalho é estudar as equações de diferenças de primeira ordem, focando aspectos teóricos, análise do comportamento assintótico das soluções através de técnicas analíticas (teoremas de estabilidade) e técnicas gráficas (diagramas de Cobweb). Também são desenvolvidas algumas aplicações. Além disso, são apresentadas três propostas didáticas relacionadas ao tema para serem trabalhadas no Ensino Médio. / The difference equations (or discrete equations) play a key role in shaping problems in which time is measured at discrete intervals, e.g., day, month, year. They may be applied to physical, chemical, biological, social and economic systems. The aim of this work is to study the first-order difference equations, focusing on theoretical aspects, asymptotic behavior of solutions throughout analytical techniques (stability theorems) and graphical techniques (Cobweb diagrams). Some applications are also shown. Three teaching proposals related to the theme are presented in order to be developed in High School.

Univ., Diss.--Osnabrück, 2003.

Quando um capital é alugado ou investido, uma parte age como o credor e o outro como o mutuário. O credor é o proprietário do capital e, como prêmio, o mutuário paga juros ao credor para o uso do capital do credor. Por exemplo, quando o dinheiro é depositado em uma conta poupança, o depositante é o credor e o banco é o mutuário. Este fenômeno gera uma dinâmica, este é o tema principal desta dissertação. Consideramos alguns modelos clássicos sob o ponto de vista das equações de diferenças, com ênfase no estudo da existência de um equilíbrio bem como as condições especiais para a sua estabilidade de soluções. / When capital is rented or invested, one part acts as the lender and the other one as the borrower. The lender is the owner of the capital, and, as prize, the borrower pays interest to the lender for the use of the lenders capital. For example, when money is deposited in a savings account, the depositor is the lender and the bank is the borrower. This phenomenon generates a dynamic, this is the main theme of this dissertation. We consider some classical models from the point of view of the difference equations, with emphasis on the study of the existence of an equilibrium as well the special conditions for its stability of solutions.

Quando um capital é alugado ou investido, uma parte age como o credor e o outro como o mutuário. O credor é o proprietário do capital e, como prêmio, o mutuário paga juros ao credor para o uso do capital do credor. Por exemplo, quando o dinheiro é depositado em uma conta poupança, o depositante é o credor e o banco é o mutuário. Este fenômeno gera uma dinâmica, este é o tema principal desta dissertação. Consideramos alguns modelos clássicos sob o ponto de vista das equações de diferenças, com ênfase no estudo da existência de um equilíbrio bem como as condições especiais para a sua estabilidade de soluções. / When capital is rented or invested, one part acts as the lender and the other one as the borrower. The lender is the owner of the capital, and, as prize, the borrower pays interest to the lender for the use of the lenders capital. For example, when money is deposited in a savings account, the depositor is the lender and the bank is the borrower. This phenomenon generates a dynamic, this is the main theme of this dissertation. We consider some classical models from the point of view of the difference equations, with emphasis on the study of the existence of an equilibrium as well the special conditions for its stability of solutions.

Cette thèse propose une analyse des politiques de stabilisation des prix alimentaires dans les pays pauvres. Afin de représenter la situation dans ces pays, nous considérons dans un modèle de stockage à anticipations rationnelles que les consommateurs ne peuvent pas s'assurer contre le risque prix et qu'ils sont averses au risque. L'incomplétude de marché justifie l'intervention publique et des politiques optimales de stabilisation sont analysées. Une politique optimale de stockage publique implique une augmentation du niveau de stockage. Ce stockage additionnel entraîne l'évincement de tous les stockeurs privés en supprimant les opportunités de profit spéculatif. L'usage de règles complexes d'intervention publique étant peu probable dans des pays pauvres, nous comparons des politiques optimales de stockage alimentaire à des règles simples comme une subvention au stockage privé ou une bande de prix défendue par du stockage public. L'engagement du gouvernement entraîne des gains de bien-être par rapport à une politique discrétionnaire liés à la possibilité de manipuler les anticipations des producteurs et donc de les induire à stabiliser les prix. Les règles simples de stabilisation permettent d'obtenir des gains proches de ceux obtenus avec des politiques optimales. Dans un cadre d'économie ouverte, les instruments de stabilisation sont la politique commerciale et le stockage. Une politique de stockage non accompagnée d'une politique commerciale ne profite pas aux consommateurs, car les bénéfices de la stabilisation se dissipent sur le marché mondial. Au contraire, une politique commerciale optimale permet d'augmenter la stabilisation en exploitant le marché mondial.

Boom and bust cycles are widely documented in the literature on industry dynamics. Rigidities and delays in capacity adjustment in combination with bounded rational behavior have been identified as central driving forces. We construct a model that features only these two elements and we show that this is indeed sufficient to reproduce some stylized facts of a boom and bust cycle. The bifurcation diagrams summarizing the dynamic behavior reveal complex cycles and in particular also abrupt changes in the nature of these cycles. We apply new insights from the mathematical theory of piecewise smooth dynamic systems - in particular, results from the theory of border collision bifurcations - and show that the very existence of borders such as capacity constraints or nonnegativity constraints may lie behind abrupt changes in the dynamic behavior of economic variables. (author's abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

The snow galleries along the Iron ore railway line in northern Sweden have had major problems in recent years due to increasingly large snow loads. Despite great efforts reducing the loads by shoveling off the snow, several of the galleries have been damaged. Due to these incidents, the Swedish Transport Administration (TRA) has asked Luleå University of Technology (LTU) to make an evaluation of galleries 4, 9 and 13A in the neighborhood of Vassijauri. TRA has asked for a way to monitor the load on these galleries with a trigger system that gives a warning message when the galleries are exposed to a critical load. Measurement systems have been installed in galleries 9 and 13A during the autumn of 2021 such that the snow load in one mainframe per gallery could be monitored. In this thesis, work has been performed by assessing how much snow load each gallery can handle before it collapses. The restrictions for the project are set based on the drawings that is available from the TRA's information database, BaTMan. A literature study is performed on snow load, how it was changing over the years, both back and forth, how snow load is calculated according to today’s regulations and how the density of the snow affects the intensity of the snow load. The distribution of the snow on the galleries has been performed based on the Eurocodes and National Standards. Models of the galleries in two- dimensional have been created for all frames in all the galleries to find the weakest frame in order to compute the critical load. Some of the frames are not stable when they are analyzed as individual members, therefore the decision was made to also construct 3D models to see how the cobweb effect influenced the galleries' capacity. Before the main frames have reached their full capacity, the secondary construction elements (roof beams) have been damaged and therefore has no major collapse taken place. From the 3D model, it is clear that the secondary construction that lacks capacity. The critical frames are completely different in the 3D model as compared to the 2D model as the stability of the entire gallery changes due to the cobweb effect (the load re-distribution between the neighboring elements, due to both the 3D interaction and the cable link effect) and, as a result, the capacity of the main frames is increased significantly. The study visits to gallery 9 and 13A have been made to gain an understanding on how snow accumulates on and around the galleries and how well the Eurocodes correspond to reality. The pattern shows that the snow drifts from the mountains towards the valley over the galleries, which forms accumulations against the walls. The snow accumulates to a large extent where the galleries geometry changes from high to low angled walls. At locations where the gallery has a wide roof between the grounds, the snow accumulates to a much greater degree compared to the locations with narrow roofs on high-angle walls, see, Figure 73. To be able to improve the model and to obtain more accurate critical loads, it is necessary to review the structures to obtain more precise dimensions, attachments, geometry and exact distances. In the current state, the design plans and descriptions of the galleries are incomplete as modifications and repairs have been made without proper documentation. Hence difficulty arises in the accurate evaluation of their exact capacity. / Snögallerierna längs malmbanan har haft stora problem de senaste åren på grund av stora snölaster. Flera snögallerier har skadats och behövt repareras trots stora insatser av skottning, i samband med snöfall. Trafikverket har efter dessa händelser bett LTU att göra en grundlig utvärdering av gallerierna 4, 9 och 13A. De har efterfrågat ett sätt att följa belastningen av dessa gallerier med ett triggersystem som gör att Trafikverket får ett varningsmeddelande innan gallerierna utsätts för större laster än vad de klarar. Mätsystem har monterats i galleri 9 och 13A under hösten 2021 för att kunna följa snöbelastningen på en huvudram per galleri. I detta examensarbete har ett arbete med att göra en utvärdering av hur mycket snölast varje galleri klarar innan det går sönder. Begränsningarna för projektet är satta utifrån hur mycket information som fanns tillgänglig i Trafikverkets informationsbas BaTMan. En litteraturstudie är gjord på snölast, dess förändring i tid både bakåt och framåt, hur snölasten beräknas enligt regler idag och hur densiteten av snön påverkar för snölastens intensitet. Antaganden om hur mycket snölast varje del av galleriet upptog och dess fördelning gjordes utifrån eurokoder och de nationella standarderna. Modeller av gallerierna i 2D har gjorts för alla ramar i alla gallerierna för att hitta den svagaste ramen och utifrån den ta fram den kritiska lasten. När insikten om att några av ramarna inte är stabila vid enskild analys och att kapaciteten av dessa är extremt låg bestämdes det att modeller i 3D skulle göras för att se om spindelnätseffekten påverkade galleriernas kapacitet. De sekundära konstruktionerna har gett vika innan huvudramarna nått upp till sin fulla kapacitet och därför har hittills har ingen större kollaps skett. I 3D modellen syns det tydligt att det är främst den sekundära konstruktionen som saknar kapacitet. Den kritiska ramen blir en helt annan i 3D modellen än för 2D modellen då stabiliteten för hela galleriet förändras på grund av spindelnätseffekten. Det är tydligt att kapaciteten på ramarna för alla gallerierna ökar på grund av spindelnätseffekten. Studiebesök vid galleri 9 och 13A har genomförts för att få en förståelse för hur snön ackumuleras på och kring gallerierna och hur väl eurokoderna stämmer överens med verkligheten. Det visade sig att snön driver från bergen ner mot dalen över gallerierna vilket bildar driver upp mot väggarna. Snön ansamlas till stor grad där gallerierna ändrar geometriskt form från hög till låg vinkel på väggar. Där galleriet har ett brett tak samlas snön i mycket högre grad än vid smala tak på väggar med hög vinkel, se Figure 73. För att i framtiden kunna göra en bra modell och få fram mer exakta kritiska laster krävs det en noggrann genomgång av alla konstruktioner för att få fram dimensioner, infästningar och exakta avstånd. Den dokumentation som finns på gallerierna idag är ofullständiga, på grund av att reparationer och modifikationer ej har dokumenterats. Detta gör det svårt att göra en noggrann och tillförlitlig utvärdering.

Cette thèse analyse les enjeux du développement économique liés aux dynamiques des cours des matières premières en général et ceux du coton en particulier. Traditionnellement, les travaux s’inscrivant dans une optique de long terme questionnent la pertinence des spécialisations primaires des PMA. À moyen terme l’intérêt porte davantage sur l’instabilité dont les conséquences sont d’autant plus importantes que la dépendance des pays à l’exportation de tels produits est forte. Les enjeux s’articulent alors autour des modalités de régulation des marchés, du choix d'outils (publics ou marchands) pour la gestion des incertitudes, le tout dépendant de l’appréhension de l’instabilité comme un phénomène endogène ou exogène. Dans un contexte nouveau marqué par l’affirmation d’oligopoles de firmes, la segmentation du processus productif mondial, et la financiarisation des marchés de matières premières, nous proposons un cadre analytique permettant d’aborder différemment ces problématiques. Nos travaux montrent d’abord comment les approches du type chaînes globales de valeur peuvent être mobilisées pour mieux orienter les stratégies commerciales / industrielles des PMA. S’appuyant sur la notion de rationalité limitée dans le cadre de modèles de comportements hétérogènes, ils prouvent ensuite l’existence d’une forte composante endogène dans l’instabilité et par là même, l'inefficacité des seuls outils marchands. Au final, pour les pays africains producteurs de coton, il apparait qu’il reste possible de mettre ce produit au service d’une stratégie globale de développement. Cela passe par le recours à des mécanismes hybrides de gestion de l’instabilité, combiné au renforcement des dynamiques de coopération transfrontalières en vue d’une structuration de chaînes régionales de valeur. / This thesis analyzes the economic development issues related to the medium and long-term dynamics of commodities prices in general and cotton prices in particular. Studies on the long-term perspective traditionally question the relevance of primary specializations of LDCs. In the medium term, the interest is relates to price instability for which the consequences are all the more important as countries’ dependency on the exports of such products becomes stronger. The stakes then revolve around market regulation modalities, and the choice of risk management tools (e.g. public or private interventions). These depend on the apprehension of price fluctuations as a phenomenon arising from endogenous or exogenous market factors. In a new economical context influenced by the growing importance of oligopolistic firms, a segmentation of the productive process and the financialization of commodity markets, we address differently these issues through a new analytical framework. The proposed analysis first shows how approaches such as the ones related to global value chains are more adapted to tackle industrial/commercial policies in commodity dependent LDCs. Second, in a context of heterogeneous behavioral models, we rely on the concept of bounded rationality to show the presence of a strong endogenous component in instability. Thus, it proves the inefficiency of private interventions to counter instability. Considering these findings in the case of African cotton producers, we conclude that it remains possible to incorporate the commodity in a global development strategy. But this involves the use of hybrid-type mechanisms (public-private) for managing uncertainty, combined with a reinforcement of cross-border cooperation dynamics in order to structure regional value chains.