This thesis consists of two essays on applied microeconomics issues. The first essay presents a hedonic price econometric model of vacant commercial land. The second essay presents cost frontier analysis on the industry and firm's performance of the U.S. Motor Carrier industry. Our hedonic price econometric model includes two new developments in estimating land values in a multicentric urban area First, two composite indexes of market accessibility and highway accessibility are developed to account for the impacts of different characteristics of different regional nodes on land value at a particular site. Second, we use nonlinear least squares to estimate the decay parameters of the accessibility indexes within the model. We found that market accessibility is the dominant land value determinant. The estimated market accessibility decay parameter is different in value from the ones that are commonly assumed in hedonic models. The effect of access to highway interchanges is insignificant. Corner lots are of higher value. Finally, under Seattle's zoning policy, zoning classification of neighborhood commercial and community commercial land does not have significant effect on land value. The second essay uses the stochastic cost frontiers to analyze the performance of the U.S. motor carrier industry in the pre- and post-MCA periods. The average industry inefficiencies were between 14 and 27 percent during studied period. Our results indicate that the deregulation has no impact on industry efficiency. After a short adjustment period, the average industry inefficiency in the post-MCA years falls back to its pre-MCA level of around 14 to 16 percent. We analyzed the firm-specific inefficiencies by tobit regression. Our result shows that union firms are 1.5 and 4 percent less efficient than non-union firms in the pre- and post-MCA years, respectively. Firms located in the southern region are relatively efficient and the ones in the northern regions are relatively inefficient. Our result supports Stigler's Survivor Principle that survivor firms are relatively efficient. / Graduation date: 1998

Background The Swedish economy is currently in a boom and due to the fact that the commercial rental market is closely correlated with the development in the Swedish economy and its economic indicators, commercial real estate companies are successful. Commercial real estate companies generate their main revenue out of rents from their tenants, therefore the set-ting of rent and the factors affecting the procedure are of great importance. The report will not only examine the commercial rental market but also the composition of the lease con-tracts, factors affecting the rent setting and risks associated with commercial leases. Purpose To analyze the commercial rental market comprising of several different lease contracts. The focus will be to analyze the setting of rents and the factors affecting the procedure. Method A deductive approach and a qualitative research method is used in order to get reliable and valid data to be able to fulfill our purpose. The data is collected from interviews done with three different real estate companies, situated in Stockholm and Gothenburg. The sample include Håkan Hellström representing Castellum, Lovisa Lindberg representing Landic Property and Roddy Carlsson representing Vasakronan. Conclusion As could be expected, the commercial rental market is closely correlated with supply and demand in the Swedish economy. Currently, demand is increasing due to a growing employment rate and a strong GDP growth. Market rents are increasing, since the demand is continuing to accelerate and vacancy rates are falling. The vacancy rates are currently below the natural level since rents are increasing in both Stockholm and Gothenburg. It is shown that the vacancy level is lower in Gothenburg compared to Stockholm. Location is the most important factor affecting the setting of rents apart from supply and demand. Rent for office space is highest in the cities’ Central Business District. Additional factors are attributes that make the premises more attractive and client care that enables for satisfied tenants and long lasting tenant relationships. / Bakgrund Den svenska ekonomin är idag i en högkonjunktur och på grund av att den kommersiella hyresmarkanden är starkt korrelerad med utvecklingen i den svenska ekonomin och dess ekonomiska indikatorer, är kommersiella fastighetsbolag framgångsrika. Kommersiella fastighetsbolags intäkter består till största del av hyror från deras hyresgäster. Därför är hyres-sättningen och dess påverkande faktorer av stor vikt. Rapporten kommer inte enbart undersöka den kommersiella hyresmarkanden, utan även komponenter i kommersiella hyreskontrakt, faktorer som påverkar hyressättning och risker associerade med kommersiella hyreskontrakt. Syfte Att analysera den kommersiella hyresmarknaden bestående av flera hyreskontrakt, med fokusering på hyressättning och dess påverkande faktorer. Metod För att kunna uppfylla vårt syfte och för att få så tillförlitlig och giltig information som möjligt används ett deduktivt synsätt och en kvalitativ forsknings metod. Informationen tillförskaffas genom intervjuer med tre fastighetsbolag, i Stockholm och Göteborg. Urvalet består av Håkan Hellström som representerar Castellum, Lovisa Lindberg som representerar Landic Property and Roddy Carlsson som representerar Vasakronan. Slutsats Den kommersiella hyresmarknaden är som väntat, starkt korrelerad med den svenska ekonomins utbud och efterfrågan. Efterfrågan ökar idag på grund av en ökad sysselsättningsgrad och en stark tillväxt av BNP. Marknadshyrorna stiger eftersom efterfrågan ökar och vakansgraden minskar. Vakanserna är i nuläget lägre än normalt eftersom hyresnivåerna ökar i både Stockholm och Göteborg. Det visade sig att vakansgraden är lägre i Göteborg jämfört med Stockholm. Hyressättningens viktigaste faktor som påverkar hyresnivån förutom utbud och efterfrågan, är läge. Hyran för kontorslokaler är som högst i städernas Central Business District. Hyressättningen påverkas av ytterligare faktorer som gör kontorslokalen mer attraktiv och kundvård som möjliggör långa kund relationer med nöjda kunder.

<p>Background</p><p>The Swedish economy is currently in a boom and due to the fact that the commercial rental market is closely correlated with the development in the Swedish economy and its economic indicators, commercial real estate companies are successful. Commercial real estate companies generate their main revenue out of rents from their tenants, therefore the set-ting of rent and the factors affecting the procedure are of great importance. The report will not only examine the commercial rental market but also the composition of the lease con-tracts, factors affecting the rent setting and risks associated with commercial leases.</p><p>Purpose</p><p>To analyze the commercial rental market comprising of several different lease contracts. The focus will be to analyze the setting of rents and the factors affecting the procedure.</p><p>Method</p><p>A deductive approach and a qualitative research method is used in order to get reliable and valid data to be able to fulfill our purpose. The data is collected from interviews done with three different real estate companies, situated in Stockholm and Gothenburg. The sample include Håkan Hellström representing Castellum, Lovisa Lindberg representing Landic Property and Roddy Carlsson representing Vasakronan.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>As could be expected, the commercial rental market is closely correlated with supply and demand in the Swedish economy. Currently, demand is increasing due to a growing employment rate and a strong GDP growth. Market rents are increasing, since the demand is continuing to accelerate and vacancy rates are falling. The vacancy rates are currently below the natural level since rents are increasing in both Stockholm and Gothenburg. It is shown that the vacancy level is lower in Gothenburg compared to Stockholm.</p><p>Location is the most important factor affecting the setting of rents apart from supply and demand. Rent for office space is highest in the cities’ Central Business District. Additional factors are attributes that make the premises more attractive and client care that enables for satisfied tenants and long lasting tenant relationships.</p> / <p>Bakgrund</p><p>Den svenska ekonomin är idag i en högkonjunktur och på grund av att den kommersiella hyresmarkanden är starkt korrelerad med utvecklingen i den svenska ekonomin och dess ekonomiska indikatorer, är kommersiella fastighetsbolag framgångsrika. Kommersiella fastighetsbolags intäkter består till största del av hyror från deras hyresgäster. Därför är hyres-sättningen och dess påverkande faktorer av stor vikt. Rapporten kommer inte enbart undersöka den kommersiella hyresmarkanden, utan även komponenter i kommersiella hyreskontrakt, faktorer som påverkar hyressättning och risker associerade med kommersiella hyreskontrakt.</p><p>Syfte</p><p>Att analysera den kommersiella hyresmarknaden bestående av flera hyreskontrakt, med fokusering på hyressättning och dess påverkande faktorer.</p><p>Metod</p><p>För att kunna uppfylla vårt syfte och för att få så tillförlitlig och giltig information som möjligt används ett deduktivt synsätt och en kvalitativ forsknings metod. Informationen tillförskaffas genom intervjuer med tre fastighetsbolag, i Stockholm och Göteborg. Urvalet består av Håkan Hellström som representerar Castellum, Lovisa Lindberg som representerar Landic Property and Roddy Carlsson som representerar Vasakronan.</p><p>Slutsats</p><p>Den kommersiella hyresmarknaden är som väntat, starkt korrelerad med den svenska ekonomins utbud och efterfrågan. Efterfrågan ökar idag på grund av en ökad sysselsättningsgrad och en stark tillväxt av BNP. Marknadshyrorna stiger eftersom efterfrågan ökar och vakansgraden minskar. Vakanserna är i nuläget lägre än normalt eftersom hyresnivåerna ökar i både Stockholm och Göteborg. Det visade sig att vakansgraden är lägre i Göteborg jämfört med Stockholm.</p><p>Hyressättningens viktigaste faktor som påverkar hyresnivån förutom utbud och efterfrågan, är läge. Hyran för kontorslokaler är som högst i städernas Central Business District. Hyressättningen påverkas av ytterligare faktorer som gör kontorslokalen mer attraktiv och kundvård som möjliggör långa kund relationer med nöjda kunder.</p>

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Master / Master of Science in Real Estate and Construction

The aim of this thesis is to identify and recommend strategies for the Teachers Centre and to enable it to "reinvent itself in a stagnant and declining market." The thesis commences with a discussion of the literature and theoretical concepts relevant to the study. It considers purpose, internal and environmental analyses towards the identification, evaluation and implementation of strategies. The Teachers Centre, once a growing business entity in a vibrant central business district, is now precariously grasping at straws in a ghost-like environment. The case study paints the dilemma of the Centre. An evaluation of the case reveals weaknesses in management and incongruence with its environment. The absence of direction for the Company has maintained a tenuous financial position in a see-saw pattern between profitability and loss. Based on Company resources, its capabilities and the future development of the City, the management has to seriously apply itself to creating a plan both for the short and longterm to achieve a turnaround situation. The recommendation of strategies at the end of the thesis is as a consequence of the valuation and considers radical changes which will result in improvement to its internal and external operations. The eye opener in the study is for the Board to take a decisive step now to stimulate the Company into a profitable situation or risk further erosion of its assets. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, 2003.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2008. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

In this paper, I examine the effects of unconventional monetary policies and quantitative easing programs in the U.S and UK on their respective commercial real estate markets. I study two sample periods (2007-2017 and 2009-2017) and find that between 2007 and 2017, quantitative easing and the expansion of the U.S monetary base significantly drives the returns of the U.S commercial indices as well as the returns of the UK commercial index. Between 2009 and 2017, I find the expansion of the U.S monetary base only drives the UK commercial index. The difference in the results between these two sample periods may be a function of the magnitude of assets being purchased by the Fed prior to 2009 as well as the volatility and uncertainty that gripped the markets between October and December of 2008. I find that the UK index drives the expansion of the UK monetary base in both 2007-2017 and 2009-2017. This is likely the result of global uncertainty and volatility surrounding 2008 as well as the risk of financial market collapse inspiring monetary policy action. I also find the indices show a predominantly negative reaction to U.S and UK monetary policy events; suggesting the indices react negatively to the events that preceded the monetary policy announcements as well as the announcements themselves.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The commercial real estate broking industry is considered one of the most competitive industries globally, with research showing that it has many competitors and the ease of entry is rather easy. This research was conducted in the context of the commercial real estate broking industry in order to examine the extent of competition in the industry and to establish how one of the companies in this industry can sustain the competitive advantage. The study revealed that gaining and sustaining competitive advantage is about strengthening the resources that are not valuable, rare and imitable in the organisation as reflected in the model by Knott (2009: 166). The primary purpose of this study was to explore how JLL SA can obtain and sustain competitive advantage in the competitive commercial real estate broking environment through the Resource Based View. The research methodology applied in this study was a qualitative study, which consisted of 9 semi structured interviews from Jones Lang LaSalle South Africa (JLL SA). The criteria for the population sample was that the respondents had to have adequate experience in the commercial real estate broking industry and had a thorough knowledge of the company under review. The research highlighted a number of challenges regarding the market position of JLL SA and that the company does not have a formal rivalry strategy. From the research, it was found that strategic planning, particularly for competition happens as and when the organisation is challenged by competition. The study also reveals that JLL SA does not communicate a strategic direction for tackling competition. The main recommendations of this study is that JLL SA adopts the model suggested by Knott (2009:166) as a measure to gain and sustain competitive advantage. The model refers to the valuable, rarity and inimitability of resources through, in which JLL SA can selects attributes or resources to evaluate in order to sustain competitive commercial real estate broking industry is considered one of the most competitive industries globally, with research showing that it has many competitors and the ease of entry is rather easy. This research was conducted in the context of the commercial real estate broking industry in order to examine the extent of competition in the industry and to establish how one of the companies in this industry can sustain the competitive advantage. The study revealed that gaining and sustaining competitive advantage is about strengthening the resources that are not valuable, rare and imitable in the organisation as reflected in the model by Knott (2009: 166). The primary purpose of this study was to explore how JLL SA can obtain and sustain competitive advantage in the competitive commercial real estate broking environment through the Resource Based View. The research methodology applied in this study was a qualitative study, which consisted of 9 semi structured interviews from Jones Lang LaSalle South Africa (JLL SA). The criteria for the population sample was that the respondents had to have adequate experience in the commercial real estate broking industry and had a thorough knowledge of the company under review. The research highlighted a number of challenges regarding the market position of JLL SA and that the company does not have a formal rivalry strategy. From the research, it was found that strategic planning, particularly for competition happens as and when the organisation is challenged by competition. The study also reveals that JLL SA does not communicate a strategic direction for tackling competition. The main recommendations of this study is that JLL SA adopts the model suggested by Knott (2009:166) as a measure to gain and sustain competitive advantage. The model refers to the valuable, rarity and inimitability of resources through, in which JLL SA can selects attributes or resources to evaluate in order to sustain competitive advantage.