In the regulation of financial services markets, policy makers have generally pursued the twin-goal of improving efficiency and competition to promote stability. This has stimulated academic inquiries into measurement and assessment of efficiency; competition and its effects on market stability in the achievement of these regulatory objectives. Despite the recognition of the role of insurance markets in complementing other financial services to promote economic growth in emerging markets; studies examining the industrial organization and microeconomics of insurance markets appear to be more focused on developed markets. Against this background, this thesis presents a collection of empirical papers on the efficiency, competition and stability of the largest short-term insurance market in Africa. Specifically, annual firm level data on 80 firms in the short-term insurance market in South Africa from 2007 to 2012 is employed to examine several industrial economics theories using a series of panel data econometric techniques. The findings from the empirical analysis are summarized as follows: First, the results from the data envelopment analysis technique indicate that short-term insurers operate at about 50% of their productive capacity, with only 20% of insurers operating at an optimal scale. Productivity growth, which reflects efficiency changes over time, is attributable to technological changes. Firm size, product line diversification, reinsurance and leverage are identified as the significant determinants of efficiency and probability of operating at constant returns to scale. The effect of size was, however, found to be non-linear. Over the study period, the results of convergence analysis suggest a slower rate of 'catch-up' by inefficient firms. Second, the estimates of the Panzar-Rosse H-statistic suggest that short-term insurers in South Africa earn their revenues under conditions of monopolistic competition. Further analysis also reveals that competitive pressures in the market are driven by the activities of small, foreign-owned and single-line insurers. Using the stochastic frontier analysis, average cost and profit efficiency scores of 80.08% and 45.71% respectively suggest that short-term insurers have high levels of efficiency in cost and low efficiency in profit. Competition is found to be positively related to cost and profit efficiency to validate the "Quiet-Life" hypothesis that competition improves efficiency. In examining a broader set of firm level characteristics that drive the exercise of high pricing power, proxied by the Lerner index, the thesis identifies firm size, cost efficiency, product line diversification, concentration, leverage and reinsurance contracts as significant predictors of pricing power in the market. However, the effect of cost efficiency, business line diversification and reinsurance are found to be heterogeneous across different quantiles of pricing power. Third, the thesis also documents evidence in support of the 'competition-fragility' hypothesis to indicate that competition is detrimental to the stability of the short-term insurance market. The 'competition-fragility' effect is, however, found to be stronger for weaker insurers compared with stronger insurers. Firm size, capitalization, reinsurance, business line diversification and foreign-ownership were also identified as other significant predictors of market stability. Three main policy recommendations for the regulation of the market are derived from the findings. First, in order to improve on the high levels of inefficiency in the market, the insurance regulator is encouraged to direct efforts at improving competitive conditions since competition is found to be efficiency-enhancing. Second, the regulator is also encouraged to place restrictions on mergers that result in increased market concentration. This will reduce market power and the tendency for the exercise of high pricing power. Another way of improving competitive conditions in the market is through the increased presence of foreign-owned insurers. This could be achieved through the formulation of policies that are friendly to encourage and attract foreign-owned insurers to participate in the local market. This will help reduce the monopolistic tendencies enjoyed by domestic-owned insurers. Finally, in order to ensure a positive effect of competition on market stability, the regulator should seek to reduce information imbalances through institutionalization of a reference bureau on claims. This will be useful in collecting data to achieve actuarial fair pricing of insurance policies and reduce the incidence of adverse selection and moral hazards which are characteristic of competitive insurance markets and induces instability.

Submitted by CECÍLIA GIOLO FÁVARO null (ceci_giolo@hotmail.com) on 2017-01-30T10:26:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Cecília_Giolo_Favaro (111).pdf: 1811128 bytes, checksum: e65b558463df29862edf6117ce67faf3 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by LUIZA DE MENEZES ROMANETTO (luizamenezes@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2017-02-02T16:48:07Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 favaro_cg_me_jabo.pdf: 1811128 bytes, checksum: e65b558463df29862edf6117ce67faf3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-02T16:48:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 favaro_cg_me_jabo.pdf: 1811128 bytes, checksum: e65b558463df29862edf6117ce67faf3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-07 / O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a influência da largura da área de controle de plantas daninhas sobre o desenvolvimento, produtividade e qualidade da laranjeira ‘Pera Rio’. O experimento foi conduzido em um pomar de três anos de idade, localizado no município de Monte Azul Paulista, SP, correspondendo a safra agrícola de 2015/2016. Os tratamentos constaram em larguras de áreas de controle ou convivência com as plantas daninhas, próximas à linha do plantio, e as plantas daninhas foram controladas por meio de capina manual ou herbicida. As larguras das áreas de controle ou convivência com as plantas daninhas foram faixas de 1,0, 2,0 e 3,0 metros; coroamento das plantas em raios de 0,5 e 1,0 metro e o correspondente à projeção da copa, e duas testemunhas: com e sem o controle das plantas daninhas, totalizando 12 tratamentos, em três repetições, dispostos em delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados. As variáveis foram: altura da planta, diâmetro da copa, comprimento do ramo, teor relativo de clorofila total, controle, produtividade e qualidade dos frutos. Os parâmetros de desenvolvimento vegetativo foram avaliados previamente à instalação do experimento e também aos 12 e 18 meses após a avaliação prévia; as notas de controle das plantas daninhas foram atribuídas aos 30 dias após a aplicação, em sete ocasiões, e ao final do ciclo produtivo avaliou-se a produtividade e a qualidade dos frutos. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância pelo teste F, sendo as médias comparadas pelo teste de Duncan a 10% de probabilidade. A área de controle influenciou negativamente sobre a parte vegetativa das plantas (exceto a altura da planta). Também influenciou sobre a produtividade, tendo os tratamentos testemunha com controle, o coroamento em um raio de 1,0 metro no limpo e as faixas no limpo de 1,0 e 3,0 metros proporcionados as maiores produtividades. O coroamento das plantas e a faixa tratada de no mínimo 1,0 metro proporcionaram frutos com maior massa, diâmetro (longitudinal e transversal), rendimento de suco e industrial. A convivência da cultura com as plantas daninhas interferiu negativamente no desenvolvimento, produtividade e qualidade dos frutos. / The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the width of the control area of weeds on the development, quality and productivity of the orange 'Pera Rio'. The experiment was conducted in an orchard of three years old, located in the municipality of Monte Azul Paulista, SP, corresponding to the season of 2015/2016. The treatments were in control areas widths or coexistence with weeds, near the line of planting, and weeds were controlled by hand weeding or herbicide. The widths of the areas of control or coexistence with the weeds were bands of 1,0; 2,0 and 3,0 meters; crowning of the radius in plant 0,5, 1,0 meters and corresponding to the projection of the crown, and two witnesses: with and without weed control, totaling 12 treatments in three replications in a randomized block . The variables evaluated were: plant height, canopy diameter, branch length, relative chlorophyll content, control, productivity and fruit quality. The vegetative growth parameters were prior evaluated to the experiment and also at 12 and 18 months after the previous evaluation; notes of weed control were assigned to 30 days after application, on seven occasions, and at the end of the production cycle evaluated the productivity and fruit quality. Data were submitted to analysis of variance by F test, the averages were compared by Duncan test at 10% probability. The area control negatively influenced on the vegetative parts of plants (except plant height). Also influenced on productivity, and the witness treatments control, the crowning achievement in a radius of 1.0 meters in clean and clean the tracks in 1.0 and 3.0 meters provided the highest yields. The crowning achievement of the plants and the treated range of at least 1.0 meters provided fruits with greater mass, diameter (longitudinal and transverse), juice yield and industrial. The coexistence of culture with weeds negative effect on the development, productivity and fruit quality.

Esta dissertação visa contribuir com uma agenda específica na Ciência Política, a saber, a questão da transparência de dados econômicos e sociais. Apesar da importância que tem sido dada ao tema, são poucos os estudos que analisam os determinantes políticos da transparência. Quando o fazem, utilizam medidas de democracia e variáveis socioeconômicas em sua explicação. Nosso texto vai além disso e identifica que a variação no nível de transparência pode ser explicada por variáveis institucionais e de competição política, vale dizer, o tipo de forma de governo e força da oposição em países democráticos, em um primeiro momento, e a consolidação democrática na sobre as novas democracias da América Latina em sequência. A nossa análise se debruça sobre uma amostra de 78 países de 1980 a 2007 e evidência efeitos significativos de nossas variáveis explicativas. / This thesis aims to contribute to a specific agenda in political science, namely the issue of transparency of economic and social data. Despite the importance that has been given to this issue, there are few studies that examine the political determinants of transparency. When they do, they are using measures of democracy and socioeconomic variables in their explanation. Our text goes beyond this and identifies that change in the level of transparency can be explained by institutional variables and political competition, that is, the kind of form of government and opposition forces in democratic countries, at first, and the consolidation democratic in on the new democracies in Latin America in sequence. Our analysis focuses on a sample of 78 countries from 1980 to 2007 and evidence significant effects of our explanatory variables.

Esta dissertação visa contribuir com uma agenda específica na Ciência Política, a saber, a questão da transparência de dados econômicos e sociais. Apesar da importância que tem sido dada ao tema, são poucos os estudos que analisam os determinantes políticos da transparência. Quando o fazem, utilizam medidas de democracia e variáveis socioeconômicas em sua explicação. Nosso texto vai além disso e identifica que a variação no nível de transparência pode ser explicada por variáveis institucionais e de competição política, vale dizer, o tipo de forma de governo e força da oposição em países democráticos, em um primeiro momento, e a consolidação democrática na sobre as novas democracias da América Latina em sequência. A nossa análise se debruça sobre uma amostra de 78 países de 1980 a 2007 e evidência efeitos significativos de nossas variáveis explicativas. / This thesis aims to contribute to a specific agenda in political science, namely the issue of transparency of economic and social data. Despite the importance that has been given to this issue, there are few studies that examine the political determinants of transparency. When they do, they are using measures of democracy and socioeconomic variables in their explanation. Our text goes beyond this and identifies that change in the level of transparency can be explained by institutional variables and political competition, that is, the kind of form of government and opposition forces in democratic countries, at first, and the consolidation democratic in on the new democracies in Latin America in sequence. Our analysis focuses on a sample of 78 countries from 1980 to 2007 and evidence significant effects of our explanatory variables.

<p>The legal situation of companies costs for investing in computer software in an income tax law perspective is described by a tax law guidance that generelly acount these costs according the principles of research and development. If there is any reason to classify the costs differently, it could mean that immediate deduction not will be allowed. For this reason it is important to establish what the legal situation would be in a more nuanced tax law classification. The tax law categories that will be analysed in the thesis are research and development, inventories, intangible assets, stocks and ongoing projects. The purpose of this thesis is mainly to give examples of what such an income tax law classification can look like.While dealing with the problems of classifying the costs some situations of competition will occure. My conclusion is that it is important to bring out the multiplicity and the comlpexity that marks the legal situation in question. In each specific case yet some situations can occure that I haven’t been close to border on. The income tax law classification of companies costs in computer software shall be descided with the very purpose of the specific investment in mind and as only parameter.</p>

The legal situation of companies costs for investing in computer software in an income tax law perspective is described by a tax law guidance that generelly acount these costs according the principles of research and development. If there is any reason to classify the costs differently, it could mean that immediate deduction not will be allowed. For this reason it is important to establish what the legal situation would be in a more nuanced tax law classification. The tax law categories that will be analysed in the thesis are research and development, inventories, intangible assets, stocks and ongoing projects. The purpose of this thesis is mainly to give examples of what such an income tax law classification can look like.While dealing with the problems of classifying the costs some situations of competition will occure. My conclusion is that it is important to bring out the multiplicity and the comlpexity that marks the legal situation in question. In each specific case yet some situations can occure that I haven’t been close to border on. The income tax law classification of companies costs in computer software shall be descided with the very purpose of the specific investment in mind and as only parameter.

The master thesis deals with marketing mix and other marketing solutions for small hotel in Prague. The thesis is devided into three parts. First part contains marketing theory and explain terms related to the topic. Second part of this thesis is about marketing analysis, competition and description of the current situation in the hotel. Last part contains improvment proposal of marketing mix and other recommodations to improve its market position.

It has been argued that technology and productivity spillovers from foreign direct investment are the most important channels for the diffusion of modern technology to locally-owned firms in the MNCs’ host countries. Yet, existing empirical studies differ in their appraisals of the size and significance of spillovers. In this dissertation, we examine the technology imports of U.S. multinationals in 33 host countries, and more detailed information on foreign direct investment in Mexican manufacturing in 1970 and 1975, and propose – unlike earlier studies – that spillovers are not only exogenous effects of foreign presence, but also functions of various host country characteristics. We argue that the potential for spillovers from imitation of MNC technology depends on the technology imports of MNC affiliates – these, in turn, seem to be determined by factors such as the host country’s technological capability, the presence of technology transfer requirements, and the level of competition facing the affiliate. Some of the variables also appear to influence the local firms’ abilities and ambitions to imitate MNC technology. In addition, the effects of MNC presence on the level of competition (and the spillovers that occur when local firms are forced to become more efficient in order to maintain profits and market shares) are probably endogenously determined by the behavior of foreign affiliates and local firms: the two types of firms co-exist peacefully in some countries and industries, but compete fiercely in other locations. Consequently, spillovers may be important or insignificant depending on the characteristics of the host country. It is also possible that host country policies have some impact on spillovers. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk.

在有限的資源、人力與時間之內，企業必須立即回應市場。回應的時機、選擇的策略符合，才能進入進階賽繼續在不斷變化的環境下迎戰並回擊。每個企業比喻為一個點，每個企業點的「立基」有大有小，但都有限度。立基面積大可能是贏得上一階賽事的優勢，但下一輪考驗的可能是夠小才能勝出，這時，優勢頓時變弱勢。 進入進階賽中的企業，這一階比的可能是人脈與連結。能在這一輪競賽脫穎而出的靠的可能是將點延伸更遠、可能是將一點變多點、也可能是就近不動卻連結出更大的面。在變動的環境中，選擇最遠、最多或不動的思考與決策天天在上演。在新的戰場上，合作以達到目標，用更快更好的方式進行，用開放與互信的模式取得更多盟友認同，目標不應只是立即獲利的數字，必須著眼長遠的未來。合作其實是另一種模式的競爭，因此，選擇競爭策略的變更時間與力道也讓關係更複雜。 個案A公司從創立至今20餘年，在點的立基上不斷隨著市場的推進或要求而轉變。它經歷了幾次的全球性經濟衰退中洗牌而能站立，或許正因為它的動。它在幾次產業需求變動後仍然站立，也許是因為它的不動。面對下一個賽事，個案A公司能否迅速備戰並且創出下一階更寬廣的優勢？ 本研究透過產業的回顧、企業里程碑的反思、自我競爭能耐的分析，企圖驗證動態能耐理論是否能運用於中小企業。藉由理論與實務的對照，個案公司是否能取得更多具參考價值的建議。 / With limited resources, manpower and timing, corporate needs to respond to market rapidly. Only when the respond timing and selected strategy fit to the situation, corporate then is qualified to enter next race. Compare an enterprise to a dot, it can be big or small but founded with limitation. Big size may be the merit to win this battle, but can turn to a weakness in next race. The next race might be about connections. Strategy to win this race may be connecting farther; one dot to multiple dots, or stands still to wave a bigger sphere. Choosing a decision to either move or still is an everyday task. In the new battlefield, cooperation to achieve goal in a faster, better way to proceed. Win more alliances with open and mutual-trust attitude, we need to focus on long-term future than an instant profit figure. Yet, cooperation is just another form of competition. Decision of when to change the competitive strategy and level of the responding force gets complicated. Case A founded 28 years ago. The position it stands on is moving along with the market force. Maybe because of it’s decision to move that made it survived from several global economic crisis. Maybe due to the decision to hold still that allowed it stays. Question is that if case A is capable to react in the next race and even finds more strength? This dissertation attempts to verify if the theory of dynamic capabilities is applicable to general enterprises from retrospect of the automotive industry, introspect of case A milestones, to self-analysis of its competitive capabilities. By Comparing theory to empirical performance, shall case A achieve more valuable suggestions?

In hierdie studie word die invloed van Unisa se Oorsese Musiekstudiebeurs vir Voordraers op musiekontwikkeling in Suid-Afrika ondersoek. Ten einde hierdie doel te bereik, is twee navorsingsmetodes gevolg. Eerstens is ’n literatuurstudie gedoen. Daardeur is die loopbane van gevestigde en aspirerende uitvoerende kunstenaars ondersoek, die term ‘professionele musikus’ omskryf, die invloed van formele en informele musiekonderrig op jong musiekstudente bestudeer en ook die verhouding tussen ’n onderwys- en uitvoerende loopbaan bloot gelê. Tweedens is ’n vraelys aan al die beskikbare Unisa Oorsese Musiekstudiebeurswenners tussen 1970 en 2000 gestuur. Die doel van die vraelys was hoofsaaklik om inligting oor die persoonlike ervaring wat die persone in die steekproefgroep gedurende hul opleiding in die buiteland en daaropvolgende loopbane opgedoen het, in te win. Beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data is deur die navorsingsmetodes bekom. Hoewel die responskoers redelik laag was, is waardevolle inligting ingewin oor die invloed wat Unisa se Oorsese Musiekstudiebeurs op die beurswenners gehad het. Die data het die hoedanighede van die beurswenners se loopbane asook die bydraes wat hulle in uitvoerende en onderwys kapasiteit lewer, aangedui. Die resultate het getoon dat die meerderheid beurswenners wel in Suid-Afrika gevestig is, terwyl die meeste van dié wat oorsee is, Suid-Afrika steeds besoek op ’n professionele basis. Die feit dat die meeste beurswenners suksesvolle musiekloopbane volg en ook meestal hoogs gekwalifiseer is, dui daarop dat Unisa se Oorsese Musiekstudiebeurs ’n integrale deel vorm van die ontwikkeling van Suid-Afrika se musiekbedryf. ENGLISH : This study examines the influence of Unisa’s Overseas Music Scholarship for Performers on the music development of South Africa. Two research methods were used to achieve this. Firstly, a literature study was conducted. This was done to obtain existing information regarding the careers of performing artists, define the term ‘professional musician’, study the influence of formal and informal music education on young music students as well as to uncover the relationship between teaching and performing careers. Secondly, a quesionnaire was sent to all available Unisa Overseas Music Scholarship winners between 1970 and 2000. The aim of the quesionnaire was to gain information regarding the winners’ personal experience of their education and careers. Quantitative and qualitative data was gained through this research method. Although the respons rate was low, valuable information was gathered regarding the influence that the Unisa Overseas Music Scholarship had on the scholarship winners. The data showed the capacity of the scholarship winners’ careers as well as the contribution they make in the performing and teaching environment. The results showed that more scholarship winners settled in South Africa, while many of those who settled overseas, still visit South Africa on a professional basis. The fact that most of the scholarship winners lead sucsessful music careers and are mostly highly qualified, indicates that Unisa’s Overseas Music Scholarship forms an integral part in the development of South Africa’s music industry. / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Music / Unrestricted