O consumo domiciliar de microcomputadores cresceu de forma acelerado nos últimos anos. Apesar de grupos com determinadas características socioeconômicas terem um consumo maior de computadores, o consumo vem aumentando em todos os grupos. Ou seja, mesmo com diferenças grandes, o consumo de computadores não é mais uma exclusividade dos mais ricos, dos mais bem instruídos ou de determinadas regiões do país. Os modelos Probit e double-hurdle se mostraram adequados para analisar o consumo de computadores no Brasil. O modelo Probit ajustou bem os dados na análise da presença de um computador no domicílio. Já para a despesa com computador, o modelo double-hurdle se mostrou melhor que o modelo Tobit, uma vez que este separa a análise do processo de decisão de compra em dois, separando a decisão de gastar da decisão de quanto gastar. / Household consumption of microcomputers grew up fast in recent years. Despite some socioeconomic groups take highercomputer consumption, consumption is increasing in all groups. In other words, even with large differences, the consumption of computers is no longer uniqueness of wealthier, better educated or at certain regions of the country. Probit and double-hurdle models were suitable for analyzing the consume of computers in Brazil. The Probit model adjusted well the data set in the analysis of the presence of a computer at home. For the computer spending the double-hurdle model proved better than Tobit because separates the analysis of the purchase decision process in two, separating the decision to spend from the decision of how much spend.

O consumo domiciliar de microcomputadores cresceu de forma acelerado nos últimos anos. Apesar de grupos com determinadas características socioeconômicas terem um consumo maior de computadores, o consumo vem aumentando em todos os grupos. Ou seja, mesmo com diferenças grandes, o consumo de computadores não é mais uma exclusividade dos mais ricos, dos mais bem instruídos ou de determinadas regiões do país. Os modelos Probit e double-hurdle se mostraram adequados para analisar o consumo de computadores no Brasil. O modelo Probit ajustou bem os dados na análise da presença de um computador no domicílio. Já para a despesa com computador, o modelo double-hurdle se mostrou melhor que o modelo Tobit, uma vez que este separa a análise do processo de decisão de compra em dois, separando a decisão de gastar da decisão de quanto gastar. / Household consumption of microcomputers grew up fast in recent years. Despite some socioeconomic groups take highercomputer consumption, consumption is increasing in all groups. In other words, even with large differences, the consumption of computers is no longer uniqueness of wealthier, better educated or at certain regions of the country. Probit and double-hurdle models were suitable for analyzing the consume of computers in Brazil. The Probit model adjusted well the data set in the analysis of the presence of a computer at home. For the computer spending the double-hurdle model proved better than Tobit because separates the analysis of the purchase decision process in two, separating the decision to spend from the decision of how much spend.

Yes / Flow experience has been widely investigated in experiential activities such as sports, the performing arts, gaming and Internet usage. Most studies focus on the positive aspects of flow experience and its effect on performance. In stark contrast, gambling research focusing on the negative side of addiction lacks an in-depth investigation of gamblers’ (positive) flow encounters. This separation of research lines seems out of place given that recent research indicates connections between flow and addiction. Joining both constructs in a causal effects model helps to gain a better understanding of their relationship and its contingencies. This paper empirically investigates whether and how it is possible to observe a “Janus face” of flow with its various sub-dimensions in online gambling. Empirical data was collected from 500 online gamblers by applying a structured questionnaire with established scales. The data was analyzed with a confirmatory factor analysis and a double-hurdle model to separate casual gamblers who are unsusceptible to any addiction issues from gamblers affected by initiatory addiction issues. The findings indicate that online gambling addiction is negatively influenced by two sub-dimensions of flow experience, namely a sense of control and concentration on the task at hand, while enhanced by a transformation of time and autotelic experience.

Le travail présenté dans cette thèse prend pour cadre d'analyse les systèmes d'innovation et vise à étudier les effets et les déterminants des collaborations science-industrie. Notre démarche empirique repose sur la combinaison entre une analyse statistique et économétrique de données nationales, et la réalisation d'enquêtes exploratoires sur un territoire donné. Pour déterminer l'impact de ces collaborations sur l'innovation des firmes, nous considérons deux mesures de l'innovation : le dépôt de brevet et l'intensité d'innovation. En distinguant entre deux types de collaborations académiques que sont les collaborations avec les universités et établissements d'enseignement supérieur et les collaborations avec les organismes publics de recherche ou privés à but non-lucratif, il ressort de ce travail que ces collaborations ont un effet positif et significatif sur l'innovation. Les déterminants des collaborations science-industrie sont, quant à eux, analysés à travers deux enquêtes : l'une portant sur les entreprises d'un technopôle, et l'autre réalisée auprès d'enseignants-chercheurs d'une université. Les deux enquêtes révèlent que les entreprises collaborent avec des organismes académiques principalement pour rechercher des solutions aux problèmes qu'elles rencontrent, alors que les chercheurs s'engagent dans ces collaborations pour rester au courant des problématiques actuelles des acteurs économiques. Les résultats de la première enquête établissent en outre un caractère multiscalaire des collaborations science-industrie, ce qui relativise le poids de la proximité géographique permanente au profit d'une proximité géographique temporaire couplée à d'autres types de proximité. La seconde enquête, qui s'intéresse à la propension des chercheurs à collaborer montre que les déterminants de cet engagement diffèrent selon le type de collaboration. / The works presented in this thesis use systems of innovation as an analytical framework and aims to study the effects and determinants of science-industry collaborations. Our empirical approach relies on a combination of statistical and econometric analysis of national data, and exploratory surveys within a given territory. To determine the impact of these collaborations on firms' innovation, we consider two measures of innovation: patenting and innovative performance. Taking into accounts two types of academic collaboration, including collaborations with universities and establishments of higher education and public and nonprofit research organizations, it appears that these collaborations have a significant and positive effect on innovation. On the other hand, determinants of science-industry collaborations are analyzed through two surveys: one covering firms belonging to a technopole, and the other conducted among researchers from a university. Both surveys show that firms collaborate with academic organizations mainly to find solutions to problems they face, while researchers are involved in these collaborations to stay abreast of current issues of economic agents. The results of the first survey establish a mutliscalar nature of science-industry collaborations, which minimize the importance of permanent geographical proximity in favor of a temporary geographical proximity coupled with other types of proximity. The second survey, which focuses on the determinants of researchers' propensity to collaborate, shows that these determinants are different according to the type of collaboration.

There are several arguments why the economic analysis of gambling seems to be very interesting. Gambling is a very important economic industry from which either local or national governments obtain resources due to some sort of fiscal imposition on gambling participation. On the other hand, the consumption of gambling seems to violate the premises of economic theory (risk aversion, maximizing and rational conduct). The empirical literature on this field has tried to answer several questions that might be summarized as follows: Who does gamble? Why do people gamble? And, how do game features, such as the rules or the prize structure, affect the demand for gambling? This thesis tries to shed more light on the questions identified above, focusing on the particular case of state-operated lotteries and football pools in Spain. Specifically, we are interested in examining what aspects drive gamblers' participation in Spanish lottery markets and spending on lotteries, focusing on network externalities in consumer spending on closely related lottery goods. Next, we study the demand for a particular game, paying attention to the factors that explain why individuals bet, especially, those that refer to the design of the game and the structure of prizes. Finally, the analysis of the main economic determinants of demand for gambling is extended to football pools as a particular form of sports gambling. In addition to these empirical exercises, this study contributes to the economics of gambling by briefly reviewing the theoretical work and empirical highlights from the previous analysis of the demand for lottery.

Master of Science / Agricultural Economics / Vincent R. Amanor-Boadu / Ghana is the first Sub-Saharan African country to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of halving extreme poverty by 2015 and has made great improvement in four of the total eight MDG. Supporting by several aid programs, Ghana is right in the middle of an economic boom through agriculture with the stock exchange listing of the Ghanaian Agricultural Development Bank the 3rd of July 2015. However, many Ghanaian producers, specifically in the northern part, cannot take full advantage of this “boom” as they are dealing with poor soil quality and suboptimal levels fertilizer use. By increasing fertilizer use, producers can improve their field’s soil quality and achieve higher crop yields. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of factors influencing the fertilizer use decision among smallholder producers in northern Ghana. A two-part model is estimated and takes into account number of important demographic, production and marking factors affecting producer’s decision on fertilizer adoption and amount used. Findings from this study have implication for designing private initiatives and public policies on improving smallholder producers’ agricultural productivity through the adoption of fertilizer.

The food-away-from-home (FAFH) sector in South Africa has continued to increase in popularity. This is illustrated by the increased presence of FAFH in the diets of the country’s citizens. However, the sector in South Africa remains un-researched with regard to understanding household preferences and the composition of consumer expenditure. This study analyses the effects of income and socio-demographic variables on FAFH expenditure for South Africa. These results will be useful to the foodservice sector and policy makers in order to identify potential customers, respond to current customers’ changing demands and develop marketing and operational strategies, and address important nutrition and health consequences, respectively. Data from Income and Expenditure Surveys (IESs) of 2005/2006 and 2010/2011 of StatsSA (Statistics South Africa) were used to estimate the responsiveness of household FAFH expenditure in South Africa to income and a number of socio-demographic variables. The IESs contain a large number of households with zero FAFH expenditure observations which means that the use of ordinary least squares (OLS) would result in biased and inconsistent results. Furthermore, omitting households with zero FAFH expenditure, and applying OLS reduces the sample size and consequently the efficiency of estimation. Previous studies made use of the univariate and multivariate an adjustment factor and a two-stage process where the second stage is a Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) Within-Group estimator. The majority of studies suggest that double-hurdle models are appropriate for applications where zero expenditure observations are due to abstention or economic factors. The double-hurdle model is more flexible than the tobit model because it allows for the possibility that zero and positive values are generated by different mechanisms. The model used assumes independence between the two hurdles. The first hurdle determines the probability of purchasing FAFH, while the second hurdle determines the amount spent on FAFH. The double-hurdle models estimated for the IESs of 2005/2006 and 2010/2011 illustrate that households headed by younger White females with a small household size and living in an urban settlement are most likely to purchase FAFH. However, households headed by younger White males with a small household size and living in an urban formal settlement are likely to have the highest expenditure on FAFH. An increase in income positively affects the decision to buy FAFH and the amount spent by participating households. The APE (average partial effect) was calculated for the income variable. The APE determines the probability of purchasing FAFH and the income elasticities (conditional and unconditional) of expenditure on FAFH by households. The estimated conditional income elasticity of expenditure is 0,27 and the unconditional income elasticity of expenditure is 0,611 for the IES of 2005/2006. While the estimated conditional income elasticity is 0,171 and the unconditional income elasticity is 0,472 for the IES of 2010/2011. The probability of purchasing FAFH is 0,0905 and 0,0568 for the IESs of 2005/2006 and 2010/2011 respectively. The income elasticity of expenditure on FAFH is inelastic and FAFH is a normal good for the average South African household. The small size of the participation elasticities mean that growth in the FAFH sector will be driven by households with existing expenditure. Future studies should focus on per capita FAFH expenditure, the effect of the lifestage of the individual, rather than age, on FAFH expenditure, FAFH expenditure for different meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and facility types (quick- and full-service restaurants) and the effect of income and socio-demographic factors on FAFH expenditure on different food types (for example beef, chicken, lamb, potatoes and salads). / Dissertation (MScAgric)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / MScAgric / Unrestricted

Yes / Gambling research often refers to attitude and belief measurements to distinguish between problem and non-problem gamblers. Past studies also indicated that problem gamblers have a tendency to steeply discount rewards. We join both research streams and investigate the relationships between attitudes and beliefs on gambling addiction with the moderating effects of delay discounting using a novel methodological approach of double-hurdle model. We hereby differentiate the five subdimensions of the Gambling Attitude and Belief Scale (GABS): emotions, chasing, luck, attitudes and strategies. Findings show that emotional predispositions and chasing tendencies are positively related to the severity of online gambling addiction, independent of gamblers´ impulsivity. In contrast hereto, gambling attitudes act as inhibitor for gamblers willing to wait for some time to receive higher reward. Findings show that money-related impulsiveness influences the relationship between sub-dimensions of GABS and gambling addiction: Gambling attitudes and beliefs do not necessarily harm online gamblers but that their positive or negative relationship to addiction depends on online gamblers’ impulsivity.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Apesar dos progressos recentes do setor de saneamento básico no Brasil, muitas dificuldades ainda precisam ser superadas. A desigualdade no acesso a esses serviços bem como a fragmentação das políticas públicas e a ausência de marco regulatório podem ser citados como os principais desafios no setor. Este estudo tem por objetivo analisar os determinantes da cobertura de saneamento básico no Brasil, com base na Pesquisa Nacional de Saneamento Básico de 1989 e 2000 e nos Censos demográficos de 1991 e 2000 elaborados pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). A fim de estimar tanto os fatores que determinam a existência de esgotamento sanitário nos domicílios de um município (modelo de variável dependente limitada) quanto os fatores que indicam a proporção de domicílios cobertos por esgotamento sanitário (modelo Double-Hurdle), foram utilizadas variáveis de demanda, variáveis de oferta, variáveis institucionais e variáveis de controle na estimação de um modelo. Como resultado, observou-se, por exemplo, que a variável renda per capita municipal não é estatisticamente significativa no primeiro modelo mas o é no segundo, o que parece indicar, por um lado, que a existência de bolsões de pobreza é mais importante do que o nível médio de renda do município no caso da determinação da existência de esgotamento sanitário em um município mas, por outro lado, que a renda per capital é o principal determinante na expansão da rede de esgoto. Por fim, o estudo provou que avanços podem ser feitos no que tange os condicionantes políticos que parecem afetar de forma desproporcional e desigual os gastos dos municípios com esgotamento sanitários. / Despite some progress authorities have been promoting in the past few years, many difficulties remain in the Brazilian basic sanitation sector. The inequality in access to those public services, the non-coordinated public policies and the absence of an efficient regulatory framework are the main challenges to the sector. This study analyses the factors behind the basic sanitation coverage in Brazil, based on the Pesquisa Nacional de Saneamento Básico 1989/2000 (1989 and 2000 National Survey of Basic Sanitation) and the Censo Demográfico 1991/2000 (1991 and 2000 Demographic Census), both published by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Two models were built in a way to estimate the factors that determine the installation of sanitary sewer services in Brazilian houses and the factors that explain the ratio of houses covered by sanitary sewer services in Brazilian cities - the first, a limited dependent variable model, and the second a Double-Hurdle model, both using demand, supply, institutional and control variables. An important result, for example, is that the variable income per capita is not statistically significant for the first model but it is for the second, which seems to indicate, on one hand, that the fact that exists many bolsões de pobreza (communities of concentrated poverty) are more important than the city basic level of income in the case of determining the installation of sanitary sewer services in Brazilian houses but, on the other hand, that income per capita is the main factor in the sewer services expansion. At last, progress can be made by studding more carefully the political effects that seems to affect disproportionally and unequally cities expenses with sewer services.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Apesar dos progressos recentes do setor de saneamento básico no Brasil, muitas dificuldades ainda precisam ser superadas. A desigualdade no acesso a esses serviços bem como a fragmentação das políticas públicas e a ausência de marco regulatório podem ser citados como os principais desafios no setor. Este estudo tem por objetivo analisar os determinantes da cobertura de saneamento básico no Brasil, com base na Pesquisa Nacional de Saneamento Básico de 1989 e 2000 e nos Censos demográficos de 1991 e 2000 elaborados pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). A fim de estimar tanto os fatores que determinam a existência de esgotamento sanitário nos domicílios de um município (modelo de variável dependente limitada) quanto os fatores que indicam a proporção de domicílios cobertos por esgotamento sanitário (modelo Double-Hurdle), foram utilizadas variáveis de demanda, variáveis de oferta, variáveis institucionais e variáveis de controle na estimação de um modelo. Como resultado, observou-se, por exemplo, que a variável renda per capita municipal não é estatisticamente significativa no primeiro modelo mas o é no segundo, o que parece indicar, por um lado, que a existência de bolsões de pobreza é mais importante do que o nível médio de renda do município no caso da determinação da existência de esgotamento sanitário em um município mas, por outro lado, que a renda per capital é o principal determinante na expansão da rede de esgoto. Por fim, o estudo provou que avanços podem ser feitos no que tange os condicionantes políticos que parecem afetar de forma desproporcional e desigual os gastos dos municípios com esgotamento sanitários. / Despite some progress authorities have been promoting in the past few years, many difficulties remain in the Brazilian basic sanitation sector. The inequality in access to those public services, the non-coordinated public policies and the absence of an efficient regulatory framework are the main challenges to the sector. This study analyses the factors behind the basic sanitation coverage in Brazil, based on the Pesquisa Nacional de Saneamento Básico 1989/2000 (1989 and 2000 National Survey of Basic Sanitation) and the Censo Demográfico 1991/2000 (1991 and 2000 Demographic Census), both published by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Two models were built in a way to estimate the factors that determine the installation of sanitary sewer services in Brazilian houses and the factors that explain the ratio of houses covered by sanitary sewer services in Brazilian cities - the first, a limited dependent variable model, and the second a Double-Hurdle model, both using demand, supply, institutional and control variables. An important result, for example, is that the variable income per capita is not statistically significant for the first model but it is for the second, which seems to indicate, on one hand, that the fact that exists many bolsões de pobreza (communities of concentrated poverty) are more important than the city basic level of income in the case of determining the installation of sanitary sewer services in Brazilian houses but, on the other hand, that income per capita is the main factor in the sewer services expansion. At last, progress can be made by studding more carefully the political effects that seems to affect disproportionally and unequally cities expenses with sewer services.