O tema deste trabalho é o estudo de métodos numéricos para a simulação de escoamentos incompressíveis com superfície livre a baixos Reynolds, por meio da metodologia GENSMAC e suas formulações explícita e implícita. Neste contexto, temos especial interesse na formulação implícita, objetivando o enfraquecimento da restrição de estabilidade parabólica no passo temporal em escoamentos com superfície livre. O trabalho pode ser dividido em duas partes: na primeira, algumas modificações são discutidas, propostas e testadas com o objetivo de tornar a formulação implícita mais eficiente e precisa; em seguida, aproveitamos os resultados obtidos e generalizamos o método numérico existente para simular escoamentos viscoelásticos modelados pela equação constitutiva SXPP. Em ambos os casos, a formulação explícita também é usada para comparação e teste. Resultados que demonstram a eficiência e robustez das técnicas desenvolvidas são apresentados por meio da simulação numérica de complexos problemas envolvendo superfície livre.O tema deste trabalho é o estudo de métodos numéricos para a simulação de escoamentos incom- pressíveis com superfície livre a baixos Reynolds, por meio da metodologia GENSMAC e suas formulações explícita e implícita. Neste contexto, temos especial interesse na formulação implícita, objetivando o en- fraquecimento da restrição de estabilidade parabólica no passo temporal em escoamentos com superfície livre. O trabalho pode ser dividido em duas partes: na primeira, algumas modificações são discutidas, propostas e testadas com o objetivo de tornar a formulação implícita mais eficiente e precisa; em seguida, aproveitamos os resultados obtidos e generalizamos o método numérico existente para simular escoamentos viscoelásticos modelados pela equação constitutiva SXPP. Em ambos os casos, a formulação explícita também é usada para comparação e teste. Resultados que demonstram a eficiência e robustez das técnicas desenvolvidas são apresentados por meio da simulação numérica de complexos problemas envolvendo superfície livre / The purpose of this work is the study of numerical methods for low Reynolds number incompressible free surface flows, including the GENSMAC methodology and its explicit and implicit formulations. In this context, we have special interest in the implicit formulation, in order to circumvent the parabolic stability restriction in the time step for free surface flows. The work can be divided into two parts: firstly, some modifications are proposed, discussed, and tested with the purpose of making the implicit formulation more e¢ cient and accurate; secondly, we take advantage of the results derived in the first part to generalize the numerical method for simulating viscoelastic free surface flows modeled by the constitutive equation SXPP. In both cases, the explicit formulation is also used for comparison and tests. Results that demonstrate the e¢ ciency and robustness of the developed techniques are presented and illustrated by the numerical simulation of complex problems involving free surface flows

Em um ecossistema pastoril natural, entender as relações entre a produção primária, o processo de pastejo e o ambiente é de inegável importância, pois a compreensão destes fatores influenciará no correto gerenciamento dos ambientes pastoris, garantindo a produtividade e contribuindo para a segurança alimentar. O experimento foi conduzido na Estação Experimental Agronômica da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (EEA-UFRGS), município de Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, em uma pastagem natural heterogênea, característica do Bioma Pampa. O objetivo do trabalho foi compreender os fluxos de biomassa, bem como, determinar as características morfogênicas e entender o processo de desfolhação. Duas espécies de gramíneas mais representantes do Bioma, pertencentes a dois grupos funcionais distintos: paspalum notatum, representando as espécies utilizadoras de recursos, e andropogon lateralis, representando as conservadoras de recursos, foram avaliadas. Os tratamentos consistiram de quatro ofertas de forragem: 4, 8, 12 e 16% (kg de matéria seca para cada 100 kg de peso vivo animal), manejados sob pastoreio contínuo, dispostos em um delineamento em blocos casualizado, em arranjo fatorial 4X2, com duas repetições Adotou-se a técnica de perfilhos marcados, com 30 perfilhos marcados por espécie, distribuídos em três transectas por unidade experimental. Houve interação entre oferta de forragem e espécie forrageira para taxa de elongação foliar, comprimento final de folhas e densidade de perfilhos (P<0,05). A maioria das características morfogênicas apresentou diferença entre espécies, sendo maiores para a espécie utilizadora de recursos (P. notatum). As ofertas de forragem influenciaram as taxas de senescência, número de folhas senescentes e de folhas novas surgidas por perfilho. O filocrono encontrado foi de 208,3 ºC para P. notatum e, 366,2 ºC para A. lateralis. Houve diferença entre espécies para o intervalo entre desfolhas sucessivas, sendo de 25 dias para P. notatum e 27 dias para A. lateralis (P=0,0140), bem como para intensidade de desfolha, de 52% para P. notatum e 61% para A. lateralis. Os fluxos de biomassa apresentaram interação oferta de forragem e espécie forrageira para os fluxos de senescência e consumo. O balanço final do fluxo de biomassa (crescimento menos senescência e consumo) apresentaram balanço negativo tanto para ofertas como entre os grupos funcionais estudados. / Understanding the relationship between pasture primary production, the grazing process and the environment in natural pastoral ecosystems is of undeniable importance, since the interactions between these factors will influence the correct ecosystems management, ensuring productivity and contributing to food security. The study was carried out at the Experimental Station of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (EEA-UFRGS), in the municipality of Eldorado do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, in a natural heterogeneous grassland typical of the Pampa Biome. The aim of this study was to understand the biomass fluxes, as well as to determine morphogenetic characteristics and to understand the defoliation process. Two species of grasses with different growth strategies: paspalum notatum, representing higher growth species (or acquisitive resource plant strategy) and andropogon lateralis, representing lower growth species (or conservative resource plant strategy), were evaluated. Treatments consisted of four forage allowances: 4, 8, 12 and 16% (kg of dry matter per 100 kg of animal live weight), managed under continuous grazing. We used the marked tillers technique, with 30 tillers per species and per treatment, divided into three transects The experimental design was a randomized complete block with factorial arrangement 4x2, in two replicates. There was interaction between forage allowance and species for leaf elongation rate, leaf final length and tiller density (P<0.05). Most of the morphogenetic characteristics presented differences between the species, being higher for the acquisitive resource plant strategy (P. notatum). The forage allowances influenced senescence rates, number of senescent leaves and new leaves emerged per tiller. The phyllochron was 208.3 ºC for P. notatum and 366.2 ºC for A. lateralis. There were differences in the interval between two successive defoliation, being 25 days for P. notatum and 27 days for A. lateralis (P=0,0140), and defoliation intensity, of 52% for P. notatum and 61% for A. lateralis. The biomass fluxes showed interaction forage allowance specie for the variables senescence flow and consumption flow. The final balance of the biomass flow (growth minus senescence and consumption) presented a negative balance both for forage allowances and between the functional groups studied.

Os conceitos de competência do escoamento e de capacidade de transporte foram desenvolvidos para escoamentos fluviais e acabam sendo transferidos para a modelagem de correntes de turbidez. No entanto, não é claro até que ponto o estabelecimento de analogias entre o ambiente fluvial e as correntes de turbidez pode ser realizado. Nesse contexto, o principal objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os conceitos de competência e de capacidade nas correntes de turbidez. O estudo foi desenvolvido experimentalmente, em um canal de inclinação variável de 4 m de comprimento, 40 cm de altura e 12 cm de largura. Um leito móvel foi construído em um trecho intermediário do canal utilizando sedimento - carvão mineral (ρ = 1405 kgm³) - com tamanho areia média. No total, 30 simulações de correntes de turbidez contínuas foram realizadas, utilizando o mesmo sedimento, porém com tamanho areia muito fina. Foram simuladas três declividades diferentes (6%, 0,3% e 0,015%), vazões de injeção entre 15 e 25 lmin, concentrações iniciais variando entre 0,03% e 5,5% e a duração dos ensaios ficou compreendida entre 3 e 30 min. O levantamento do perfil longitudinal do leito móvel, antes e após o ensaio, foi realizado e todo o sedimento foi coletado. Três quantidades distintas de sedimento foram quantificadas: a quantidade depositada antes do leito móvel, a quantidade depositada no leito móvel e a quantidade depositada depois do leito móvel. O cálculo da eficiência de transporte das correntes de turbidez no trecho do leito móvel, bem como das suas descargas sólidas, foi realizado. Também foram realizadas análises granulométricas do sedimento depositado antes e após do leito móvel. Por fim, parâmetros do fluxo foram obtidos (altura e velocidade) através de análises visuais e números adimensionais clássicos do transporte sólido em canais abertos foram avaliados. A partir da interpretação dos dados, conclui-se que os conceitos de competência do escoamento e de capacidade de transporte não foram capazes de refletir o diâmetro característico do sedimento transportado pelas correntes simuladas e a capacidade máxima de transporte desses fluxos, como normalmente ocorre em escoamentos fluviais. A relação entre a eficiência de transporte desses fluxos e a descarga sólida dos mesmos indicou que a partir de uma região a eficiência tornou-se invariante. Essa relação possui curvas com tendência logarítmica e as suas assíntotas ocorreram em valores de eficiência da ordem de 50% (inclinação de 6%) e de 40% (inclinações de 0,3% e 0,015%). A relação entre o diâmetro característico do sedimento depositado depois do leito e antes do leito indicou uma diminuição de cerca de 18% no tamanho dos grãos depositados a jusante. / The modeling of turbidity currents uses the concepts of competence and flow capacity that have been developed based on river hydraulics. However, the analogies between the fluvial environment and turbidity currents are not very clear. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the competence and flow capacity of turbidity currents. The study was performed using an experimental channel 4 m long, 40 cm high, and 12 cm wide with variable slope. A mobile bed of medium sand-size - mineral coal (ρ=1405 kgm³) - was constructed in an intermediate area of the channel. In total, 30 simulations of continuous turbidity currents were performed and the sediment used in the turbidity currents was very fine sand-size mineral coal. The simulations were accomplished considering three different channel slopes (6%, 0.3% e 0.015%); injection discharge varied between 15 and 25 l/min, and initial volumetric concentrations varied between 0.03% and 5.5%. The simulations lasted between 3 and 30 minutes. The longitudinal profile of the mobile bed was analyzed before and after each simulation, and all the sediment was collected at the end. Three different amounts of sediment were quantified: the amount of sediment deposited before, on, and after the mobile bed. Based on this data, both the transport efficiency and solid discharge of the turbidity current on the mobile bed were determined. Particle-size distribution of the deposited sediment before and after the mobile bed was also carried out. Finally, flow parameters were obtained (high and velocity) considering visual evaluation and the classical dimensional numbers in sediment transport in open channel flows were analyzed. The data interpretation revealed that the competence and flow capacity parameters were not able to reflect the grain diameter transported by the simulated currents and a maximum flow capacity of these flows, as usually is observed in fluvial flows. The relation between the transport efficiency and solid discharge of these flows demonstrated that after a certain point, the efficiency became constant. This relation resulted in log trend curves with asymptotes located at efficiency values of approximately 50% (6% slope) and 40% (0.3% and 0.015% slopes). The characteristic diameter of the sediment deposited after the mobile bed presented a reduction of 18% when compared to the sediment deposited before the mobile bed.

L’entrepreneuriat social est une nouvelle forme entrepreneuriale tournée vers l’accomplissement d’une mission sociétale. L’étude du modèle économique, concept central dans toute aventure entrepreneuriale, fait pourtant défaut dans les recherches académiques. L’objectif de ce travail est de démontrer la pertinence de l’analyse du modèle économique en entrepreneuriat social au moyen d’une analyse de type «business model». Après une étude qualitative exploratoire, quatre cas ont été étudiés sur la base d’entretiens semi-directifs ayant permis de produire une version narrative des business models et des modèles économiques afférents. La comparaison systématique des résultats relève qu’il n’existe pas de méthode infaillible pour construire un modèle économique viable dans le contexte de l’entrepreneuriat social. En s’inscrivant dans une approche dynamique, nous proposons une nouvelle lecture qui décortique le nœud des liens de valeurs en expliquant les résultats de leurs interactions sur la viabilité d’un projet à utilité sociale. Outre le constat sur l’actualité du débat établi, la thèse propose des pistes pour l’écriture d’un modèle économique viable dans les organisations à finalité sociale et permet d’approfondir l’articulation entre différentes stratégies et pratiques dans la mise en place d’une architecture financière porteuse de vertus sociales et de performances plurielles. / Social entrepreneurship is a new form of entrepreneurship focused on achieving a societal mission. The study of the economic model, a central concept in any entrepreneurial venture, is nevertheless lacking in academic research. The objective of this work is to demonstrate therelevance of analyzing the economic model in social entrepreneurship by a "business model" approach. After an exploratory qualitative study,four cases were studied based onsemi-directive interviews that produced a narrative version of their business and related economic models. The systematic comparison of the results shows that there is no foolproof way to build a viable economic model in the social entrepreneurshipcontext. By adopting a dynamic approach, we propose a new interpretation that analyses the core value relationships by explaining the results of their interactions on the project’ssocially useful viability. In addition to the observation on the topicality of the established debate, the thesis proposes avenues for writing a viable economic model in social purpose organizations and makes it possible to deepen the interaction between different strategies and practices in the implementation of a financial architecture bearing social virtues and plural performances.

Cette thèse a été effectuée au sein de l’Institut de Physique de Rennes, et qui porte sur le transfert d’énergie rotationnelle lors des collisions de CO-Ar et CO-H2 à très basses températures pour des applications astrophysiques. Comprendre la constitution du milieu interstellaire (MIS), son évolution et ses propriétés physiques telles que la température et la densité, nécessite la connaissance de l’efficacité des collisions atomiques et moléculaires. Cette thèse expérimentale a été motivée par cet objectif. Le MIS et plus particulièrement les nuages moléculaires froids sont caractérisés par des températures très basses atteignant ~ -260 °C. Afin de reproduire ces conditions, on a utilisé la technique CRESU (Cinétique des Réactions en Ecoulement Supersonique Uniforme). Deux systèmes de collisions ont été étudiés : CO-Ar et CO-H2 pour leur impact dans les modèles astrophysiques (dits aussi modèles de transfert radiatifs). Une technique spectroscopique IR-VUV (Infrarouge-Ultraviolet dans le vide) en double résonance à base de lasers pulsés a été utilisée pour la détection et le diagnostic de l’efficacité des collisions et la détermination les constantes de collisions. Les résultats expérimentaux obtenus (pour la première fois) ont été comparés à des prédictions basées sur des calculs théoriques très avancés de mécanique quantique. Un très bon accord a été obtenu, ce qui a permis de tester et valider ces calculs théoriques d’un côté, et aussi de pouvoir fournir des constantes de collisions robustes qui vont être utilisées par les astrophysiciens pour modéliser et déterminer les propriétés physiques du MIS, ainsi qu’interpréter les spectres astrophysiques obtenus par des télescopes ou des satellites. / In the quest to understand the universe, astrophysicists observe and make models for astrophysical objects in the sky. The interstellar medium, ISM, in particular is of central importance since it represents the matter that exists in the space between stars in a galaxy, and in which stars and planets form. Understanding it, its constituents and its evolution and characteristics requires the quantification of several chemical and physical processes, including collision processes. In this work, we used the CRESU technique to reproduce very cold environments of astrophysical media, in particular dense molecular clouds in the ISM. We studied experimentally rotational energy transfer, RET, resulting from inelastic collisions at very low temperatures using a pump-probe laser-based spectroscopic technique for the purpose of measuring constants quantifying collisions. Two types of constants were determined: the first are total removal constants of RET resulting from a specific rotational quantum state to all possible final rotational quantum states, and the second are more detailed information consisting in rate constants from a specific rotational quantum state to another specific rotational quantum state, so-called state-to-state rate constants. Two experiments have been performed involving Carbone monoxide molecule, CO, as a target molecule of collisions. The first involves argon, Ar, as a projectile atom, and the second molecular hydrogen, H2, as a projectile molecule. Both collisional systems play an important role in a wide range of areas including gas-phase phenomena and astrophysical applications. In the first experiment, we investigated collisions between CO and Ar, from 293 K down to 30 K. IR-VUV double resonance technique has been exploited to measure, directly for the first time, absolute values of total removal and state-to-state constants of collisions. The experimental results have been compared to theoretical predictions based on a diatom-atom model of collision, where very good agreement was observed. In the second experiment, we investigated collisions between CO and H2 (the most abundant molecules in the ISM) from 293 K down to 5.5 K focusing on the very low temperatures of dense molecular clouds in the ISM. For the first time, total removal and state-to-state constants have been measured and compared to theoretical predictions of a highly accurate diatom-diatom model of collisions, where excellent agreement was observed. The results obtained in this thesis served to validate theoretical models of molecular collisions, helping the continuous efforts for pushing the frontiers of theoretical models. In the astrophysical side, the obtained collisional constants will be taken into account in modeling of many astrophysical media.

One of the major factors that affect economic growth is FDI - Forgein Direct Investment. BRICS is a newly formed trade bloc that includes 5 of the largest, most heavily populated, and most emerging economies in the world, their economies share various characteristics, yet they also have various differences. The purpose of the thesis is to find the determinants of FDI in this trade bloc. Those determinants were specifically chosen based on multiple accredited previous literature. In this thesis a panel data regression is performed for these 5 partners with data ranging from 1995 to 2018. The results of the thesis were both predicted and surprising, as two determinants were in accordance with the past literature, however the other two  determinants had other results, both of these variables had opposite signs compared to their predicted signs that were expected from the chosen previous literature. Our research tries to answer the question of how do these determinants affect FDI inflows, in order for countries to make strategies to attract it.

abstract: This thesis addresses the following fundamental maximum throughput routing problem: Given an arbitrary edge-capacitated n-node directed network and a set of k commodities, with source-destination pairs (s_i,t_i) and demands d_i> 0, admit and route the largest possible number of commodities -- i.e., the maximum throughput -- to satisfy their demands. The main contributions of this thesis are three-fold: First, a bi-criteria approximation algorithm is presented for this all-or-nothing multicommodity flow (ANF) problem. This algorithm is the first to achieve a constant approximation of the maximum throughput with an edge capacity violation ratio that is at most logarithmic in n, with high probability. The approach used is based on a version of randomized rounding that keeps splittable flows, rather than approximating those via a non-splittable path for each commodity: This allows it to work for arbitrary directed edge-capacitated graphs, unlike most of the prior work on the ANF problem. The algorithm also works if a weighted throughput is considered, where the benefit gained by fully satisfying the demand for commodity i is determined by a given weight w_i>0. Second, a derandomization of the algorithm is presented that maintains the same approximation bounds, using novel pessimistic estimators for Bernstein's inequality. In addition, it is shown how the framework can be adapted to achieve a polylogarithmic fraction of the maximum throughput while maintaining a constant edge capacity violation, if the network capacity is large enough. Lastly, one important aspect of the randomized and derandomized algorithms is their simplicity, which lends to efficient implementations in practice. The implementations of both randomized rounding and derandomized algorithms for the ANF problem are presented and show their efficiency in practice. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Computer Science 2020

abstract: Short-notice disasters such as hurricanes involve uncertainties in many facets, from the time of its occurrence to its impacts’ magnitude. Failure to incorporate these uncertainties can affect the effectiveness of the emergency responses. In the case of a hurricane event, uncertainties and corresponding impacts during a storm event can quickly cascade. Over the past decades, various storm forecast models have been developed to predict the storm uncertainties; however, access to the usage of these models is limited. Hence, as the first part of this research, a data-driven simulation model is developed with aim to generate spatial-temporal storm predicted hazards for each possible hurricane track modeled. The simulation model identifies a means to represent uncertainty in storm’s movement and its associated potential hazards in the form of probabilistic scenarios tree where each branch is associated with scenario-level storm track and weather profile. Storm hazards, such as strong winds, torrential rain, and storm surges, can inflict significant damage on the road network and affect the population’s ability to move during the storm event. A cascading network failure algorithm is introduced in the second part of the research. The algorithm takes the scenario-level storm hazards to predict uncertainties in mobility states over the storm event. In the third part of the research, a methodology is proposed to generate a sequence of actions that simultaneously solve the evacuation flow scheduling and suggested routes which minimize the total flow time, or the makespan, for the evacuation process from origins to destinations in the resulting stochastic time-dependent network. The methodology is implemented for the 2017 Hurricane Irma case study to recommend an evacuation policy for Manatee County, FL. The results are compared with evacuation plans for assumed scenarios; the research suggests that evacuation recommendations that are based on single scenarios reduce the effectiveness of the evacuation procedure. The overall contributions of the research presented here are new methodologies to: (1) predict and visualize the spatial-temporal impacts of an oncoming storm event, (2) predict uncertainties in the impacts to transportation infrastructure and mobility, and (3) determine the quickest evacuation schedule and routes under the uncertainties within the resulting stochastic transportation networks. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Industrial Engineering 2020

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The Saldania Belt in southern Africa, a product of the Pan-African Saldanian Orogeny, forms part of a system of Neoproterozoic mobile belts that border and weld older cratons on the African continent. It is a low-grade orogenic belt situated along the southwestern margin of the Kalahari Craton and is composed of several inliers of greenschist facies metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks (Malmesbury Group), unroofed in megaanticlinal hinges of the Permo-Triassic Cape Fold Belt. The Malmesbury Group rocks were syn- and post-tectonically intruded in a pervasive transpressive regime between 555 Ma and 515 Ma by Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian S-, I- and A-type granites, monzodiorites, gabbros and quartz syenites, which collectively constitute the rocks of the Cape Granite Suite (CGS). Along the south-western coastline of South Africa, the Saldanha Bay Volcanic Complex (which forms part of the CGS) is divided into two eruption centres both of which have been identified as “intra-caldera pyroclastic ignimbrites”. The Postberg eruption centre is situated to the south of the Saldanha Bay entrance and the Saldanha eruption centre is situated to the north of the entrance. Both eruption centres display distinct geochemical signatures, the most apparent being the greater TiO2 concentrations (> 0.25 wt. %) of the Saldanha centre ignimbrites when compared to its Postberg centre counterparts. The Postberg eruption centre consists of S-type rhyolitic ignimbrites which are subdivided into the two geochemically distinct Plankiesbaai and Tsaarsbank Ignimbrites. Small amounts of the Jacobs Bay and Saldanha Ignimbrites (less felsic tephra from the Saldanha eruption centre) are also present in the Postberg eruption centre. A robust geochemical analysis of both the Plankiesbaai and Tsaarsbank magma groups display high SiO2 content (>76 wt. %), a lack of variation in TiO2 and Zr, high Al2O3 and ASI (aluminium saturation index) values (> 1.0 and generally >1.1 which, on average, is higher than the Saldanha eruption centre ignimbrites), low CaO and Na2O, and a highly ferroan character. The Plankiesbaai ignimbrite also display lower #Mg concentration compared to the Tsaarsbank ignimbrite. Typical geochemical trends in the Postberg eruption centre include the lack of variation in Zr content, higher Rb content and lower Sr, Ba, V and Zn concentrations when compared to the tephra of the Saldanha eruption centre found in the Postberg area. The study’s main aim is not only to assess the geochemistry of the ignimbrites relative to the previous phases of magmatism originally proposed by Scheepers (1995) for the magmatism of the Cape Granite Suite, but also their age distribution. Previously defined phases of magmatism include Phase I (S-type granites subdivided into Sb, Sa1 and Sa2 all of which are dated to 555 - 540 Ma), Phase II (I-type granites subdivided into Ia and Ib both dated to 540 – 520 Ma), Phase III (A-type granites subdivided into Aa and Ab dated to ~ 520 Ma) and Phase IV (S-type volcanic and subvolcanic rocks dated to 515 Ma). Re-examination of the geochronology displays a U-Pb age for Postberg Centre Jacobs Bay Ignimbrite (tephra from the Saldanha eruption centre) of 538 ± 2.2 Ma: and for the Postberg Centre Tsaarsbank Ignimbrite between 536 ± 2 Ma – 540 ± 3.4 Ma. These new dates, in combination with the geochronological work done in the Saldanha Centre (particularly in light of the Clemens and Stevens (2016) and Clemens et al. (2017) studies that reclassify these rocks differing from the original and previous studies), place all the ignimbrites of the Saldanha Bay Volcanic Complex securely within the age bracket for the initial S-type magmatism of the CGS. This thesis presents a revised order for the phases of magmatism of the Saldania Belt, and by extension, of the Cape Granite Suite. All S-type magmatism, including that of the Saldanha Bay Volcanic Complex (Sv), forms part of the Phase I magmatism of the Saldania Belt (Sa1, Sa2, and Sb) emplaced between 555 – 540 Ma.

Foreign direct investment has been sharply affected by the global SARS-CoV-19 pandemic, as quarantine measures have decimated global trade, aviation and domestic economies through lockdowns which have wreaked havoc on markets. Macroeconomic indicators including GDP growth rates, unemployment, business confidence, consumer confidence, retail sales and inflation have all been negatively affected due to the simultaneous supply &amp; demand shock caused by the pandemic. Economic crises are a regularly occurring feature, with a degree of cyclicality determining their emergence. The uniqueness of crises, in their appearance and dissipation, stems from a large variance in relevant macroeconomic, fundamental and societal factors giving rise to the crisis in the first place, with the uniqueness being bound and pertinent to a selected period of time in history under which they occurred. In this thesis we explored the impact of the two most significant economic crises of the 21st century, the Great Recession and the ongoing SARS-CoV-19 pandemic and their impact on capital flows, specifically on FDI-flows in two developed markets and two emerging markets. Our findings suggest that FDI-flows display a high synchronicity with stages of economic cycles, and tend to decrease during economic recessions and increase during economic expansions.