The fact that public goods exist is often taken as a rationale for government provision of such goods, mostly because of the free rider phenomenon. In the given paper the author challenges this view through theoretical discussion of alternative views on public goods and empirical evidence of private provision of public goods, such as zoning, rule creation and infrastructure development. Private property rights and contracting with communities based on these institutional tools are the main focal point in the research of private provision. Author examines proprietary communities in USA and Czech Republic and shows that private provision of public goods is subject to market demand and this demand is met with supply, given the appropriate institutional context.

The thesis covers topics related to railway transport of consumer goods. First, basic attributes of rail transport such as economic characteristics, history, development in time, infrastructure, and standards are presented. Second, major agents of rail transport and their functions are described. Third, international standards and rules applying to the railway transport are discussed, including the outcomes of EU initiatives as well as COTIF regulations. Fourth, a brief overview of consumer goods as an object of transport and further applications are presented. In the fifth part, a portfolio of quantitative instruments is described. Sixth, the final case study deals with application of the developed theoretical framework on a real business situation.

Orientador: Aldo Eloizo Job / Banca: Rodrigo Fernando Bianchi / Banca: Dalita Gomes Silva Moraes Cavalcante / Banca: Antonio Hernandes Chaves Neto / Banca: Felipe Silva Bellucci / Resumo: Filmes de borracha natural (BN), fabricadas a partir do látex da seringueira Hevea braziliensis, foram utilizadas neste trabalho como substratos ativos para a obtenção de nanopartículas de prata (AgNPs) e como substrato inativo para nanopartículas semi-condutoras fluorescentes, os pontos quânticos ou quantum dots (QDs). O filme de BN agiu como um reator para a síntese das AgNPs, sendo ele o agende redutor, estabilizador e substratos destas. A síntese pode ter ocorrido devido a interação de amidas, provenientes das proteínas presentes no látex, com os íons prata, provenientes da dissociação do nitrato de prata (AgNO3) em água, dando origem à um processo de síntese verde de nanopartículas (NP). O processo de síntese foi realizado por imersão dos filmes de BN na solução de AgNO3 por diferentes tempos, sendo os filmes obtidos após este processo denominados filmes de BN/Ag com distintas concentrações de AgNPs, sendo estas com formato esférico e tamanho variando entre 25 nm a 60 nm. Estudos de citotoxicidade e genotoxicidade in vitro, foram realizados utilizando as linhagens celulares CCD 1059 sk (fibroblasto humano normal) e CHO K1 (fibroblasto de ovário de hamster) e a avaliação dos resultados destes ensaios demonstram que os filmes, tanto de BN e de BN/Ag, não geram danos ao metabolismo celular para as linhagens estudadas e também não se observou dano ao DNA de tais células. Ainda neste trabalho foi obtido filmes flexíveis fluorescentes devido a mistura líquido-líquido do látex ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Natural rubber films (NR), made from latex of Hevea brasiliensis, were used in this study as active substrates to obtain silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and as inactive substrate for fluorescent semi-conductor nanoparticles, quantum dots (QDs). The NR film plays as a reactor, reduce agent, stabilizer and substrate for AgNPs synthesis. The synthesis may be due to interaction amides derived from proteins present in latex, with the silver ions from the dissociation of silver nitrate (AgNO3) in water giving rise to a process of green synthesis of nanoparticles (NP). The synthesis process was carried out by immersing the BN film on AgNO3 solution for different times, and the films obtained after this process called BN films/Ag with different concentrations of AgNPS, which are spherical shape and size between 25 nm 60 nm. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies in vitro were performed using the cell line CCD 1059 sk (normal human fibroblast) and CHO-K1 (hamster ovary fibroblast) the results of these assays demonstrate that films, BN and BN/Ag, do not generate damage to cell linage metabolism and also there was no damage to the DNA of these cells. Still, in this work, was obtained flexible fluorescent films from liquid-liquid mixture between the natrual rubber latex and QDs solution; after the drying process there was obtained a fluorescent flexible film and those emissions can be observed for different wavelengths in the visible spectrum while the samples in the solid state, exhibit sam... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

<div><div><div><p>The purpose of this project was to investigate and propose a solution to gaps identified in existing paradigms for buying and selling secondhand goods online. Through a review of existing literature, the secondhand market was explored together with the variety of reasons for individuals’ participation. Different modes of collaborative consumption and some of the challenges unique to peer-to-peer markets were also examined. A computational approach to identifying items and actions within digital media was reviewed in support of the proposed solution. Research discoveries uncovered through directional surveys, semi-structured interviews, and an analysis of peer products were summarized. These discoveries were consolidated into a list of requirements, including 1) being able to sell many items at once, 2) disbursing items quickly and with minimal effort, 3) making lower value items worth selling, 4) establishing and maintaining trust by designing for safety and encouraging quality, and 5) reducing the need for communication between buyers and sellers by managing the sale, condition, and inventory status. After multiple rounds of concept development, a principal direction based upon the “make me move” concept in the real estate industry was selected. Combined with panoramic images, the resulting solution relied on computer-driven tagging of items for sale. This allowed many items to be listed at once through a single image while making it possible for buyers to find and place offers. Offers were suggested in lieu of bids or an immediate checkout process to avoid some of the negative, bid-related behaviors and minimize the communication required to complete a sale. An interactive prototype was created to evaluate the concept and usability via online user testing, which included surveys and cognitive walkthroughs. The results were analyzed and prioritized to refine the final details of the solution. Overall, I demonstrated a unique concept for buying and selling secondhand goods which supports selling many items, efficiently and safely, while eliminating much of the back and forth communication required to facilitate transactions on many existing platforms.</p></div></div></div>

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a dinâmica (dispersão e variação) dos preços de um conjunto de bens duráveis praticados pelos varejistas em lojas virtuais brasileiras. As informações foram coletadas por um sistema automático de captura, ao longo de um ano completo (2014). Três hipóteses foram formuladas. A primeira hipótese estabeleceu que, apesar das características homogêneas dos produtos comercializados, deveriam persistir diferenças significativas entre os preços praticados pelos diferentes varejistas. A segunda hipótese propôs a ideia de que, para produtos tecnologicamente mais simples, as diferenças de preços entre os competidores deveriam ser menos acentuadas quando comparadas com itens mais complexos. A terceira hipótese provém de uma ideia semelhante, entretanto, fixa-se na comparação de preços praticada em diferentes períodos do ano. Supôs-se que, em momentos nos quais a sazonalidade é de aumento forte das vendas (por exemplo, \"Black Friday\" ou o Dia das Mães), as variações de preços devem ser menores que as registradas em outros períodos do ano. A análise dos modelos, utilizando 767481 observações concluiu pela não rejeição das três hipóteses. / The purpose of this work is to study the dynamics of retail durable goods prices. A set of representative products traded on the Internet channel was chosen. The information set was surveyed with the use of an automatic data collection system, throughout the whole year of 2014. Three hypotheses were proposed. The first hypothesis states that despite the fact that the products are relatively homogeneous, meaningful prices differences among the retailers should be found. The second hypothesis affirms that durable goods which are technologically simpler than other ones, more sophisticated, should unveil fewer price differences. The third and the last hypothesis proposes that in periods when the demand is more intense (Mother´s Day in May, or Black Friday in November, for instance), the price differences should be less pronounced. The tests carried out, using 767481 cases, did not reject the three hypotheses.

Thesis advisor: Julie H. Mortimer / This dissertation consists of two independent chapters on pricing and consumer demand in the retail sector. In chapter 1 develop an empirical model of Consumer Supermarket Choice that enables identification of heterogeneous consumer travel costs and is suitable for a wide range of policy experiments and the study of local competition. Chapter 2 is a theoretical investigation on pricing patterns in multi-product retail markets, when boundedly rational consumers' choice of a store is based on the price and valuation of a subset of goods. Estimation of demand systems in spatially differentiated retail markets is fundamental for understanding local competition and the impact of policy changes. It is also challenging, because shopping decisions consist of multiple dimensions: when to shop, where to shop and what to buy. In chapter 1 I develop an empirically tractable model of store choice in the supermarket industry and provide a way to identify consumers' heterogeneous travel costs without imposing restrictions on bundle choice. Using micro level data on a small market in New England, I estimate demand for stores using both a moment inequality approach and standard discrete choice techniques. I specify utility as a function of both store and bundle characteristics, and control for the endogeneity of expenditure on the bundle. I use the estimates of the discrete choice model to evaluate the welfare impact of 1) the closing of each individual store in the market and 2) the relocation of one of the stores. I find that travel costs are heterogeneous and marginally decreasing; that people like to shop at stores that are close, but also like to shop at multiple stores. Furthermore, people value stores differently (across consumers and shopping occasion) and trade off additional travel time for better store characteristics; utility differentials in preference for stores correspond to a distance ranging between zero and up to 3.3 miles. Variation in demand and substitution patterns across stores are explained by differences in store characteristics and by the shopping habits and geographic distribution of heterogenous consumers. Changes in market structure, like store entry and exit can have significant impact on consumer welfare. For example, removal on one of the stores results in a loss in CS that ranges between 8% and 44%. The assumption of rationality in retail shopping decisions appears very problematic when stores sell thousands of products and frequently vary their assortments and prices. Consumers are typically uncertain about prices at different stores and for a consumer to consider the entire distribution of bundles and prices might be a far too complex decision process. Furthermore, models with rational consumers are incapable of fully explaining important features of retail markets such as price dispersion, advertising and leader pric- ing. In chapter 2 I attempt to characterize optimal pricing by multi-product retailers when imperfectly informed consumers buy more than one product. The distinctive feature of the model is that there are two relevant moments to all purchase decisions. First, the choice of a store to visit, and second, the choice of the items to purchase. While consumers might rationally choose a store to best meet their specific needs and desires, the choice of the items to purchase is made only once in a store. Whether guided by impulse, contingent and unforeseen needs or in-store learning about a product, consumers often end up buying additional products which can generate higher profits for the stores. To examine the implications on retail pricing of this kind of behavior, I depart from a standard rational setup and introduce the concept of attractor goods. Using an an approach similar to that found in Osborne and Rubinstein (1998) and Spiegler (2006) I consider boundedly rational con- sumers whose choice between stores is based solely and entirely on the price and valuation of a subset of goods, the attractors. I show that retailer's pricing decisions have to take into account not only the direct effect of prices on a product's demand but also the effect on the demand for the other products sold in the store. The optimal pricing schedule will be a decreasing function of the goods' attractiveness, and pricing below marginal cost might be optimal for some goods. The model provides a rationale for the strategy of loss leader pricing and offers an intuitive explanation to countercyclical markups. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics.

Thesis advisor: Claudia Olivetti / This dissertation tracks a particular public health program and examines the economic causes and consequences of the institution of public health. I follow the United States rollout of county-level health departments (CHDs) over 1908 to 1933 and track the short-run benefits, the long-run benefits, and the factors that led to adoption. At the turn of the twentieth century, rural areas lagged behind urban centers in access to public health services, despite the fact that there had been convergence in urban-rural mortality. With 60 percent of the US population living in rural areas, this lack of public health was a population-wide problem. By 1908 the rural health problem drew national attention from the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) and health-interested private organizations. These organizations targeted rural health conditions by opening local public health departments that were operated by the existing county government. This revolutionary approach initiated the first nationwide rural public health program in United States history. The rollout of health infrastructure improved sanitation and provided access to child health services in under-served areas throughout the US. The sanitation improvements included inspections, hygiene training, and installation of toilets, wells, and drainage. Health services appeared in the form of exams, nutritional consults, immunizations, and midwife hygiene training. Local tax dollars provided the majority of funding for this program, although supplemental support arrived from outside organizations including the USPHS, state governments, the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission (RSC), and the Sheppard-Towner Act. In the first chapter, Taxation, Inequality, and the Provision of Local Public Health, I consider the factors that shaped the appropriation of rural public health. Using digitized county-level records on property values and taxation, I argue that adopting regions had local governments centered around the county as compared to the town or township. Within state, specific counties that adopted this program had more active local governments, as measured by county taxation, county debt, and measured property values. Next, because CHDs provided a bridge between the rural and urban areas of the county, I consider whether the CHDs were redistributive in nature. I find that CHDs operated in areas with higher levels of land and income inequality, which is distinct from what related literature has established with education spending. These results suggest that public programs based on local revenue may help to mitigate disparities within the region of jurisdiction but may exacerbate inequalities between adopting and non-adopting areas. External funding from higher levels of government as well as private donors helped to randomize the effort and spread the health services more evenly between counties. In the second chapter, Explaining Declines in US Rural Mortality, 1910-1933: The Role of County Health Departments, I assess the short-run impact of CHDs in terms of aggregate county-level mortality. Using two novel datasets--CHD administrative records and US county-level rural mortality--I track the rollout of CHDs throughout the United States and use variation in when and where CHDs operated to identify the mortality benefits. With an event study design, I establish that CHD entry led to a decline in infant mortality, but provided little advantage to overall population health. For infants, CHDs prevented two deaths per 1,000 births, which accounts for 8-10% of the period-specific mortality decline. The effect is most substantial in rural-only counties, as well as in the Midwestern region of the United States. In these areas, infant mortality declined by three to four deaths per 1,000 births. In the final chapter, The Long-term Impact of Public Health Measures Targeting Children, I examine whether the public health initiative was effective at improving adult human capital. While previous studies have established the lasting detrimental effect of poor child health, fewer studies have evaluated whether public health programs can mitigate these adverse effects. To address this question, I estimate whether childhood exposure to a public health intervention affects adult income, education, and health. The historical vantage point of the CHD program allows me to follow exposed children through adulthood and observe the life-cycle benefits, including the total lifespan. To estimate the long-term benefits, I use linked census data, World War II enlistment records, and Social Security death records and exploit variation in the timing, location, and age of CHD exposure. Based on this methodology, I find that children treated under the age of five show later-life earnings improvements of three to four percent. I investigate the mechanisms underlying the effect and demonstrate that higher earnings emerge from better adult health, measured by cognition, body mass index, and the probability of living past age 80. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics.

Thesis advisor: Susanto Basu / Thesis advisor: Fabio Ghironi / Empirical studies highlight that countries that trade intermediate goods exhibit more synchronized business cycles. This positive correlation raises the question of causality. Traditional theoretical mechanisms propose the direction where higher bilateral trade in intermediate goods causes increased business cycle correlations. However, the data shows that trade is positively correlated with comovements in GDP as well as total factor productivity (TFP) and the current work in the literature explains only the first relation. I build a small open economy model that makes two contributions -- first, it predicts both positive correlations as seen in the data. Second, it explains potential causality in the reverse direction, i.e. countries might choose trade partners based on the properties of their business cycles. Specifically, the model predicts that when the elasticity of substitution between domestic capital and intermediate imports is low, i.e. the country is constrained by domestic technology, there is greater benefit from trading with a positively correlated source and self-insuring through capital accumulation. I provide empirical evidence of this condition in the data by estimating the elasticity of substitution between capital and intermediates by industry using a panel of countries. We use annual time series data and filtering methods to document the key statistics of the India business cycle. Output, consumption and investment are more volatile than in developed economies. Like in developed countries, consumption is less volatile and investment is more volatile than output in the Indian data. Unlike in the former, investment is not highly correlated with output. We test whether a standard real business cycle model with technology and fiscal shocks, with parameters calibrated for the Indian economy can replicate the features of the business cycle. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics.

This graduation thesis is focused on the road communication as a form of public goods. In the beginning, the author briefly described important and related terms. Then autor freely continued his theoretical description of the issue. The practical part contains analyzes of the operation and use of roads. He specially focuses on the area around České Budějovice and looks for possibilities for optimization of the setting.

Modern macroeconomic models with a Keynesian flavour usually involve nominal rigidities in wages and goods prices. A typical model is static and combines wage bargaining in the labour markets and monopolistic competition in the goods markets. As central policy implication it follows that deregulating labour and/or goods markets increases equilibrium employment. We reassess the consequences of deregulation in a dynamic model. It still increases employment at the fixed point, which corresponds to the static equilibrium solution. However, deregulation may also lead to stability loss and endogenous fluctuations. / Series: Working Papers Series "Growth and Employment in Europe: Sustainability and Competitiveness"