The diploma thesis deals with Europe 2020 strategy and its targets in the context of growth theories. The thesis aims at relating the measures suggested by the strategy to the implications of the growth theories. First, the targets are compared with the current situation in EU member states and problem areas of European competitiveness are identified. Growth models described in the first chapter yield some normative recommendations with respect to growth policies. Based on these conclusions, the thesis discusses the policies designed in the Europe 2020 strategy and their implications for economic growth in the EU.

In the literature there is a great emphasis on the theories of regional growth and development. In many theories, the role of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the economic growth and development of different regions has been widely discussed. Therefore, there is an emphasis upon the importance of the SMEs in the growth and development of the regional and national economies. The aim of this study is to clarify the role of local capabilities in the exporting SMEs and consequently define their role in regional growth and shed some light on the situation of the local capabilities in Ankara province. Therefore, in this study, firstly the theoretical framework of regional growth theories and the role of exporting SMEs in the regional economic growth are constructed. Secondly, the increasing role of different types of SMEs in the regional growth and their defining characteristics are discussed. Thirdly, brief remarks on SMEs in the Turkish economy and Ankara have been provided. Afterwards, the main hypothesis of this study tested through the results iv iv obtained from the survey that was done with SMEs in Ankara province and success factors of SMEs are drawn from the in-depth interviews. Finally, by making a general evaluation some policy implications have been drawn.

Denna forskningsstudies syfte är att undersöka sambandet mellan internationell handel och ekonomisk tillväxt och effekten som internationell handel har på ekonomisk tillväxt i afrikanska länder söder om Saharaöknen (Subsahariska Afrika). Majoriteten av tidigare studier och forskning inom detta område hävdar att det finns en positivt korrelation mellan dessa två variabler men ändå så finns det fortfarande vissa som ifrågasätter hur pass stor påverkan dessa två variabler egentligen har, om den effekten verkligen är tillräckligt signifikant för att anses vara betydelsefullt samt viktig. Informationen och datan som använts i denna studie är tagna från World Bank Group (Världsbanken), Human Development Reports och Fraser Institute. Studiens teoretiska referensram använder sig av tillväxtteorier, vilket bestod av Solowmodellen, endogen tillväxtteori och institutionell teori samt handelsteorier, som bestod av den Ricardianska modellen och Heckscher-Ohlin modellen för att bättre förklara konceptet av ekonomisk tillväxt och hur internationell handel kan komma att påverka processen till att uppnå ekonomisk tillväxt. Inom denna undersökning utfördes en panel-data studie med stöd av en regressionsanalys för att kunna mäta korrelationen mellan internationell handel och ekonomisk tillväxt. Den beroende variabeln för denna forskningsstudie var ekonomisk tillväxt i form av den årliga BNP per capita-tillväxten medan de oberoende variablerna innehöll bland annat internationell handel, utbildning, kapital, befolkningstillväxt, arbetskraft, korruption och ekonomisk frihet. Dessutom inkluderar undersökningen 36 utav de totala 48 möjliga länder i Subsahariska Afrika och är avgränsad till en tioårsperiod mellan 2009–2019. Slutresultatet av denna studies forskning visar att det finns ett signifikant positivt korrelation mellan ekonomisk tillväxt och internationell handel och kommer då fram till slutsatsen att internationell handel faktiskt har en viktig effekt/påverkan och är därför nödvändig för att uppnå ekonomisk tillväxt. / The purpose of this research study is to examine the relationship between international trade and economic growth and the effect that international trade has on economic growth in sub-Saharan African countries (Sub-Saharan Africa). The majority of previous studies and research in this area claim that there is a positive correlation between these two variables, yet there are still some who question how much these two variables actually have influenced each other and if that effect is really significant enough to be considered significant as well as important. The information and data used in this study are taken from the World Bank Group, Human Development Reports and Fraser Institute. The study's theoretical framework uses growth theories, which consisted of the Solow model and endogenous growth theory, and trade theories, which consisted of the Ricardian model, the Heckscher-Ohlin model, and institutional theory to better explain the concept of economic growth and how international trade can affect the process of achieving economic growth. Within this research, a panel dataset study was carried out with the support of a regression analysis in order to measure the correlation between international trade and economic growth. The dependent variable for this research study was economic growth in the form of annual GDP per capita growth, while the independent variables included international trade, education, capital, population growth, labor force, corruption and economic freedom. Additionally, the study includes thirty-six out of a total of forty-eight possible countries in sub-Saharan Africa and is limited to a ten-year period between 2009-2019. The final result of this study's research shows that there is a significant positive correlation between economic growth and international trade and concludes that international trade actually has a very important effect/impact and is essential to achieving economic growth.