Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-112). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Riverside, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 201-208).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 278-289).

This study will examine if Akhuwat provides a sustainable Islamic interest-free Microfinance model for potential poverty alleviation. This question is particularly complicated for an organization that relies so heavily on subsidies. Theoretical debates of sustainability and the recognition of donations, cross-market comparisons, and data from audit reports will validate Akhuwat’s potential for long term sustainability. Analysis also highlights the discrepancies that plague this opaque industry.

Over the past two decades, conditional cash transfer (CCT) has become one of the most widespread approaches to social development in Latin America. Spurred in large part by the evident and immediate success of Mexico’s CCT initiative, a multitude of countries began to invest heavily in this strategy hoping to reduce poverty and inequality in the short and long run. This paper examines the relationship between CCT program breadth and poverty, inequality, and secondary school enrollment over a thirteen year span in order to determine whether or not programs with the largest coverage were the most efficient. This question is of grave importance being that as many as eighteen countries are betting on CCT as a means in sustainably breaking poverty cycles. This thesis finds that conditional cash transfer has been exceptionally successful in diminishing extreme poverty in Latin America. Furthermore, although result are inconclusive in terms of moderate poverty, secondary school enrollment, and inequality a trend analysis of fluctuations in poverty and inequality from 1997 to 2010 shows promising results as all development indicators appear to be in decline.

No description available.

Este estudo promove uma ampla investigação do processo de distribuição de renda brasileira no período compreendido entre 1987 e 2005. Consideram-se informações relativas aos níveis de desigualdade e mobilidade de renda, bem como as suas relações com o bem-estar econômico. Para tanto, foi aplicada uma série de instru- mentais estatísticos e um processo de simulação estocástica. Os resultados foram divididos em três blocos: a) um estático, relacionado µa desigualdade de renda e sua ligação com o bem-estar econômico; b) o outro referente µa mensuração da mobilidade de renda e; c) porfim, o terceiro ensaio simulando os ganhos (ou perdas) de bem-estar oriundos da mobilidade. Observou-se uma mudança signicativa na distribuição de renda no período e ela, por sua vez, mostrou-se compatível com um maior nível de bem-estar. Os resultados dinâmicos classificaram o Brasil como um país com baixa mobilidade de renda. Porfim, as simulações indicaram que uma elevação na mobilidade, em suas diversas formas, constitui uma importante fonte de geração de bem-estar social. / This study intends to promote a broad investigation about Brazilian income dis- tribution in the period between 1987 and 2005. It was taking into account data about income inequalities level, income mobility and welfare indicators. To achieve that it was used several statistics tools and a process of stochastic simulation. The results are showed in three parts: a) the ¯rst one results is related to static infor- mation about income inequalities and its relationships with economic welfare; b) the second part measure the income mobility and; c) in the third part are simulated the changes in the economic welfare related to income mobility. It was observed a change in the income distribution related to an increase in the welfare index. The dynamic results showed low income mobility in Brazil. At last, the simulations results suggest that an increase in mobility is an important way to increase social welfare.

Submitted by Daniella Santos (daniella.santos@fgv.br) on 2009-08-07T12:39:31Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Marcelo_Zouain_Pedroni.pdf: 659759 bytes, checksum: 3609c2455d6be1829e847dd880a510b3 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Antoanne Pontes(antoanne.pontes@fgv.br) on 2009-08-07T17:39:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Marcelo_Zouain_Pedroni.pdf: 659759 bytes, checksum: 3609c2455d6be1829e847dd880a510b3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2009-08-07T17:39:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Marcelo_Zouain_Pedroni.pdf: 659759 bytes, checksum: 3609c2455d6be1829e847dd880a510b3 (MD5) / Lucas (2009) has proposed a two-sector model to account for patterns in growth data. However, Lucas’s analysis does not involve any inter-temporal decision by the consumers. The behavior of the variables is determined a priori by the technology that is chosen. Rodriguez (2006) proposed a model with the twosector technology presented by Lucas adding an inter-temporal decision process for the consumer. In addition to the results obtained by Rodriguez, we characterize sufficiency and provide elucidating examples of particular cases of the model. Moreover, we make an effort to derive new insights from the model and clarify some technical points. Finally, we obtain conditions under which the economy invests in human capital even though benefits are deferred. / Lucas (2009) propôs um modelo com dois setores para explicar padrões observados em dados de crescimento. Entretanto, a análise de Lucas não envolve uma decisão intertemporal para o consumidor. O comportamento das variáveis é determinado à priori pela tecnologia escolhida. Rodriguez (2006) propôs um modelo com a tecnologia com dois setores apresentada por Lucas adicionando um processo de decisão intertemporal para o consumidor. Adicionalmente aos resultados obtidos por Rodriguez, nós caracterizamos suficiência e apresentamos exemplos esclarecedores de casos particulares do modelo. Ademais, nós fazemos um esforço para derivar novos insights e esclarecer alguns pontos técnicos. Finalmente, nós obtemos condições sob as quais a economia investe em capital humano mesmo com benefícios diferidos.

Cosmo City was established as a pilot project to integrate the low, middle and high income communities to live together and share common resources like schools, medical facilities, churches and shopping centres. Over a period of seven years, waste management has become a problem leading to littering, illegal dumping and overfilling of skips. Perceptions of waste management in different income households were studied. The specific objectives were, willingness of households to separate waste from source, health concerns emanating when one interacts with waste at the sources, effect of incentives on household’s willingness to separate waste from source, household’s opinion on including the waste pickers in the formal waste management system. Data was collected using structured questionnaire and interviews. The results indicated that 30% of low income households, 23% of middle income households and 10% of high income households recycle waste. The study revealed that 78% of low income households, 78% of middle income households and 80% of high income households were willing to sort waste from source. Overall results showed about 20% drop when sorting waste without incentives was suggested. 52% of low income households, 55% middle income households and 48% high income households rated hygiene as the major health concern on sorting waste from source. 85% of low income households, 77% of low income household, 71% of middle income and 78% of high income households support the incorporation of waste pickers in the formal waste management system. The results related to perceptions of the community on waste management suggest that the three different communities are willing to participate in waste management and support the incorporation of the waste pickers in the formal waste management system. In general this study should serve as a guideline for legislation, policy and regulations formulation. Integrated solid waste management that involves waste pickers and separation of waste from source can help with job creation, boosts the economy and deviate waste from landfilling to recycling. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)