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<p> This study is a search for an analytical framework within which the structural factors constraining the Nigerian development process can be highlighted.</p> <p>We examine the input-output method and its relationship to planning a less developed country. The input-output table available for Nigeria is analysed using conventional techniques. Certain indices are derived in an attempt to throw some light on the evaluation of the development process. 'Ihe importance of designing an input-output table within the context of the particular problem to be solved is emphasized. </p> <p> A comparative analysis is made of the Nigerian table and an input-output table for Zambia, to highlight the relationship between the design and the use of an input-output table in the planning process. Furthermore, the elements involved in designing a table that would come to grips with the question of structural transformation, are discerned. In particular, the need to relate the classification of economic activities in an input-output matrix to the planning problem emerges.</p> <p> The data provided in the Nigerian table are used to illustrate the sort of basis on which an input-output table could be built if there is to be a link between a formal description of the economy and the simulation of change.</p> <p> The study illustrates the extent to which the development process depends on the planners' recognition of the relationship between the problem of transformation and the nature of structural constraints in the economy. In this way, it is possible to isolate systemic malfunctions in the economy and identify in connection with these, the areas of weakness in the planning process.</p> <p> It is also seen that if the input-output model is to be useful in planning structural transfoTmation, it must be able to accommodate radical changes in the structure of production and a normatively determined pattern of demand. The scope of the conventional model must be broadened to allow the planner to emphasize target groups of people in relating the structure of production to the pattern of demand.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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This dissertation examines the employment impacts of investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency in the U.S. A broad expansion of the use of renewable energy in place of carbon-based energy, in addition to investments in energy efficiency, comprise a prominent strategy to slow or reverse the effects of anthropogenic climate change. This study first explores the literature on the employment impacts of these investments. This literature to date consists mainly of input-output (I-O) studies or case studies of renewable energy and energy efficiency (REEE). Researchers are constrained, however, by their ability to use the I-O model to study REEE, since currently industrial codes do not recognize this industry as such. I develop and present two methods to use the I-O framework to overcome this constraint: the synthetic and integrated approaches. In the former, I proxy the REEE industry by creating a vector of final demand based on the industrial spending patterns of REEE firms as found in the secondary literature. In the integrated approach, I collect primary data through a nationwide survey of REEE firms and integrate these data into the existing I-O tables to explicitly identify the REEE industry and estimate the employment impacts resulting from both upstream and downstream linkages with other industries. The size of the REEE employment multiplier is sensitive to the choice of method, and is higher using the synthetic approach than using the integrated approach. I find that using both methods, the employment level per $1 million demand is approximately three times greater for the REEE industry than for fossil fuel (FF) industries. This implies that a shift to clean energy will result in positive net employment impacts. The positive effects stem mainly from the higher labor intensity of REEE in relation to FF, as well as from higher domestic content and lower average wages. The findings suggest that as we transition away from a carbon-based energy system to more sustainable and low-carbon energy sources, approximately three jobs will be created in clean energy sectors for each job lost in the fossil fuel sector.

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A model is developed to identify the optimal capital expansion decisions for producers of s consumable products. The model features an optional selection of corporate level in a product tree hierarchy and a choice of several optimizing objective functions. The model assumes that intermediate product demand is directly dependent on demand for consumable products. Intermediate product demands are derived from demand for consumable products using a product tree similar to a bill of materials. Restrictions exist on the productive capacity of all products in the product tree, and interdependences exist between producers of the various products. Likewise, the availability of labor limits production capacities for all products in the product tree. The capital available for the capacity expansions can either be capital equity or corporate debt. The model identities the expansion strategy which optimizes the chosen economic objective function. A case study is analyzed with linear programming software to determine the optimal expansion strategy for a tire manufacturer given a hypothetical market demand for automobiles. / Master of Science

Specifications on digital hardware systems typically contain descriptions and requirements expressed in natural language and diagrams of various types. The objective of the research reported here is the automatic detection of common references ("coreferences") to objects in natural language specification statements in order to permit automatic integration of requirements. This thesis describes a prototype system for detecting coreferences. First, the natural language statements are translated into conceptual graphs (semantic nets). Then, these graphs are scanned by a rule-based system to determine whether each concept that is encountered is the definition of a new concept or a reference to a previously defined concept. Tests performed on the system developed indicate a high percentage rate of correct classifications. / Master of Science

Yes / This article examines the potential benefits of solving a stochastic DEA model over solving a deterministic DEA model. It demonstrates that wrong decisions could be made whenever a possible stochastic DEA problem is solved when the stochastic information is either unobserved or limited to a measure of central tendency. We propose two linear models: a semi-stochastic model where the inputs of the DMU of interest are treated as random while the inputs of the other DMUs are frozen at their expected values, and a stochastic model where the inputs of all of the DMUs are treated as random. These two models can be used with any empirical distribution in a Monte Carlo sampling approach. We also define the value of the stochastic efficiency (or semi-stochastic efficiency) and the expected value of the efficiency.

Cette thèse se propose de tenter d’évaluer les opportunités de l’économie circulaire à l’échelle territoriale et d’y engager le rôle que jouent les cycles biogéochimiques, les systèmes économiques et les frontières entre l’économie et l’environnement au cours du projet de transformation du centre de traitement de déchets ménagers à Ivry-Paris XVIII. Pour y parvenir, on peut adopter trois dimensions différentes. L’une, inspirée par la définition de biosphère proposée par Vernadsky, analyse le parcours des molécules dans la biosphère. Les deuxième, plus proche de la perspective privilégiée par Sraffa et Leontief, conduit à reconstituer une historie de la pensée économique sur la base de l’interface entre l’économie et l’environnement. La troisième, inspirée de la méthode de Jason Moore, consiste à confronter les positionnements des acteurs autour de la régulation des frontières entre les processus d’appropriation de l’économie et la préservation de l’environnement.Répondrons alors à la question suivante : Quelle circularité dans les grands cycles de la biosphère?. On peut constater que certain parcours de molécules peuvent être circulaires et/ou linéales en fonction de la temporalité de cycle. Cette notion du temps de cycle nous a aidé à cadrer les discussions sur la mesure des cycles, mais sur tout fourni un cadre pour la compréhension de la structure de la relation autour du sujet des opportunités d'économie circulaire à Paris.Nous nous proposons d’étudier une définition contextuelle de l’économie circulaire : un cadre d’analyse durable ?. La question de la nécessité d’une approche holistique pour étudier les cycles de la nature, est aussi ancienne que l’économie. Ce qui est en jeu derrière le capitalisme, c’est sa capacité de porter la vie, on se reporte à l’ouvrage L’économie et le vivant de René Passet. Il convient donc de se placer dans une perspective holistique des concepts utilisés pour l’économie écologique et l’écologie industrielle.Revenons au prix et à la structure de valeur, quel système de valeur dans les bouclages de flux entre la nature et l’économie?. La thèse propose un cadre conceptuelle d’analyse pour explorer les étapes permettant d’élaborer sa stratégie d’économie circulaire en utilisant les trois dimensions d’analyse. L’application du modèle d’économie circulaire a pour intérêt de faciliter l’identification et le choix d’un ensemble cohérent d’indicateurs interdépendants (système d’indicateurs) permettant la caractérisation des différentes dimensions de bouclage de flux de matière et d’énergie. Il est souvent possible de mesurer le bouclage des certains processus en utilisant les indicateurs proposés par Liu Yifang et pour la fondation Ellen MacArthur.Répondrons alors à la question suivante : Quel projet de transformation du centre Ivry-Paris XIII pour demain, alors que la gouvernance sur les frontières entre l’économie et l’environnement évolue ?. Pour répondre à cette question, nous avons exploré trois cas d'étude : 1. Le cas d’une mise en décharge du déchet sans mécanismes de bouclage. 2. Le cas d’un compostage urbain qui considère un bouclage de flux de la matière. 3. Le cas d’une incinération de déchets qui examine un bouclage de flux d'énergie. Le passage de l’incinération vers une variation plus vertueuse de compostage urbain a été fait en utilisant un compostage urbain de proximité (bénévole). Nous devons constater que le prix de vente du compost pose un problème d’équilibre financier dans le système de la valeur du compostage et donc, éventuellement des subventions seront nécessaires à sa bonne marche. Ensuite la tonne de compost écoulée peut être subventionnée, à hauteur du prix de la mise en décharge. Finalement, le projet de reconstruction de l’usine de traitement d’Ivry-Paris XIII montre aussi une certaine complexité d'interaction entre acteurs publics, privés, et la société civile, qui pose la question des capacités de concertation de l’État. / 1. Introduction : This thesis attempts to evaluate the opportunities of the circular economy at the territorial scale and to engage the role of biogeochemical cycles, economic systems and the institutional boundaries between the environment and the economy, during the transformation project of the waste treatment center at Ivry-Paris XVIII. To achieve this thesis, three different dimensions can be taken into consideration. The first one, inspired by the definition of biosphere proposed by Vernadsky, analyzes the pathways of molecules such as nitrogen in the biosphere. The second one, closer to the perspective supported by Sraffa and Leontief, leads to reconstruct a history of economics based on the interface between economy and environment. The third one, inspired by Moore's dialectical method, is to confront the positioning of the actors around the regulation of the boundaries between the processes of appropriation of the economy and the preservation of the environment.2. Methodology : The fourth part of the thesis aims at proposing a conceptual framework of successive or simultaneous steps to develop its strategy of circular economy using the three analysis dimensions, In this context, The thesis proposes a Sraffa’s typology of ten structures of the system to formalize economic-physical relations.The application of the circular economy model has the advantage of facilitating the identification and selection of a coherent set of interdependent indicators (system of indicators) enabling the characterization of the different dimensions of the close of material and energy flows. It is often possible to measure the closure of the loops of certain processes using indicators proposed by Liu Yifang and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.3. Case of study - What Ivry-Paris XIII plant project would suit for tomorrow? : To answer this question, we explored three cases of study. 1. The case of landfilling of waste without looping mechanisms, 2. The case of urban composting which considers close the loops of the matter flow. 3. The case of incineration of waste which examines looping of energy flows.On the basis of the results of the indicators, our three case studies correspond to different flows configurations in the same territory.The move from incineration to urban composting has been explained on the basis of non-profit urban composting. This volunteer characteristic of the house composting can be illustrated by a Sraffian profit rate equal to zero. We must note that the selling price of compost poses a financial problem in the value system and hence subsidies will be necessary for its smooth running. Then, the ton of compost can be subsidized, at the price of a landfill.We will also be able to propose an alternative subsidy to household composting therefore; an industrial composting that can be carried out by a recycling company such as Bio Yvelines Services. In addition, the transition to the incineration can be managed by the Metropolitan Household Waste Agency (Syctom). The project of rebuilding the Ivry-Paris XIII treatment plant also shows a certain complexity of interaction between public and private actors and civil society, which raises the question of the state's capacity for a public discussion.

Most countries show a relative decoupling of economic growth from domestic resource use, implying increased resource efficiency. However, international trade facilitates the exchange of products between regions with disparate resource productivity. Hence, for an understanding of resource efficiency from a consumption perspective that takes into account the impacts in the upstream supply chains, there is a need to assess the environmental pressures embodied in trade. We use EXIOBASE3, a new multiregional input-output database, to examine the rate of increase in resource efficiency, and investigate the ways in which international trade contributes to the displacement of pressures on the environment from the consumption of a population. We look at the environmental pressures of energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, material use, water use, and land use. Material use stands out as the only indicator growing in both absolute and relative terms to population and gross domestic product (GDP), while land use is the only indicator showing absolute decoupling from both references. Energy, GHG, and water use show relative decoupling. As a percentage of total global environmental pressure, we calculate the net impact displaced through trade rising from 23% to 32% for material use (1995¿2011), 23% to 26% for water use, 20% to 29% for energy use, 20% to 26% for land use, and 19% to 24% for GHG emissions. The results show a substantial disparity between trade-related impacts for Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and non-OECD countries. At the product group level, we observe the most rapid growth in environmental footprints in clothing and footwear. The analysis points to implications for future policies aiming to achieve environmental targets, while fully considering potential displacement effects through international trade.