Exports have considerable effects on economic growth, employment and trade so it is crucial to understand the factors that are responsible for their variation. This study analyses the fundamental determinants of exports using annual South African data covering the period 1980 to 2006. It initially provides an overview of the South African export structure and export growth. A review of theoretical determinants is then specified. The study tests for stationarity and cointegration using the Johansen (1991, 1995) methodology. A vector error correction model is run to provide robust determinant variables on exports. The following variables which have been found to have a long run relationship with exports include: the domestic price of exports, real effective exchange rate, trade openness, foreign income and price of inputs (cost of production). The estimate of the speed of adjustment coefficient found in this study indicates that about 96% of the variation in exports from its equilibrium level is corrected within one year. The results that have emerged from this analysis corroborate the theoretical predictions and are also supported by previous researchers or studies.

In Europe of the Middle Ages, there existed an autonomous regime of truly private international business law based upon the customs and usages of merchants, the Law Merchant, administered in lay tribunals. The courts and legislators usurped the jurisdiction of the lay tribunals, and subverted the Law Merchant to municipal law. Arbitration was similarly subverted to municipal courts and strict legal controls. The courts continued to guard their jurisdiction jealously into the 20th century, when nations came to realize the inadequacy of national legal systems for international business problems, and the desire of business to escape parochial legal concerns and municipal courts. Canada adopted the New York Convention and UNCITRAL Model Law in 1986, which maximize party and arbitral autonomy and restrict court interference with arbitration. These new laws would permit the resurrection of an autonomous regime of international commercial dispute settlement largely divorced from national law and court controls, if the courts cooperate. This thesis is the first comprehensive, up-to-date study (of which I am aware) of Canadian case law on arbitration in the context of the history of autonomous commercial dispute resolution from the its zenith in the Middle Ages through its nadir, to its present attempted resurrection. This thesis shows that the courts of Canada continue to guard their jurisdiction jealously, finding the means in old notions and precedents to justify their refusal to cede jurisdiction to arbitrators. The courts have ignored the policies underlying the new laws, have failed to apply international precedents and standards, and have continued to apply notions and precedents from an era hostile to arbitration. / Law, Peter A. Allard School of / Graduate

Este trabajo tiene como fin mostrar cómo se llega a la identificación plena de la conveniencia de evolucionar desde la opción de ser una empresa netamente de intermediación comercial a una empresa de intermediación logístico – comercial, vía la integración vertical de actividades logísticas. Para ello, en el capítulo 1 se hace la presentación del planteamiento metodológico que intenta probar la conveniencia de la hipótesis; en el capítulo 2 se describe a la empresa materia de estudio; en el capítulo 3 se presentan todas las bases teóricas relacionadas al tema materia de estudio; finalmente, en el capítulo 4 se muestran los resultados de la contrastación de las bases teóricas descritas en el capítulo 3 contra la realidad de la empresa materia de estudio, llevando finalmente a la elaboración de las conclusiones y recomendaciones. / Trabajo de investigación

The quest for sustainable development has always involved the complex task of reconciling the need for socio-economic development with public health and environmental protection. This challenge has often emerged in the trade and environment debate but has most recently been evident in international trade in used electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE). While international trade in UEEE provides means for socio-economic development in the developing world, it also serves as a conduit for transboundary dumping of e-waste in the developing world giving rise to serious health and environmental concerns. This research investigates the socio-economic as well as health and environmental impacts of international trade in UEEE in two developing countries – Nigeria and Ghana. The research identifies a major loophole in the existing international legal framework as the primary factor responsible for e-waste dumping in the developing world. This loophole relates to the absence of a legal framework for differentiating between functional UEEE and junk e-waste. This has resulted in both functional UEEE and junk e-waste being concurrently shipped to the developing world as “used electrical and electronic equipment”. The research proposes two policy frameworks for addressing this problem. On the part of developing countries, the research proposes a trade policy framework crafted in line with WTO rules. This framework will entail the development of an international certification system which will serve to differentiate functional used electronics from junk e-waste. While the former may be eligible for import, the research proposes an import ban on the latter. On the part of developed countries, the research proposes the development of a policy framework which regulates the toxic and hazardous substances that go into the production of electrical and electronic equipment as well as enhance their reusability and recyclability at end-of-life. The framework should take into consideration the entire life cycle of the products from the design stage to end-of-life. The research argues that the implementation of this design framework will go a long way in reducing the health and environmental impacts of such equipment when subsequently shipped to the developing world at end-of-life.

The goal of the thesis is to evaluate effectiveness of bank instruments used in international trade to compare individual instruments as for advantages and disadvantages and to focus on their use in connection with other bank products. The thesis is divided in four main areas - risks in international trade, bank instruments, documents used in international trade and other bank products.

The objective of the diploma thesis is to describe the documentary payment instruments mainly their legal regulation, define their main advantages and disadvantages in connection with foreign trade, describe the types of these payment instruments, define participants of the relationships, the future development of both instruments etc. After the theoretical part the analysis of the documentary payment instruments under chosen criteria is performed. The total volumes of letter of credits issued and confirmed by three czech banks within period 1997 -- 2007 are compared and the trends of their development are theoretically explained. The bank fees regarding to letter of credits and documentary collections are compared as well.

The work deals with the comparison of the export promotion policy of the Czech Republic and Austria. The first chapter describes the development, structure of the international trade and export position of the Czech Republic and Austria and subsequently compares the importance of export in both countries. The second and the third chapter characterize the export promotion system in the Czech Republic and Austria. The chapters focus at first on the concept of export promotion in both countries, its main objectives, projects and results and then on the main institutions dealing with the export promotion and their main services. The fourth chapter evaluates and compares the export promotion in both countries as far as its main concept, institutions and services are concerned.

This thesis is concerned with both positive and negative economic aspects of Fair Trade and addresses the influence of Fair Trade production of cocoa in Ghana on its economic development. The objective is to find out, if Fair Trade is the propriate tool to eradicate poverty in this country.

The paper discusses the current economic situation of Guangdong province, China. It describes the economic, social, political and geographical conditions of this province. The second part of the paper focuses on issues of international trade and relations of China with the Czech Republic. The last part of the paper discusses business opportunities of Czech companies in Guangdong province. Guangdong province is mainly known because of its enormous economic growth, international trade and is sometimes called "laboratory", where China undertakes various economic theories and then applies them to the rest of China. The province is often referred to as the "fifth dragon".

The diploma thesis deals with two documentary payment methods commonly used in international trade transactions - a documentary collection and a documentary letter of credit. These instruments are regarded as an important part of both international trade and banking. Both the instruments are characterized in detail. Their advantages and disadvantages are analyzed in comparison with other instruments with same and similar functions. A part of the thesis is devoted to the importance (position) of documentary payment instruments in international trade, and to current trends in their usage. The last part focuses on the documentary collection and the documentary letter of credit in the Czech Republic - from the point of view of their offer, price, and the demand for them.