The main objectives of this study were to analyze the efficiency with which Bolivian farmers utilize productive resources as they combine them in crop production and to examine the possibility of interregional resource immobility in the production of agricultural products. Bolivia was divided into seven distinct production regions called departments. A linear program maximizing model was generated for the major crops produced in each department. Land, labor, irrigation, and capital were the input coefficients used in the models. They produced a net return to management, land, and fixed costs associated with land. The linear program using these coefficients generated the profit maximizing hectare combination for each crop by department. These were compared with those reported to have been grown in each department to make an efficiency judgement of production decisions made by Bolivian farmers. The same department linear programs generated value marginal products for resources in short supply in each model . These were compared interdepartmentally to determine any resource immobility that might be in existence. Analysis of the linear program maximizing output indicated that in all of the departments considered, with the exception of Santa Cruz, farmers appeared to be efficiently combining their resources in the production of crops considered in this study. It was also noted that a possible labor immobility existed between the Santa Cruz department and the other six considered.

In October 2000 the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA) was launched. The purpose of the IIRSA is to improve integration of the South American countries and intraregional trade between them. One of the ultimate goals is to promote sustainable growth. The purpose of this paper is to find out if a better quantity and quality of transport infrastructure increases intraregional trade in South America. It is found that the quantity of transport infrastructure increases intraregional trade. On the other hand, there is no evidence for the quality of transport infrastructure increasing intraregional trade in South America. Furthermore, this paper investigates whether economic growth can be obtained through more trade. In other words, this paper examines if trade causes growth. The results do not confirm the trade-growth causality for all countries. The difference between the existence of a trade-growth causal relationship or not could be explained by the core commodities that the different South American countries export.

<p>In October 2000 the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA) was launched. The purpose of the IIRSA is to improve integration of the South American countries and intraregional trade between them. One of the ultimate goals is to promote sustainable growth. The purpose of this paper is to find out if a better quantity and quality of transport infrastructure increases intraregional trade in South America. It is found that the quantity of transport infrastructure increases intraregional trade. On the other hand, there is no evidence for the quality of transport infrastructure increasing intraregional trade in South America. Furthermore, this paper investigates whether economic growth can be obtained through more trade. In other words, this paper examines if trade causes growth. The results do not confirm the trade-growth causality for all countries. The difference between the existence of a trade-growth causal relationship or not could be explained by the core commodities that the different South American countries export.</p>

The paper uses an impact assessment methodology with ex-ante indicator for free tradeagreement to test the trade of the European Union and countries of the FennoscandianPeninsula included Iceland. By estimates intraregional trade share, regional trade introversionindex and intraregional trade intensity the objective is to evaluate if their trade have any signsfor being natural or unnatural and if this could be because of the trade agreements. Thefoundation in trade theory is that trade should be accomplished by buying (and selling) of thecheapest producer, being neutral in their selection and choosing careful from price is positive.When this requirement does not hold trade could be expensive and therefore negative. Whentrade is conducted by choice and not by “natural roads” it could be biased, trade should befounded by comparative advantage to be positive and considered natural. The study showsthat the European Union free trade agreement have a great capital validity and some smalllevel of bias trade, although this does not mean it is bad, some level of bias trade could behard to avoid being a Union. The Nordic countries shows a biased trade, even though beingmembers of the EU or EES. The conclusion is that it is not possible to determine if the EUtrade agreement is subconsciously developing unnatural trade, but the study shows that somepartners in the union have biased trade. If this is because of the trade agreement is at this levelleft unanswered.

La Alianza del Pacífico es un bloque regional fundado en el 2011 y conformado por Chile, Colombia, México y Perú. Este bloque ha tenido un gran éxito a nivel internacional no solo por su cooperación, sino por saber sobrellevar sus diferencias políticas e ideológicas. Su meta es la creación de un área de integración profunda por medio de la libre circulación de bienes, servicios, capitales y personas, exonerando las barreras arancelarias, así como el impulso al crecimiento, desarrollo y competitividad. Estos mismos factores son los que han ayudado a mejorar sus métodos de comercio tanto intrarregional como extrarregional, siendo de la larga lista de productos beneficiados el Cobre, commodity mineral que ha crecido en exportaciones, y cuyos principales países productores se encuentran en este acuerdo. Para esta investigación se tiene como objetivo realizar un análisis de la influencia del volumen exportado del cobre en el comercio intrarregional y extrarregional del bloque regional Alianza del Pacífico. Es por ello que se ha realizado una investigación mixta, la cual se divide por un lado en el estudio cuantitativo, con datos del comercio intrarregional y extrarregional de este bloque y el volumen del cobre exportado, y por otro lado la investigación cualitativa la cual se encuentra conformada por entrevistas a expertos en el tema, recopilando sus opiniones y realizando una comparación entre ellas. Como resultado de los datos recopilados se concluye que las exportaciones en volumen de este commodity si generan una influencia en el comercio intrarregional, más no en el extrarregional. / The Pacific Alliance is a regional block founded in 2011 and formed by Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. This agreement has been highly successful at the international level not only for its cooperation, but for knowing how to cope with its political and ideological differences. Its goal is to create an area of ​​deep integration through the free movement of goods, services, capital and people, exonerating tariff barriers, as well as promoting growth, development and competitiveness. These same factors are the ones that have helped to improve its trading methods both intraregional and extraregional, being from the long list of beneficiary products Copper, a mineral commodity that has grown in exports, and whose main producing countries are in this agreement. The objective of this research is to carry out an analysis of the influence of the exported volume of copper on the intraregional and extraregional trade of the Pacific Alliance regional block. That is why a mixed investigation has been carried out, which is divided on one hand into the quantitative study, with data on the intraregional and extraregional trade of this block and the volume of copper exported, and on the other hand the qualitative research which includes interviews with experts on the subject, compiling their opinions and making a comparison among them. As a result of the data collected, it is concluded that the volume exported of this commodity do influence the intraregional trade, but not extraregional trade. / Tesis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The dynamic of urban space is a result of the interdependence within and among cities, which relate through the actions and interactions of different modeling agents of space. Within this dialectical logic, simultaneously articulated and fragmented, all cities are in the urban network and they have distinct functions which are essential for the production and reproduction of the network. Taking this into consideration to understand this intraregional interaction of Areia Branca, this paper aims to analyze the inclusion of Areia Branca in the set of flows and networks of Sergipe. First, it was necessary to analyze these regional relations between the city of Itabaiana, a large trade center, and Aracaju, the capital city, which influences the entire state. For that, it was made an intensive literature research with emphasis on urban issues with a regional perspective. In addition, it was necessary to collect secondary data from municipal public agencies and IBGE(Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), through questionnaires and interviews to help understand the socioeconomic and spatial relations of Areia Branca. After that, the data were tabulated, analyzed and related to the theory in question, in order to support the explanation of the interurban dynamic of Areia Branca at a regional level. The differentiating elements that define the position of cities in this network are the level of relations and the radius of influence. And depending on the amount and kind of specialized-function equipments in urban areas, they might have different meanings. Areia Branca has as its spatial range only its municipal area covering the population from urban and rural territories. This a general characteristic of the local centres which do not have enough attractions to influence its region like other cities with a high hierarchy in the network, which influence other cities both regional, national or even global. So it is possible to see a leadership contest for the influence over Areia Branca between Itabaiana, Subregional Centre B, and Aracaju, the regional capital in the urban subsystem. / A dinâmica do espaço urbano se concretiza a partir da interdependência intraurbana e intercidades que se articulam através das ações e interações de diversos agentes modeladores do espaço. Dentro dessa lógica dialética, concomitantemente articulada e fragmentada, todas as urbes estão inseridas na rede urbana exercendo funções distintas, imprescindíveis para a produção e reprodução da rede. Partindo dessa conjuntura para compreender a interação intraregional de Areia Branca, esta dissertação tem como objetivo analisar a inserção de Areia Branca no conjunto de fluxos e redes sergipanos. Neste sentido, se fez pertinente uma análise regional dessas relações que se estabelecem com as cidades de Itabaiana, grande centro comercial, e a capital, Aracaju, que exerce uma polarização em âmbito estadual. Como procedimento metodológico foi efetivada intensa pesquisa bibliográfica, com ênfase para estudiosos das questões urbanas evidenciadas numa perspectiva regional. Além da revisão teórica foi necessária a coleta de dados secundários em órgãos públicos municipais e no IBGE, complementados com a aplicação de questionários e entrevistas para auxiliar na compreensão das relações socioeconômicas e espaciais do município de Areia Branca. Posteriormente, os dados foram tabulados, analisados e relacionados junto à teoria adotada para dar suporte à explicação da dinâmica interurbana de Areia Branca no âmbito regional. Os elementos diferenciadores da posição da cidade nessa malha reticular são o nível das relações e o raio de influência que de acordo com a quantidade e especialidade dos equipamentos junto às funções urbanas podem ter diferentes abrangências. A cidade de Areia Branca tem como alcance espacial apenas sua área municipal abrangendo a população da sede e sua respectiva área rural. Essa é uma característica generalizada dos centros locais que não têm força atrativa suficiente para influenciar a sua região, a exemplo das demais cidades, com hierarquia maior, dispostas na rede que de modos e níveis diferenciados polarizam outras urbes em níveis regionais, nacionais e até globais. Neste sentido, no comando da influência sobre Areia Branca é constatada uma disputa de forças polarizadoras entre Itabaiana, Centro Subregional B, e Aracaju, Capital Regional no subsistema urbano brasileiro.