For decades, institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, WTO, OECD, US Congress, and EU have encouraged developing countries to adopt trade liberalization to improve their people's welfare and eventually achieve developed country status. In a comparative analysis to examine trade liberalization's impact on labor, this study found that while Chile and Mexico pursued very similar trade liberalization policies, their outcomes were extraordinarily different. Chile now holds the title as the world's model liberalizer while Mexico continues to struggle to liberalize. Chile's effective use of government intervention to absorb adjustment costs determined its success. This study challenges trade theory's dogma against government intervention and concludes with explicit strategies for hoe developing countries can enact targeted social programs and measures to absorb trade liberalization's painful adjustment costs. Trade liberalization can bring prosperity and opportunities for a country, as long as it is paired with effective government intervention to absorb a degree of adjustment costs.

ABSTRACT REGULATORY FRAMEWORK OF THE SECTOR-SPECIFIC AND COMPETITION RULES IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR IN TURKEY IN THE LIGHT OF THE EU LAW Aydemir, Duygu M.S., Department of European Studies Supervisor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Gamze As&ccedil / ioglu-&Ouml / z May 2008, 189 pages This thesis examines the role of the sector-specific rules and competition rules in the liberalized telecommunications markets. It aims to analyse the design of the legal and institutional framework of these two sets of rules in the liberalized telecommunications sector in Turkey in the light of the EU law. To this purpose, the thesis initially compares and contrasts the main characteristics of and shared responsibilities between the sector-specific and economy-wide competition rules and institutions in the post-liberalization and post-privatization period. Then, the thesis explores the EU approach on the balance of influence between these two sets of rules and institutions. Against this background, the thesis examines role, design and interaction of the sector-specific and competition rules and institutions in the recently liberalized Turkish telecommunications markets. It, also, analyses some important competition law cases concluded by the Competition Authority. The thesis has two main arguments. Firstly, it argues that liberalization and privatization in the telecommunications sector does not automatically lead to the competitive environment in the sector. Competitiveness of the markets after the postliberalization and post-privatization period critically depends on the existence of a robust, coherent, and transparent regulatory framework ensuring a smooth balance between the sector-specific and the competition rules and institutions. Second argument is that sector-specific rules have a transitional character. As telecommunications markets move towards effective competition, sector-specific regulation will be reduced and the role of the competition rules in those markets will increase.

The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have a long history of trading with each other. They are economic partners as well as competitors for many years. In order to push their economic relationship to a higher level, in November 2002, ASEAN and China signed the initial framework agreement, determined on establishing the ASEAN - China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) among the eleven countries by 2010 for the ASEAN-6 (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand) and by 2015 for the transitional economies of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (the CLMV). There are fears that China’s rapid development recently will encourage ASEAN’s exports to flow into its giant domestic market instead of among the members countries. Also the benefits of the Free Trade Agreement are still unclear. The Thesis uses three gravity models and the panel data of 11 countries from 1992 to 2009 to test two hypotheses: trade diversion (that expanded trade with China will reduce intra-trade within ASEAN) and trade creation (that ACFTA will boost up bilateral trade between ASEAN and China).

In general, policymakers are often faced with a different choice, i.e., the choice between using regulation-based instruments and using incentive-based instruments, where the policy instruments could be based either on mandatory approach or voluntary approach with economic incentives in market. Historically, industrial economists have regarded the issue of policy design as the one focused primarily on the choice among alternative policy instruments, where those are generally viewed as falling into two broad categories: regulation-based instruments and incentive-based instruments. Through the theoretical and empirical analysis, this study identifies some key features that are likely to increase both the effectiveness and efficiency of industrial policies with voluntary and mandatory approaches. One key feature is the existence of a strong relationship between innovation and industrial policies. The explorative innovation increases the incentives for participation in long-term but also reduces the financial incentives in short-term. Considering firms' characteristics and industry sector also increases the synergy effect of policies and regulations. In sum, when based on the understanding and consideration on the nature of innovation and other impact factors, industrial policy can provide a mechanism for meeting industrial quality goals both effectively and efficiently. This understanding also can help policy makers to decide whether or not use of such policy approach is advisable and to design the policy ensuring that it is as effective and efficient as possible. Consequently, the current study investigates the difference and tendency of industrial policy approaches and the type of innovation carrying out three analyses according to the mandatory and voluntary approaches. With the assumption that the mandatory approach has short-run impact to prompt new technology or grow a specific industry, we firstly assess the impact of regulation, such as privatization of nature monopoly. Using the firms' data of 20 OECD countries between 1994 and 2008, we can claim that considering interaction among liberalization policies and allowing the industry characteristics are critical to determine for the Profitability effect and Operational efficiency effect and level of investments. Secondly, this study analyzes the relationship between 'Corporate Environmentalism' and composition of innovation using the Carbon Discloser Project (CDP) and (Dow Jones Sustainability Index) DJSI index data. The result shows the significant variation of firms' investment activities according to the industry sector, firm characteristics, sustainable and environmental behaviors of firms. Finally, this study identifies the relationship between 'Business-led Initiatives (CSR)' and innovation activities of firms. Using the Vigeo rating and financial data in 2009, this study shows the relationship between CSR and innovation activities of firms. Consequently, when the firm builds their short- and long-run business strategies, the consideration of the relationship between types of investment and CSR practice will lead to more synergic effect on the outcome of investments. The findings of this study could provide a comprehensive understanding on the effect of sustainable management strategies on the innovation and sustainability of firms.

Magistro studijų baigiamasis darbas, 65 puslapiai, 18 paveikslų, 3 lentelės, 57 literatūros šaltiniai, 1 priedas, lietuvių kalba. RAKTINIAI ŽODŽIAI: integracija, globalizacija, Pasaulio prekybos organizacija, rinkų liberalizavimas, žemės ūkis. Tyrimo objektas – Lietuvos žemės ūkis globalizacijos sąlygomis. Darbo tikslas – išnagrinėti globalizacijos poveikį Lietuvos žemės ūkiui, remiantis šiuolaikine globalizacijos koncepcija. Iškeltam tikslui pasiekti sprendžiami šie uždaviniai: 1) išnagrinėti pokyčių žemės ūkyje globalų kontekstą; 2) išanalizuoti globalizacijos poveikį Lietuvos žemės ūkiui; 3) atskleisti žemės ūkio vystymosi problemas ir perspektyvas globalizacijos sąlygomis. Tyrimo metodai – mokslinės literatūros analizė, indukcijos, dedukcijos, statistinių duomenų rinkimo ir analizės, grafinio vaizdavimo metodai. Darbe naudojami mokslinių leidinių straipsniai, monografijos, Europos Sąjungos ir Lietuvos žemės ūkio ir kaimo plėtotės strateginiai dokumentai, teisiniai dokumentai, konferencijų bei interneto puslapiuose surinkta medžiaga, Lietuvos Statistikos departamento prie Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybės bei Pasaulio prekybos organizacijos, Pasaulio banko elektroninės statistinės informacijos duomenų bazių informacija. / The final work of University Postgraduate studies, 65 pages, 18 figures, 3 tables, 57 references, 1 appendix, Lithuanian language. KEY WORDS: agriculture, integration, globalization, liberalization of markets, World Trade Organization. The object of research – Lithuanian agriculture in the context of globalization. The aim of work – to analyze the impact of globalization on the Lithuanian agriculture on the ground of the modern globalization conception. Seeking the aim, the tasks are: 1) to analyze the changes of agriculture in the context of globalization; 2) to analyze the impact of globalization on Lithuanian agriculture; 3) to identify the development problems and perspectives of agriculture in the context of globalization. Methods of research – the analysis of scientific literature, induction, deduction, statistical data compilation and analysis, graphical depiction methods. According to scientific publication articles, monographs, strategic documents of EU, Lithuanian agriculture and rural areas development, legal documents, material gained on the conferences and internet, Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and World Trade Organization, World Bank database information.

Pasaulyje vyksta aktyvūs procesai dėl eksporto politikos skatinimo, investicijų, didesnio prekių ir paslaugų mainų balanso, inovacijų pritraukimo, t.y. veiksnių sąlygojančių ekonominio vystymosi tempus, vis svarbesnį vaidmenį priskiriant tarptautinei prekybai paslaugomis. Darbo aktualumas siejamas su neišnaudotu paslaugų augimo potencialu tarptautinėje prekyboje, kuris suteikia galimybes paslaugų sektoriui gauti didesnę pelno normą ir pritraukia kapitalą bei darbo jėgą iš tradicinių veiklų įmonių, todėl paslaugų plėtra turėtų išlikti pagrindiniu ekonominių ir socialinių permainų katalizatoriumi. Tyrimo tikslas– išryškinti tarptautinės prekybos paslaugomis teorinius aspektus ir pagrįsti plėtros tendencijas Lietuvoje. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Išanalizuoti pagrindinius paslaugų klasifikavimo principus, atskleidžiant paslaugų plėtros tendencijas, barjerus ir ES Paslaugų direktyvos svarbą plėtros procesams; 2. Remiantis sudarytu tiriamuoju tarptautinės prekybos paslaugomis modeliu, atlikti tarptautinės prekybos paslaugomis plėtros Lietuvos atžvilgiu, tyrimą ir pristatyti ekspertų nuomonių apklausos rezultatus; 3. Parengti tarptautinės prekybos paslaugomis plėtros Lietuvoje prognozės, apibrėžiant galimybes, kliūtis ir pagrindžiant plėtros tendencijas. Tyrimo metodai: mokslinės literatūros analizė, statistinių duomenų analizė, lyginamoji analizė, anketinė apklausa, prognozavimas. Tyrimu atskleista, kad tarptautinės prekybos paslaugomis tendencijas tikslinga vertinti pagal suteikiamų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / International trade in services grown significantly, yet little research has been undertaken to understand international services. Major features of services have much in common with other services, being, however, more closely related to country’s economy. The actuality of the study is related to the potential of increase of services in domestic market in hand which gives possibilities to service sector get higher rate of profit and attracts capital and labour force from enterprises of traditional activity, therefore the development of services should remain the main catalyst of economical and social changes. The goal of the work – to highlight the theoretical aspects of international trade in services and foresee the main tendencies of Lithuanian international trade in services. Tasks are presented: 1. Analyze the main types of International services classification and exploring tendencies of development, to set barriers and instruments of regulation EU Services Directive. 2. According to holistic model of evaluation of development of international trade in services, to make research of Lithuanian International trade in services and set the results form experts’ survey. 3. Forecasts the development tendencies of Lithuanian International trade in services, barriers and propose possibilities. Methods of investigation: referring to the studies of foreign and Lithuanian scientists, analysis and synthesis of literature, survey of experts, forecasting methods. The study... [to full text]

This thesis challenges the view that the Republic of Mali is a model of democratization in Africa with the aim of opening the conceptual framework of democratic citizenship inherent in the democratization discourse to greater critical scrutiny. The ‘enthusiastic’ view is held and set forth by various segments of the unity-seeking ruling class (local and foreign, State and NGO) of bringing to Mali a Western-oriented, procedurally minimal democracy, and citizen identity commensurate with international financial institutions’ and donor countries’ vision of democratization as political and economic liberalization. Consequently, this hegemonic project co-opts selected indigenous and Islamic idioms of political and social identity, to reinvent democratization as ‘moral governance.’ Cosmopolitan upper and upper-middle class actors thus apologize for highly personalized politics at the national and local levels, and articulate these more broadly with idioms of recovering rectitude and social cohesion that preserve and reproduce hierarchical social norms. In Malian political culture and in the scholarship of Malian political change, the hegemonic project of citizen identity formation becomes more evident as a construction, as discourses, norms, and practices produced and reproduced by privileged actors. Moreover, the contested character of these constructions becomes evident only as we address the development and deployment of selectively synthesized indigenous, Islamic, and Western-democratic norms, practices, and institutions of citizenship in contemporary Mali. Without a more embedded sense of political membership and identity, the merely procedural democratic project remains vulnerable to challenges from multiple, alternative sites of moral, social, and political authority. / Thesis (Ph.D, Political Studies) -- Queen's University, 2007-10-05 14:29:24.802

<p>The impact of trade policies on the pursuit of gender equality is often ignored. Recognising the link between trade and gender, this dissertation aims to enhance the capacity of policy-makers to mainstream gender in trade policy and to help identify ways for using trade to respond to women&rsquo / s needs in South Africa. In order to meet this objective, it analyses the impacts that trade liberalisation has had on the economy and on gender in general and in South Africa in particular. In addition, it evaluates the impacts on men and women in order to see if trade has contributed to reducing, accentuating or perpetuating gender inequality in South Africa. Findings have confirmed that Trade liberalisation has had both positive and negative impacts on women and men. But, they have also demonstrated that trade liberalisation has affected women and men differently having negative influences on the pursuit of gender equality. The research has, however, concluded that the impact of trade liberalisation on the pursuit of gender equality is influenced by other key factors. As strategy to mainstream gender in trade policies, the research suggests that policy-makers should analyse the implications for women and men of any trade policy before adopting such policy. This analysis would help him/her to see the possible imbalances of the new policy and implement policies and programmes to eradicate them. Also, it will help him/her to identify possible ways for using trade to empower women. The research is based on the idea that the elimination of the existing inequalities will put women at the same stage with men and will, therefore, contribute to women&rsquo / s empowerment in South Africa.</p>

This thesis consists of three essays. The first essay, “A Theory of Bank Illiquidity and Default with Hidden Trades”, develops a theory of banking to explore how the availability of trading opportunities for both banks and individual investors affects the link between illiquidity and default in the financial system. The results show that default emerges only in the presence of systemic risk, and when an unpredicted crisis hits the economy. Moreover, in contrast to the previous literature, default is not an efficient outcome of the economy. The second essay, “Financial Liberalization with Hidden Trades”, studies how the availability of unregulated market-based channels for the circulation of liquidity in the financial system affects the process of financial integration, and the efficiency of the corresponding equilibrium, in a two-country economy with comparative advantages. The results show that the only level of integration which the two countries are able to coordinate is the one where the two banking systems are autarkic, but international hidden trades are possible. Moreover, the resulting consumption allocation is constrained efficient. The third essay, “Bank Liquidity, Stock Market Participation, and Economic Growth”, develops a dynamic growth model with fully microfounded banks and markets to explain the observed decreasing trend in the relative liquidity of many financial systems around the world. The main result characterizes the threshold after which the agents in the economy are rich enough to access the market, where the relative liquidity is lower, and shows that the relative liquidity of the whole financial system (banks and markets) drops because of the increasing market participation. Some evidence consistent with this theoretical prediction is provided: a one-unit increase in an index of securities market liberalization leads to a drop in the relative liquidity of between 13 and 22 per cent.

Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.