Après une orientation privilégiant l’exportation et les IDE entrants, la Chine continue à poursuivre son intégration à l’économie mondiale en abordant une projection accélérée de son économie vers l’international marquée par les investissements directs à l’étranger des entreprises chinoises. En très peu de temps, la Chine est devenu la principale source de flux d’IDE parmi les pays en développement. Ce phénomène présente des caractéristiques spécifiques et a pris une ampleur inattendue. L’économie étatique de la Chine nous amène à conclure souvent qu’il existe derrière ces mouvements les motivations politiques et la mise en place d’une stratégie d’État au sein de ces activités. Néanmoins, le gouvernement n’a pas vraiment joué un rôle décisif dans ce phénomène. Le comportement du gouvernement du pays d’origine est en fait un des facteurs exogènes qui peuvent affecter la configuration OLI! [Dunning, 1993a] de ses entreprises et donc les caractéristiques des activités d’investissement à l’étranger de ses entreprises. Le dynamisme et les spécificités des investisseurs chinois sont plutôt à l’origine d’une forte volonté entrepreneuriale qui coïncide avec une maturation des entreprises chinoises grâce au développement économique du pays. Une étude approfondie sur les motivations des entreprises chinoises nous montre que la recherche du marché a été la motivation principale des entreprises chinoises et qu’elles possèdent des avantages spécifiques ex ante qui sont à l’origine de sa nationalité, tels que l’imperfection du marché de capital, la flexibilité et le réseautage des entreprises chinoises. / After an orientation focusing on export and inward FDI, China continues its integration into worldeconomy by an accelerated projection of its economy to the world, which is demonstrated by Chinesecompanies’ outward direct investment. In a very short time, China has become the main source of FDI flow among developing countries. This phonomenon has shown particular characteristics and has taken off at an unexpected scale and speed. The state economy of China leads us to conclude usually that there is any political motivation and national strategy behind these activities. Nevertheless, the government didn’t play a decisive role in this phenomenon. The behaviors of home country’s government is in fact one of the exogenious factors that can affect the OLI configuration [Dunning, 1993a] of its companies and therefore the characteristics of the outward investment activities of its companies. The dynamic and the specificities of Chinese investors are rather derived from a strong entrepreneurial desire which coincides with a maturation of Chinese companies thanks to the economic development of China. An in-depth study on Chinese companies’ motivations has shown us tha! t market-seeking is the principal motivation of Chinese companie’ outwart investment and they possess ex ante specific advantages derived from their nationality,such as capital market imperfection, flexibility and networking capacity.

L'objectif principal de cette thèse est d'étudier la dynamique des flux hydrosédimentaires dans le bas cours de l'Orénoque à partir de la mise en œuvre de diverses techniques qui combinent directement la mesure des données in situ et la modélisation par séries chronologiques d'images satellites. Cette thèse aborde pour la première fois trois méthodologies complémentaires pour analyser les flux hydrosédimentaires dans les grands fleuves : (i) un algorithme d'inversion robuste pour l'estimation de MES à l'aide de données Landsat-8(OLI)permet de suivre de façon systématique et fiable les variations spatio-temporelles des flux hydro-sédimentaires de surface, (ii) de même, il a été montré qu'il existe une forte relation entre le coefficient de rétrodiffusion du radar (images Sentinel-1) et les segments fluviaux d'écoulement turbulent. Cette nouvelle utilisation du radar en complément des approches classiques en géomorphologie et hydro-sédimentologie permet d'identifier des sections du fleuve où les MES sont homogénéisées, ce qui est fondamental pour le calcul des flux hydro-sédimentaires en suspension, enfin, (iii) une troisième méthodologie a été mise en œuvre pour mesurer durant le cycle hydrologique, les modifications géomorphologiques d'une île semi-submergée au centre du chenal principal. Grace à des séries topo-bathymétriques fines, associées à une modélisation 3D, l'on peut dorénavant quantifier le charriage de fond. Ces trois approches combinées permettent une évaluation plus précise du bilan hydro-sédimentaire en tenant compte des matières en suspension comme du charriage de fond. Ces études pourront servir aux gestionnaires du fleuve, confrontés à de complexes, lourdes et couteuses opérations de dragage périodiques pour maintenir sa navigabilité, ce qui est d'extrême importance pour les projets de développement socio-économiques de la frange pétrolière du bas cours de l'Orénoque. / The main objective of this thesis is to study the dynamics of hydro-sedimentary flows in the lower Orinoco from the implementation of various techniques that directly combine the measurement of in situ data and the modelling of time series of satellite images. This thesis addresses for the first time three complementary methodologies for the analysis of hydro-sedimentary flows in large rivers: i) a robust inversion algorithm for estimating suspended sediment concentration (SSC) using Landsat-8 (OLI) satellite data allows a systematic and reliable monitoring of spatial and temporal variations of surface hydro-sedimentary flows, (ii) it was shown that there is a strong relationship between the radar backscatter coefficient (Sentinel-1 images) and the turbulent flow segments in the river. This new use of radar, in addition to traditional geomorphological and hydro- sedimentological approaches, allows the identification of river sections in which suspended sediments are homogenized, which is fundamental for the calculation of suspended hydro-sedimentary flows, and finally (iii) a third methodology has been implemented to measure during the hydrological regime the geomorphological modifications of a semi-submerged island in the center of the mainstream. Thanks to a high spatial resolution topo-bathymetric series, combined with 3D modeling, it is now possible to quantify and to gain better understanding of river bed transport. These three combined approaches allow a more accurate evaluation of the hydro-sedimentary equilibrium taking into account suspended solids as well as bedload. These studies can be used by those responsible for river management, who face complex, heavy and costly periodic dredging operations to maintain their navigability, which is of extreme importance for socio-economic development projects in the Orinoco oil belt in the lower Orinoco.

FDI har sedan början på 80-talet växt sig allt större och blivit en av de viktigaste tillgångarna till finansiellt och fysiskt kapital i världen. FDI har enligt många studier en viktig funktion för ett lands ekonomiska utveckling, detta gäller främst för outvecklade länder men också utvecklade länder. Studiens mål var att hitta viktiga faktorer som påverkade FDI inflöde till Sub-Sahara regionen. Den empiriska analysen gjordes med hjälp av en OLS regressionsmodell och hade 42 observationer sammanlagt. Huvudvariabeln var FDI/BNP. Resultatet av den empiriska analysen visade att den viktigaste faktoren för FDI inflöde hos länder söder om Sahara är ett lands ekonomiska öppenhet. Öppenhet visade en positiv signifikans i alla regressioner som gjordes. BNP per capita hade en negativ signifikans i den första regressionen men visade ingen signifikans när kunskapskapital och språkskillnader testades i regressioner. Variabeln för naturtillgångar hade en positiv signifikans när en tredje regression gjordes där länder delades upp i två språkkategorier.

Orientador: Enner Herenio de Alcântara / Resumo: O Material Particulado em Suspensão (MPS) é o principal componente em sistemas aquáticos. Elevadas concentrações de MPS implicam na atenuação da luz, e ocasionam alterações das taxas fotossintéticas. Além disso, a presença de MPS no sistema aquático pode aumentar os níveis de turbidez, absorver poluentes e podem ser considerados como um indicativo de descargas de escoamento superficial. Portanto, monitorar as concentrações de MPS é essencial para a gerar informações técnicas que subsidiem o correto manejo dos recursos aquáticos, prevenindo colapsos hidrológicos. O sensoriamento remoto se mostra como uma eficiente ferramenta para monitorar e mapear MPS quando comparada às técnicas tradicionais de monitoramento, como as medidas in situ. Entretanto, diante de uma grande e complexa variabilidade de componentes óticos, desenvolver modelos de MPS por meio do sinal registrado em sensores remotos é um desafio. Diversos modelos foram desenvolvidos para reservatórios, lagos e lagoas específicos. Atualmente, não há um único modelo capaz de estimar MPS em reservatórios brasileiros em cascata. Com o objetivo de estimar as concentrações de MPS de forma acurada, o objetivo desta tese foi desenvolver um modelo semi-analítico capaz de estimar valores de coeficiente de atenuação, Kd, por meio do uso dos coeficientes de absorção e espalhamento e, consequentemente, utilizar os valores de Kd para estimar as concentrações de MPS. A adoção desta estratégica se baseou na atenuação da luz ao longo da... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Suspended particulate matter (SPM) is the main component presented within aquatic system. High levels of SPM concentration attenuate the light affecting the photosynthesis rates. Besides, can increase turbidity levels, absorb pollutions and is an indicative of runoff discharges. Therefore, monitoring SPM concentrations is essential to provide reliable information for a correct water management to prevent hydrological collapse. Remote sensing emerges as an efficient tool to map and monitor SPM when compared to traditional techniques, such as in situ measurements. Nevertheless, considering a widely range of optical components, modeling the remote sensing signal in terms of SPM is a challenge. Several models were developed for specific reservoirs, lakes or ponds. Up to our knowledge, there is not a single model capable to retrieve SPM in Brazilian linked reservoirs in a cascade system. In order to accurately estimate SPM, the aim of the thesis was developed a semianalytical model capable to estimate Kd via absorption and backscattering coefficients, and then, use Kd to derive SPM. This approach was adopted because SPM directly contributes to the light attenuation within the water column. Firstly, optical features were investigated. It was found that each reservoir presented a specific optical active component (OAC) dominance, such as Barra Bonita, the first reservoir in cascade is dominated by organic SPM, while Nova Avanhandava, the last reservoir in cascade is dominated by ino... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Syfte: Syftet är att beskriva och analysera skillnaden mellan företagens finansiella prestation och utländska direktinvesteringar utifrån valda nyckeltal. Metod: Forskningen syftar till att vara objektiv och använda databasen Orbis för att mäta kvantitativa metoder och hålla sig inom den deduktiva ansatsen. Studien bygger också på en totalundersökning eftersom samtliga företag noterade på Nasdaq OMX Stockholms Small-Cap lista var inkluderade i studien. Detta möjliggjorde att slutsatser kunde dras då urvalet är representativt. Studien använder sig av sekundärdata utifrån databasen Orbis. Där en samling av uppgifterna är baserade på en tvärsnittsdesign. Statistisk analys av sekundärdata utfördes i form av deskriptiv statistik, korrelationstester samt Mann-Whitney U-tester. Empiri: Studien påvisar att utländska direktinvesteringar ökar ett företags finansiella prestationer inom variablerna Tobin’s Q, ROA samt helheten av ett företag till en mindre effekt, studien kan inte påvisa någon statistiskt säkerställd skillnad mellan ROE, EPS, EBITDA och utländska direktinvesteringar. Slutsats: Studien visar att utländska direktinvesteringar delvis har en positiv påverkan på de finansiella prestationer ett företag presterar. / Purpose: The purpose is to analyze and describe the difference between companies financial performance and foreign direct investments based on selected key figures. Method: The research aims to be objective, use the database Orbis to measure quantitative methods, and adhere to a deductive approach. The study is also based on a total survey because all companies listed on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm's Small-Cap list were included in the study. This enabled conclusions to be drawn as the sample is representative. The study uses secondary data based on the database Orbis. Where a collection of data is based on a cross-sectional design. Statistical analysis of the secondary data was performed in the form of descriptive statistics, correlation tests, and Mann-Whitney U-tests. Empirical: The study demonstrates that foreign direct investment increases a company's financial performance within the variables Tobin’s Q, ROA, and the whole of a company to a lesser effect, the study cannot demonstrate any statistically significant difference in the relationship between ROE, EPS, EBITDA, and foreign direct investment. Conclusion: The study shows that foreign direct investment positively impacts a company's financial performance.

Orientador: Maria de Lourdes Boeno Trindade Galo / Resumo: As formas de uso e cobertura da terra no entorno de corpos d’água é um dos fatores que mais impactam águas continentais. Diante disso, é que ambientes aquáticos se tornam cada vez mais susceptíveis a processos de eutrofização, o que favorece a proliferação de macrófitas. Uma maneira de monitorar a proliferação de macrófitas, assim como alterações nas formas de uso e cobertura da terra no entorno de reservatórios é a partir de dados de sensoriamento remoto. Sensores remotos surgem como uma alternativa com grande potencial para a análise da variabilidade espaço-temporal de macrófitas aquáticas. Classificadores baseados em aprendizado máquina são cada vez mais utilizados em alternativa às técnicas tradicionais, uma vez que alguns desses algoritmos não requerem a distribuição estatística dos dados permitindo assim a inclusão de atributos não espectrais no processo de classificação. Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar o potencial de redes neurais artificiais (RNAs) no monitoramento sazonal da dispersão de macrófitas aquáticas no reservatório de Salto Grande, Americana (SP), simultaneamente às alterações no uso e cobertura da terra do seu entorno. No processo de classificação, foram realizados diversos experimentos a fim de selecionar os atributos e arquiteturas de RNA mais adequados para discriminar tanto as macrófitas no corpo hídrico, quanto os tipos de uso e cobertura da terra no seu entorno. Os dados de entrada constituíram-se de bandas espectrais do sistema OLI/Landsat-8, i... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The land use/cover surrounding water bodies is one of the factors that most impact continental waters. Thus, aquatic environments become increasingly susceptible to eutrophication processes, which favors the growth of macrophytes. One way to monitor the growth of macrophytes as well as changes in the forms of land use/cover surrounding reservoirs, is from remote sensing data. Remote sensors emerge as an alternative with great potential for the analysis of spatio-temporal variability of aquatic macrophytes. Classifiers based on machine learning are alternatives increasingly used in detriment to traditional techniques. Those algorithms do not require the statistical distribution of the data, thus allowing the inclusion of non-spectral attributes in the classification process. In this sense, this wok aims to evaluate the potential of artificial neural network (ANN) in the seasonal monitoring of aquatic macrophytes dispersion in Salto Grande, Americana (SP), simultaneously with the changes monitoring in the land use/cover of the surrounding areas. In the classification process, several experiments were performed to select the most appropriate attributes, as well as the best ANN architecture to discriminate the macrophytes in the water body and the types of land use/cover of the surrounding. The input data consisted of OLI / Landsat-8 system spectral bands, texture images derived from OLI images, normalized spectral indices for vegetation enhancement (NDVI), moisture content (MNDW... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

<p>Turkey’s strategic geographical location, the country’s unique Customs Union with the EU and its growing market potential are all factors that create market opportunities for foreign investors. However, despite the presence of necessary economic prerequisites and a diminishing number of barriers to entry, FDI in Turkey has remained quite low. Further, this area has not been covered extensively in the past and has therefore been of interest to study.</p><p>The purpose of this study has been to identify the determinant factors behind Swedish firms’ investment decisions in Turkey and thus find the advantages that Turkey provides for Swedish firms. The motives and advantages form a proposal for how to best promote Turkey as an interesting market for Swedish firms interested in FDI.</p><p>A list of Swedish subsidiaries in Turkey was provided by the Swedish Trade Council in Istanbul and came to represent the selected population. The firms were contacted, using both e-mail and telephone, and were requested to respond to an e-mail survey. The final response rate was 22%. The firms’ responses were then analysed together with secondary data such as general facts about Turkey as well as a business climate report about Turkey made by the Swedish Trade Council in November 2005.</p><p>Regarding the firms’ ownership-specific advantages, the results showed that firm size is irrelevant to the investment decision, while research and development expenditure as well as a long international experience is a condition.</p><p>Concerning Turkey’s location-specific advantages, market potential, the country’s geographic position, its labour costs and its educational level, are important determinant factors as well as the business climate and the economic climate in Turkey. Agglomeration benefits, in business areas where they exist, and the possibility to receive assistance from external actors when entering a foreign market are also important determinant factors. Furthermore, infrastructure is an important determinant factor, but not of a conclusive significance to the investment decision. In addition to the specified variables, the political situation in Turkey was cited as an important determinant factor. The cultural distance between Turkey and Sweden was the only location-specific factor that proved not to be a determinant factor at all.</p><p>Conclusively, the Turkish market offers several advantages to Swedish firms wanting to engage in foreign direct investments. First, Turkey has a strategic geographic position that offers proximity to many other markets. Second, the Turkish market potential is alluring and offers opportunities of long term growth. Third, there are possibilities to receive assistance from external actors which facilitates overcoming probable obstacles that might occur when entering the Turkish market. Fourth, the process of establishing a labour force is freed from complications since labour costs are lower in Turkey than in Sweden and the access to highly educated personnel is good. Last, ongoing development in Turkey’s business and economic climate decreases the investment risk involved when entering the Turkish market.</p>

Arsenic (As) poses a significant water quality problem and it is a big challenge for all coal-based power plant industries worldwide. Currently most of the researches on the leaching behavior of arsenic from fly ash are based on the titration experiments. In this study a simulation method is used to study on the pH effect on the arsenic separation of coal-based power plants. Both single point and composition survey simulation of the OLI stream analyzer are used in the study. The simulation results of single point calculation indicates that for the fly ash which has high lime weight percent and equilibrium fly ash solution pH is over 11 and between 7 and 9, that is, Type C fly ash, the simulation results for equilibrium pH in fly ash solutions have great accuracy compared to actual experiment results. Based on the results obtained from single point simulation, both acid and base titrations of composition survey are simulated and the output results suggest that for the same type of fly ash, the simulation results proves the general trend of arsenic solubility in fly ash solutions. The solubility of arsenic decreases with the increase of pH value. It is also noted that at the equilibrium pH fly ash solutions, the maximum solid/liquid ratio of arsenic concentration is observed for type C fly ash. For other fly ashes which have low lime weight percent, the simulation results have discrepancy compared to actual experiment results. This work is important in offering an alternative way of analyze the reasonable output species and relative concentrations for type C fly ash in the waste water storage pond under specific pH conditions, which can be of great importance for the power plants to monitor and minimize the environment pollution in order to meet the future federal regulations.

No description available.

The thesis examines the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and, in order to achieve a better understanding of how MENA economies may attract FDI, attempts to identify their possible location-specific de-terminants. The analysis is based on the results of the cross-section OLS regression meth-od. The examined empirical model is based on the eclectic theory developed by John Dun-ning and the previous empirical studies. To test the relevant location-specific determinants of FDI inflows into MENA region, eighteen countries are sampled for the period 1996-2006. The results of the regression analysis show that physical infrastructure and trade openness are significant determinants of FDI in the MENA countries.