The object of my diploma is focused in the pension system of The Czech Republic and the perspective of it in the future. At present there is still no problem in the financial balance of the pay-as-you-go pillar but due to the ageing of population the Czech dominant pillar will certain face to serious problems in case of no modifications. This conclusion arises from the first part of the analysis which also consists of the possible parameter modifications that could keep the system in balanced in long term. The next part is the analysis of the savings in the pension funds as the main alternative to the PAYGs. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages which are main objects of both analyses in this diploma. Beside of the ability to keep the system stabled in financial terms I examine also the equivalence of contributions to the level of pensions that is important for the motivation of people to be responsible for their financial security in their old-age. The last part deals with the experiences of the pension systems in Chile, Slovak Republic and Sweden from where we could gain the real results of the reformed systems in different way in each country. From the results of these analyses I also give some possible recommendations for the elementary modifications in Czech system in the final part.

This thesis focuses on the issue of European pension systems from a standpoint of their structure and sustainability in view of ageing of the population. The structure of systems is examined through pension models which embody combinations of financing (pay-as-you-go or capital funded) and pension calculation (defined contribution or defined benefit). The main object is to reveal how much are the European pension systems threatened by ageing of the population and sort them out according to this discovery. The risk rate is calculated as a ratio of the difference between expense rate on public pension pillars in 2012 and 2060 to the difference between dependency ratio in the same interval. The final figure shows the percentage of relative expenses per capita in 2060 compared to the base year of 2012. The main object is carried out by dividing the studied states into three groups. According to thesis' results, the most endangered state is Poland with a value of 28 % while the least endangered state is Luxembourg with a value of 110 % or relative expenses per capita compared to the base year of 2012.

Africa still has the lowest electrification rates in the world with over 600 million people estimated to be living without access to electricity. What makes the challenge even greater for Africa is that the continent is so sparsely populated that building grid infrastructure is not viable in many cases. However, “pay-as-you-go” solar home systems have provided the continent with the opportunity to correct its electrification deficit. These innovations are not new and many of the costs of operating these systems have reached grid parity when one considers the Levelized Cost of Energy Model. However, these projects still fail to meet institutional investors' bankability criteria. The aim of this study is to try and understand whether solar home systems provide the investor with an opportunity to make a larger risk-adjusted return versus existing grid-based power station projects being considered on the continent. This study uses Ghana's recently built Kpone power station as a case study to complete this analysis. The study also seeks to assess what viability criteria is employed by a broad base of investors if they were to consider funding off-grid power. The study makes use of the Net Present Value model to compare the returns for Kpone and Zola Electric's Infinity solar home system. The study also conducts inductive qualitative analysis to try and ascertain what criteria is assessed for project viability and then builds a conceptual framework for assessing future projects. The study found that Kpone provided a better risk-adjusted return to that of Zola Electric's solar home system, largely because of Kpone's project finance structure reducing the risk of the investment. Our findings also show that investment ticket size, company track record and management track record are among the most highly considered criteria for investments into off-grid companies.

La thèse cherche à travers des critères économiques, sociaux et financiers à définir pour laFrance un système de retraite optimal. Elle procède à l’analyse critique de l’ensemble desréformes entreprises depuis la parution du Livre Blanc sur les retraites (1991), et engage despistes de mesures complémentaires pour les améliorer. Elle s’articule autour de deux idéesprincipales : d’une part, les principales réformes (Balladur, 1993 et Fillon, 2003) sont d’ordreparamétrique et entendent préserver la logique de solidarité intergénérationnelle ; d’autre part,sous certaines conditions, elles peuvent être améliorées par l’adjonction de mesuresstructurelles sous forme d’introduction d’une dose de capitalisation obligatoire.L’argumentation s’appuie à la fois sur une réflexion théorique, fondée notamment sur lesmodèles à générations imbriquées, la notion de taxe sur la poursuite d’activité aux âgesavancés, et sur une étude empirique internationale mesurant l’impact d’une capitalisationsupplémentaire sur l’épargne nationale. Globalement, l’objectif de la thèse est de montrerl’existence de deux dilemmes auxquels font face les pouvoirs publics dans la recherche desolutions à la crise des retraites: (1) garder le système de retraite actuel qui offre peud’incitations à la poursuite de toute activité professionnelle aux âges avancés ou aller versplus d’individualisation des droits au risque de sacrifier la solidarité intergénérationnelle ; (2)quelle dose, quelle(s) forme(s) et quelle réglementation de la capitalisation qui permettentd’augmenter l’épargne nationale au lieu de la réduire ? / This dissertation tries to define an optimal retirement system for France based on economic,social and financial criteria. It reviews the reforms that have been undertaken since thepublication of the Livre Blanc sur les retraites in 1991, and highlights additional measuresthat could be implemented to enhance these reforms. The dissertation is structured around twomain ideas: on the one hand, the main reforms (Balladur, 1993 and Fillon, 2003) are ofparametric nature and intend to preserve intergenerational solidarity; on the other hand, undercertain conditions, they can be improved by incorporating a funded system. The analysis relyon both a theoretical framework, notably overlapping generations models, and anempirical approach to assess the impact of additional capitalization on national saving.Overall, the dissertation aims to show that the authorities face two main dilemma whendealing with the retirement crisis: (1) keep the current retirement system, which does notencourage the elderly to remain in the workforce, or move toward a funded system at the riskof giving up intergenerational solidarity; (2) what dose, forms and regulations of fundingcould stimulate national savings?

The diploma thesis deals with the privatization of the pay-as-you-go pension systems, and it aims to theoretically and empirically disconfirm the widely spread imaginary benefits of the transfer to the fully funded social security system. These so-called social security myths are inherently connected with the transformation of the implicit pension debt to the explicit debt which, as confirmed by the designed multiple regression model, has a negative influence on rating and therefore on financing expenses of certain states. The thesis also focuses on legislative modifications of pension funds in the Czech Republic which fundamentally add to almost zero real annual yield. After subtraction of deferred expenses and revaluation reserve held in equity of particular pension funds, the average real annual yield in recent fifteen years is actually negative.

The Chilean pension reform has been an experiment of great success. Futhermore, thanks to it the current pensions are much higher than they would have been under the old Pay-As-You-Go system. Considering this, I decided to analyze the possible applicability of the Chilean pension system in the Czech environment. In the present diploma thesis I do analyze the potential results (replacement ratio) of the introduction of a fully funded system in the Czech Republic, in comperison with the replacement ratio of the current Czech PAYG system and the modificated Czech PAYG system that would not genarate deficits (through the reduction of pensions) and keep the retirement age same for all variants for the reason of objective comparison. Later, I do analyze the impact to the state budget of the transition to a fully funded system and discuss the advantages of a such transition. The main conclusion of this diploma thesis justifies that the transition to a fully funded system in the Czech Republic is not recommendatory, due to the fact that it requires high state budget funding and there is a great unlikelihood of benefits for all income groups in general.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / This thesis analyzes adverse demographic trends in the European Union, including sub-replacement birthrates and increasing median ages. It investigates the implications of these trends for the EU's prospects for becoming a stronger and more influential actor in international affairs. Pressures arising from population trends in and near the EU could ultimately affect national and EU cohesion, governmental effectiveness, and social stability. Absent remedial measures, social programs in some EU countries will be unsustainable due to the mounting financial burden of pensions and health care for growing elderly populations. Such financial obligations hinder funding other national programs, including modernized military capabilities. Nationalism and national identity are at issue in immigrant integration and assimilation efforts. The role of population trends with regard to the growing threat of radical Islamic fundamentalism is explored. The thesis concludes with policy recommendations that might be considered to avert the looming economic, social, and security crises that may result from these demographic trends. In short, the security and financial consequences foreshadowed by the current demographic trends of an aging, economically weaker, and socially conflicted European Union could present dramatic implications for the vital national interests of the United States. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

Establishing retirement age is a key issue for each and every pension system. How this issue is resolved is palpable for every citizen and also has a major political dimension. The main reasons for increasing the retirement age - which is occurring in all European countries - are demographic development and economic factors, such as higher life expectancy, increasing the proportion of pensioners to the number of economically active people, and the growing costs for the pension system. This thesis describes the current reform steps in Europe and provides a thorough analysis of factors which are relevant for dealing with retirement age issues. The analysis is based on official statistical data, which are scrutinized even in mutual correlations. The need for an interdisciplinary approach which eliminates unilateral vistas and biased application of data lifted out of context and long-term trends is emphasized. Special attention is paid to the genesis and current solutions regarding the retirement age in the Czech Republic. This thesis offers reasoning which supports setting 65 years of age as the statutory retirement age, including the mechanism for increasing it depending on how the life expectancy factor develops. How the retirement age issues are dealt with is based on the fundamental ethical...