The Master´s thesis deals with origin of goods and its importance in customs and international trade. The main objective of the thesis is to provide a complex summary of principles and rules for determination of origin of goods. A secondary objective of the thesis is to either confirm or rebut the assumption that origin frauds occur mostly in connection with non-preferential origin. The first part explains basic customs terms. The second part analyses non-preferential and preferential origin of goods. Last two parts focus on theoretical and practical aspects of origin frauds.

Our understanding of subsurface flow depends on assumptions of how event characteristics and spatial scale affect the relationships between subsurface water velocity, discharge, water table dynamics, and runoff response. In this thesis, three chapters explore some of these patterns for a hillslope and small watershed in coastal British Columbia. In the first chapter, tracers were applied under natural and steady state conditions to determine the relationship between lateral tracer velocities and various hillslope and event characteristics; such as hillslope subsurface flow, rainfall intensity, water table level, hillslope length, and antecedent condition. The results showed that preferential flow made up a large percentage of the subsurface flow from the gauged hillslope. Flow velocities as measured by tracers were affected by slope length and boundary conditions. The flow velocity was most closely related to the rainfall intensity, and changes in flow velocity were large compared to the changes in the water table. In the second chapter, the preferential flow features that transmitted water during steady state were investigated by staining the soil with a food dye solution and excavating the soil. These data were used to explore the link between the topographical factors (slope and contributing area), the network of preferential features and soil properties. The contributing area appeared to be an indicator of the size of the preferential features and their connectivity. In the final manuscript chapter, water table level and stream discharge measurements were used to determine if areas within a watershed with runoff dominated by preferential flow could be grouped based on the observable physical information such as slope, contributing area, distance to stream, and vegetation. Preferential flow made the water table responses dynamic and thus, distinct zones could not be identified. Models of the water table – runoff were not able to predict the water table response for other sites with similar physical characteristics. Even though there was high variability in the results, the patterns and relationships revealed in this thesis conform to existing conceptual models of hillslope subsurface preferential flow. These patterns and relationships may be useful in developing or validating numerical models. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate

The Master´s thesis is focused on origin of goods. The aim of this Master´s thesis is to summarize information on the origin of goods, with focus on preferential origin of goods. Furthermore, the thesis aims to describe the Generalised system of preferences, compare its periods of development and analyze the future changes, including their evaluation. In the first part there are explained important customs terms. The next part describes non-preferential origin, preferential origin, with focus on the preferential system of the European Union, proofs of origin and cumulation of origin. The next part of the thesis focuses on an important part of the preferential system of the European Union, which is Generalised system of preferences. There are attachments containing certificates of origin and lists of countries involved in various systems and integrations.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Economics / Yang M. Chang / There have been considerable discussions about why countries have interests in forming preferential trade agreements (PTAs), which typically take the forms of a “free trade area” (FTA) with Rules of Origin (ROO) and a “customs union” (CU) (World Bank, 2005). This dissertation contains three essays with three different models of trade under oligopoly to analyze various issues on preferential trade agreements. The first essay examines welfare implications of forming preferential trade arrangement (PTAs) between two asymmetric countries that differ in their market sizes. Key findings are as follows. First, when market size asymmetry between two countries is not too large and ROO requirements are not too restrictive, the formation of an FTA with effective ROO can be welfare-improving to both members. Second, the formation of a PTA is more likely to emerge between countries of similar in their market sizes, ceteris paribus. Third, compared to the pre-PTA equilibrium, there are greater reductions in external tariffs under an FTA than under a CU such that a non-member country is relatively better off under the FTA. The second essay presents a three country model of trade under Bertrand price competition to analyze differences in welfare implications between an FTA with ROO and a customs union (CU). It is shown that the maximum limit of ROO requirements over which there are welfare gains from trade for FTA members depends crucially on the degree of substitutability of final goods (or the intensity of product market competition). It is also found that member countries and their final-good exporters are better off in a CU than in an FTA. There are greater reductions in external tariffs under an FTA than under a CU such that a non-member country is relatively better off under the FTA. The third essay presents a three country model of FTA with Cournot quantity competition and derives the maximum enforceable level of ROO over which there are welfare gains from trade to each member country. It is shown that ROO and external tariffs are strategic complements such that the higher is the regional input restrictions, the higher is the external tariff necessary to induce firms to fully comply with ROO requirements. It is also shown that an FTA with effective ROO has a positive effect on the final-good trade. But the trade-diverting effect does not occur in the final-good sector.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Chemistry / Paul E. Smith / Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations have played an important role in providing detailed atomic information for the study of biological systems. The quality of an MD simulation depends on both the degree of sampling and the accuracy of force field. Kirkwood-Buff (KB) theory provides a relationship between species distributions from simulation results and thermodynamic properties from experiments. Recently, it has been used to develop new, hopefully improved, force fields and to study preferential interactions. Here we combine KB theory and MD simulations to study a variety of intermolecular interactions in solution. Firstly, we present a force field for neutral amines and carboxylic acids. The parameters were developed to reproduce the composition dependent KB integrals obtained from an analysis of the experimental data, allowing for accurate descriptions of activities involved with uncharged N-terminus and lysine residues, as well as the protonated states for the C-terminus and both aspartic and glutamic acids. Secondly, the KB force fields and KB theory are used to investigate the urea cosolvent effect on peptide aggregation behavior by molecular dynamics simulation. Neo-pentane, benzene, glycine and methanol are selected to represent different characteristics of proteins. The chemical potential derivatives with respect to the cosolvent concentrations are calculated and analyzed, and the four solutes exhibit large differences. Finally, the contributions from the vibrational partition function to the total free energy and enthalpy changes are investigated for several systems and processes including: the enthalpy of evaporation, the free energy of solvation, the activity of a solute in solution, protein folding, and the enthalpy of mixing. The vibrational frequencies of N-methylacetamide, acetone and water are calculated using density functional theory and MD simulations. We argue that the contributions from the vibrational partition function are large and in classical force fields these contributions should be implicitly included by the use of effective intermolecular interactions.

Between 1997 and 2009, 47 major defense acquisition programs experienced cost overruns of at least 15% or 30% over their current or original baseline estimates, respectively (GAO, 2011, p. 1). Known formally as a Nunn-McCurdy breach (GAO, 2011, p. 1), the reasons for this excessive growth are myriad, although nearly 70% of the cases identified engineering and design issues as a contributing factor (GAO, 2011, p. 5). Accordingly, Congress legislatively acknowledged the need for change in 2009 with the passage of the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act (WSARA, 2009), which mandated additional rigor and accountability in early life cycle (or Pre-Milestone A) cost estimation. Consistent with this effort, the Department of Defense has recently required more system specification earlier in the life cycle, notably the submission of detailed architectural models, and this has created opportunities for new approaches. In this dissertation, I describe my effort to transform one such model (or view), namely the SV-3, into computational knowledge that can be leveraged in Pre-Milestone A cost estimation and risk analysis. The principal contribution of my work is Algorithm 3-a novel, network science-based method for estimating the cost of unforeseen architectural growth in defense programs. Specifically, using number theory, network science, simulation, and statistical analysis, I simultaneously find the best fitting probability mass functions and strengths of preferential attachment for an incoming subsystem's interfaces, and I apply blockmodeling to find the SV-3's globally optimal macrostructure. Leveraging these inputs, I use Monte Carlo simulation and the Constructive Systems Engineering Cost Model to estimate the systems engineering effort required to connect a new subsystem to the existing architecture. This effort is chronicled by the five articles given in Appendices A through C, and it is summarized in Chapter 2.In addition to Algorithm 3, there are several important, tangential outcomes of this work, including: an explicit connection between Model Based System Engineering and parametric cost modeling, a general procedure for organizations to improve the measurement reliability of their early life cycle cost estimates, and several exact and heuristic methods for the blockmodeling of one-, two-, and mixed-mode networks. More generally, this research highlights the benefits of applying network science to systems engineering, and it reinforces the value of viewing architectural models as computational objects.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Increased pressure on groundwater sources due to increased population size and threats of climate change is driving research to better understand the process of aquifer recharge. Soil pattern is of interest as it serves to partition rainwater into different flowpaths destined for surface runoff, evapotranspiration and deep percolation. The challenges inherent to studying these flowpaths are almost universal as uncertainties concerning spatial and temporal heterogeneity in catchments make the upscaling of models complex. This research addresses these challenges as it aims to improve the catchment scale hydrological models of two aquifer systems: One a fractured bedrock system at the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, Kleinmond, and the other a cover sand system in Riverlands Nature Reserve, Malmesbury. This study focussed on strengthening the link between what is known about a given soil form and the hydrological assumptions that can be drawn from that classification, and formulating the results so that they may ultimately be used to calibrate the recharge prediction models for the respective catchments. The research was done in two parts: The first phase was to conduct soil surveys in both reserves during which soils were classified according to South African Soil Classification. Samples were collected at representative observation points which provided textural data for use in pedotransfer functions (PTFs). These PTFs were used to estimate plant available water (PAW) and hydraulic conductivity (K) for the observed profiles. Infiltration experiments were subsequently done to investigate the infiltration patterns of distinctly different soil forms at two sites from each reserve. The experiments included double ring and mini disc infiltration, volumetric water content determination and flow path visualisation using a staining dye. A statistical comparison between the hydrological properties (K and PAW) of the different soil forms suggest that hydraulic properties differed between the deep sandy soil forms (Fernwood, Pinegrove and Witfontein in Kogelberg and Witfontein, Concordia and Lamotte in Riverlands) and the shallow rocky soil forms (Cartref and Glenrosa in Kogelberg). Thus grouping of hydrological similar units (HSUs) could be done on the basis of the soil forms present within the given catchments. The infiltration study showed that shallow, rocky soils that grade into bedrock would have infiltration rates far greater than those estimated using PTFs in Kogelberg. This is due to the prevalence of continuous preferential flow (PF) of water between coarse fragments in these profiles. Recharge estimates would thus be inaccurate in such soils and calibration using locally derived data is recommended. On the contrary, PTFs produced accurate infiltration estimates relative to measured infiltration rates in deep sandy soils in Kogelberg and Riverlands. The Lamotte soil form is an example of such a soil form. It should however be noted that an increase in PF in these soils had subsequently higher K values than estimated, thus illustrating the link between PF and accelerated infiltration rates. These results confirm that using soil survey information, in the form of a soil map, and calibrated hydrological properties, one can delineate HSUs that encompass a large degree of heterogeneity in a given catchment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verhoogde druk op grondwaterhulpbronne weens die groeiende bevolking en klimaatsverandering dryf tans navorsing om akwifeer hervulling beter te verstaan. Die grondlaag is van belang sienend dat dit reënwater verdeel in oppervlak afloop, evapotranspirasie en diep dreinering. Die uitdagings in hidrologiese navorsing is universeel as gevolg van onsekerhede oor ruimtelike en tydelike variasie wat lei tot komplekse grondwatermodelle. Diè navorsing mik om die tekortkominge in akwifeer hervulling aan te vul deur groundwatermodelle van twee akwifeersisteme te verbeter: Die een is 'n gebroke rots sisteem in die Kogelberg Natuur Reservaat, Kleinmond, en die ander is 'n sand-bedekde sisteem in Riverlands Natuur Reservaat, Malmesbury. Die navorsing streef om die verhouding tussen 'n spesifieke grondvorm en sy hidroliese vloeipaaie te bestudeer en om die gevolgtrekkings so te formuleer dat dit kan gebruik word om die onderskeie grondwatermodelle te kalibreer. Die eerste fase van die navorsing was om 'n grondopname van die onderskeie reservate te doen waartydens die gronde geklassifiseer was volgens die Suid Afrikaanse Grondklassifikasie Sisteem. Grondmonsters is by verteenwoordigende observasiepunte geneem en geanaliseer om tekstuurdata vir pedo-oordraagbare-funksies (PTFs) te kry. Die PTFs was gebruik om plant beskikbare water (PBW) en hidrouliese geleiding (K) te voorspel vir die verskeie observasiepunte. Infiltrasie eksperimente was daarna gedoen om die infiltrasie patroon van twee verskillende grondvorms van elke reservaat te bestudeer. Die eksperimente sluit dubbel- en minidisk-infiltrasie, volumetriese waterinhoud bepaling en vloeipad visualisering met die gebruik van 'n kleurstof in. Die statistiese vergelyking van die hidrouliese eienskappe (K en PBW) en grondvorm dui aan dat die hidrouliese eienskappe verskil tussen die diep, grondvorms met 'n oorwegende sand tekstuur (Fernwood, Pinegrove en Witfontein in Kogelberg en Witfontein, Concordia en Lamotte in Riverlands) en die vlakker, klipperige grondvorms (Cartref en Glenrosa in Kogelberg). Groepering van hidrologies soortgelyke eenhede (HSE's) kan dus op die basis van die teenwoordige grondvorms in 'n opvangsgebied gedoen word. Die infiltrasie studie het bewys dat vlak, klipperige gronde wat tot die rotsbodem gradueer 'n baie hoër infiltratsie tempo sal hê as die PTF voorspelde waardes. Dit is as gevolg van die voorkoms van aaneenlopende voorkeurvloei (VV) van water tussen die growwe materiaal in die profiele, veral die gebroke rots ondergorond. Voorspellings van akwifeer hervulling sal dus onakkuraat wees en kalibrasie met plaaslike data word dus aanbeveel. In teendeel met die begenoemde, het die PTFs akkurate voorspellings gemaak relatief tot die gemete infiltrasie tempo's in die diep sanderige grondvorms in Kogelberg en Riverlands. Dit was duidelik met metings dat 'n toename in aaneenlopende VV hoër gemete K waardes getoon as die voorspelde waardes. Die verband tussen VV en verhoogde infiltrasie tempo word dus hiermee geillustreer. Die resultate bevestig dus dat grondopname data, in die vorm van 'n grondkaart en gekalibreerde hidrouliese eienskappe gebruik kan word om hidrologies soortgelyke eenhede uiteen te sit wat die meerderheid van die variasie in 'n gegewe opvangsgebied insluit. Die HSE's kan gebruik word om grondwatermodelle meer akkuraat te laat funksioneer en dus beter voorspellings te genereer.

Les règles d'origine sont employées pour définir l'endroit où un produit était manufacturé. Pour comprendre l'évolution du commerce, particulièrement lorsqu'il s'agit des accords unilatéraux et bilatéraux, la connaissance des règles d'origine préférentielles et le cumul est nécessaire. Les règles d'origine préférentielles jouent un rôle légitime dans la prévention des déviations commerciales. L'UE a le plus grand nombre d'accords commerciaux préférentiels avec un niveau élevé d'harmonisation des lois d'origine, par exemple l'accord économique d'association (EPA) pour 78 pays ACP et le système du cumul pour l'Euromed. Comme nous savons, la subvention pour le produit d'agriculture tel que le sucre de l'UE et le coton des Etats-Unis sont la raison principale qui cause la pauvreté des PMA. Ainsi, les objets principaux de cette dissertation est veulent trouver : Est-ce que l'UE emploie vraiment sincèrement les règles d'origine préférentielles pour aider les PMA ou veut juste garder leurs avantages coloniaux historiques? Pourquoi les pays membre de l'UE contre la nouvelle politique de la commission à la CJUE après les plaignantes a pris la consultation à l'OMC par le même produit ? Comment les règles d'origine préférentielles de l'UE garde-t-elle l'harmonie avec leurs pays membres et les Etats membres de l'OMC? Pourrions-nous trouver une solution de s'améliorer ou remplacer les règles d'origine préférentielles de l'UE pour empêcher un autre cas se produire dans l'OMC et le CJCE pour le même produit? Nous trouverons la réponse à la conclusion. / Rules of origin are used to define the place where a product was manufactured. To understand the evolution of trade, especially in the cases of unilateral and bilateral trade agreements, the knowledge of the preferential rules of origin and cumulation is necessary.The preferential rules of origin play a legitimate part in the prevention of the commercial deviations. The EU has the largest number of preferential trade agreements with a high degree of harmonization of origin laws, for example the Economic Partnership Agreement （EPA） for 78 ACP countries and the system of cumulation for EURO-MED.As we know, the subsidiary for agriculture product such as sugar and cotton of EU and USA are the main reason which causes the poverty of LCDs. So, the mains purpose of this dissertation is want to find: Does EU really sincerely uses the preferential rules of origin （PROO） to help the LCDs or just want to keep their historical colonial benefits? Why the EU member against the EU commission's newly policy after the WTO member by the same product? How the EU PROO does keep harmony with their member countries and the WTO's member countries? Could we find a way to improve or replace the PROO of EU for the same product to prevent another case happen both in WTO and CJCE? We have found the answer at the Conclusion.

The policies of the previous dispensation created racial disparities in South Africa and resulted in a need for transformation of public procurement systems to enable historically disadvantaged individuals (HDIs) to access government procurement opportunities. The Preferential Procurement Policy (PP Policy) was adopted to regulate preferential procurement in government in order to accelerate the award of procurement opportunities to companies that are owned by HDIs. The purpose of the research was to investigate the benefits of preferential procurement to HDIs in the light of the perception that the PP Policy is not achieving its objectives. The qualitative methodology was used to collect and analyse the data using the case study design. The research revealed that, although the results of implementing the policy are still below the expected outcomes due to stringent legislative requirements and corruption, many emerging HDI-owned enterprises benefit from preferential procurement opportunities. The study further contends that the achievement of the intended objectives of PP Policy can be improved by reviewing the model of implementation of the policy, improving awareness and accountability of the key stakeholders and providing unconditional support for SMMEs.

Thesis advisor: Thomas H. Groome / Thesis advisor: Stephen J. Pope / The story of the Good Samaritan in Luke's Gospel (10:25-37) may be Jesus' most well-known teaching. Though it epitomizes the heart of Christian faith and the Great Commandment to love God and one's neighbors as oneself, the depth of the challenge to "Go and do likewise" like the Samaritan is not well understood and less often put into practice. The Samaritan's example sets a standard that is not met by random acts of kindness; Samaritan-like neighbor love means acting with courage, compassion, and generosity in boundary-breaking solidarity to care for those most in need. According to Gustavo Gutiérrez, by going out of his way and into the ditch to draw near to the robbers' victim, the Samaritan's actions depict the preferential option for the poor. This reverence for the other, especially one in such a vulnerable condition, depicts what Gutiérrez calls a "theology of the neighbor," which he claims has not yet been developed. This dissertation proposes a "theology of neighbor" motivated and oriented by the details of this paradigmatic standard for Christian discipleship to more fully capture how the principles of solidarity and preferential option for the poor may be put into practice. Before working out the theological, moral, and pedagogical implications for this framework, this project focuses on three key features of the present praxis that influence how "neighbor" might be understood today: the complex and compressed systems of globalization, the social disengagement of the "buffered self" as described by Charles Taylor, and the "networked self" that enjoys unprecedented rates of connectivity via digital technologies and social media. In response to the challenges posed by this socio-cultural context, this dissertation articulates a moral vision for being neighbors today. This is given shape by a matrix of virtues that include compassion, courage, fidelity, and prudence. When put into practice, these dispositions and habits are meant to inspire and sustain an integral life-pattern committed to solidarity and preferential option for the poor held in balance with the moral obligations to one's family and friends. Narrowing the focus to students at U.S. Catholic colleges and informed by the current conditions for their personal, social, religious, and moral formation, this dissertation proposes a pedagogical approach to theological education as neighbor-formation. This involves establishing communities of practice that follow the Samaritan's example to draw near - physically and virtually - to neighbors in need in steadfast commitment to right-relationship in solidarity. In doing so, this dissertation develops a framework of principles and practices to effectively engage today's emerging adults to "Go and do likewise" in an increasingly globalized, digital world. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry.