Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 205-219). Also available on the World Wide Web.

There has been considerable research over the years regarding the relationship between natural resource abundance and economic growth, yet much less is known about the link between natural resource abundance and prevalence of poverty. This thesis examines the question of whether mineral resource rents have helped to reduce poverty rates in countries with an extensive mineral base in a cross country case study analysis involving Botswana, Nigeria, Zambia, Bolivia, Chile, and Venezuela. The link between mineral rents and poverty is studied in the context of four major mechanisms; (1) the redistribution of resources across sectors of the economy (‘Dutch Disease’), (2) the distribution of rents between the domestic country with the natural resources and foreign extraction firms, (3) the allocation of resources among citizens, and (4) the reallocation of rents over time (for precautionary saving). While none of the countries have achieved substantial economic diversification, Chile emerges as the best performer in this case study. Chile has utilized its extensive mineral base to achieve strong economic growth as well as significant poverty reduction. Facilitating an encouraging private investment climate or a mix of public and private ownership that does not sacrifice productivity and efficiency seems to work in appropriating a stable and fair share of mineral rents. Rents that are prudently invested in the domestic economy, in foreign assets for precautionary saving, and in targeted policies designed to redistribute resources more equally among citizens can significantly reduce poverty, and increase social and economic development.

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The logging industry of the Amazon is a topic that has received little attention in the literature, beyond specific single firm case studies. This has not allowed estimation of cost and production functions that can be used to predict changes in the industry in response to external market factors or government policies. Cost functions and rents are very important to characterize the dynamics of industry behavior, as well as providing important information for future policies. This study relies on a survey of 527 firms to estimate harvest, transportation, and milling cost functions for the logging industry in the Brazilian Amazon, finding variables such as labor cost, distance from the forest to the sawmill, equipment and frontier type to significantly affect the total and marginal cost of each activity. Rents are also estimated for different sampled milling centers, and a cost minimizing mathematical programming model is presented that explains the advance of the logging frontier in Brazil. / Master of Science

Detta arbete grundar sig på att undersöka vad som krävs för att bolag ska investera i nyproduktion av hyresrätter. Vi går in på olika hyressättningssystem som används vid befintliga hyreslägenheter och hur staten med hjälp av presumtionshyror och investeringsstöd har försökt stimulera nyproduktionen av hyreslägenheter. Ämnet fri hyressättning eller marknadshyror har varit ett hett debattämne som till och med fått regeringen att avgå år 2021. Arbetet fortsätter därför att undersöka om det strikta hyressättningssystem som finns i Sverige hindrar nyproduktionen av hyresrätter samt om just en fri hyressättning hade kunnat ändra på detta.  Arbetet har utgått från en kvalitativ metod för att uppnå syftet. Arbetet utgår från vetenskapliga artiklar, litteratur samt intervjuer med personer från olika fastighetsbolag. Resultatet som vi kommit fram till är att detta är en känslig fråga där åsikterna varierar mellan privata och kommunala bolag. Det går att konstatera att nybyggnationen har minskat och priserna för nybyggnation har stigit kraftigt till följd av inflationen och det höjda ränteläget. För att öka incitamentet till nybyggnation av hyreslägenheter krävs en tydligare struktur och handlingsplan från kommunerna samt mer beviljande av bygglov, men i ett långtidsperspektiv krävs en ny reform av hyressättningssystemet. / This paper examines the requirements that are needed for companies to invest in new development. We go into different rental compensation systems that are used in existing rental apartments and how the state has tried to stimulate the production of rental apartments with the help of presumptive rents and investment support. The subject of no rent regulations or market rents has been a hot topic of debate that even caused the government to resign in 2021. Therefore, the paper continues to investigate whether the strict rent setting system that exists in Sweden prevents the new production of rental properties and whether a free rent setting could have changed this. A qualitative method has been used to fulfil the purpose of the paper. The paper is based on scientific articles, literature and interviews with people from various real estate companies. The result of the study is that this is a sensitive issue where opinions vary between private and municipal companies. It can be stated that new developments have decreased and prices for new construction have risen sharply as a result of inflation and the increased interest rate. In order to increase the incentive for new construction of rental apartments, a clearer structure and action plan from the municipalities is required, as well as more granting of building permits, but in the long term, a new reform of the rent compensation system is required.

La rémunération des dirigeants est au centre des débats sur la gouvernance d’entreprise. La présente recherche a ouvert deux volets empiriques distincts pour nourrir ce débat. Dans le premier volet d’études empiriques, nous avons examiné la possibilité que les dirigeants profitent de leur pouvoir sur le conseil d’administration pour extraire des rentes économiques sous la forme d’actions gratuites et de stock-options. Puis, nous avons testé l’impact des incitations financières détenues par le dirigeant sur la performance de l’entreprise. Sur la base d’un échantillon de 510 entreprises-années extraites du SBF 120, nos résultats rejettent l’hypothèse d’extraction de rentes. Ensuite, nos résultats suggèrent que les dirigeants détiennent, en moyenne, le niveau optimal d’incitations financières permettant de maximiser la performance. Dans notre second volet d’études empiriques, nous avons souhaité évaluer le bien-fondé de la pratique de gestion consistant à intégrer des mesures d’innovation dans les contrats de rémunération. Sur la base d’un échantillon d’entreprises de haute et de basse technologie du S&P500, nos résultats semblent confirmer le bien-fondé de cette politique de rémunération. En effet, nous avons observé que la proportion d’entreprises dont les bonus des dirigeants intègrent une mesure de l’innovation est plus forte pour les entreprises des secteurs de haute technologie par rapport aux entreprises de basse technologie. Ensuite, nos résultats suggèrent que les entreprises de haute technologie qui intègrent des mesures d’innovation dans le bonus des dirigeants sont plus performantes que celles qui n’y ont pas recours / CEO compensation is at the core of the debates on corporate governance. This research has opened two different areas of empirical inquiry to enrich this debate. In our first area of inquiry, we investigate the possibility for CEOs to take advantage of their power on the board to extract economic rents in the form of restricted shares and stock-options. Then, we test the impact of CEO equity incentives on firm performance. On the basis of a sample of 510 SBF120 firm-year, our results reject the rent extraction hypothesis. Then, our results suggest that CEO hold, on average, the optimal level of equity incentives enabling the maximization of performance. In our second area of empirical inquiry, we examine the performance consequences that follow the use of innovation measures in CEO bonus contracts. The results, drawn from a sample of S&P500 high technology firms and low technology firms, support the relevance of this compensation policy. Indeed, we observe that the proportion of firms which CEO bonuses have integrated an innovation measure is higher for high technology firms compared with low technology firms. Moreover, we find that high technology firms whose CEO bonus incorporates R&D measures perform better than firms which rely on other types of financial and non financial measures in defining the CEO bonus

A energia eólica é uma das fontes de energia renovável mais promissoras e que cresce mais rapidamente em todo o mundo. O uso da energia eólica pode contribuir para reduzir as emissões de gases de efeito estufa derivados da queima de combustíveis fósseis. Estima-se que o Brasil dispõe de um significativo potencial eólico offshore na sua Zona Econômica Exclusiva de cerca de 1,78 TW. Entretanto, um dos fatores limitantes para o desenvolvimento da energia eólica offshore no Brasil é a inexistência de um marco regulatório. O marco regulatório é uma condição essencial para atrair investimentos no setor e permitir o desenvolvimento do potencial latente. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar princípios e experiências regulatórias brasileiras e internacionais para subsidiar o debate na formulação de instrumentos normativos com vista a inserção da energia eólica offshore no Brasil. O estudo apresenta um panorama do estado da arte e das tendências tecnológicas para geração de energia eólica offshore que ajuda a compreender como a construção e operação de usinas pode provocar impactos socioambientais e conflitos no espaço oceânico. Uma síntese do conceito de potencial eólico é elaborada, e as rendas econômicas do recurso eólico offshore são analisadas ressaltando-se a necessidade de atuação do Estado na arbitragem de sua extração e distribuição. Por meio da investigação do arcabouço jurídico-regulatório brasileiro, e com uso da metodologia descritiva, constatou-se que não há instrumentos capazes de dar suporte ao desenvolvimento de parques eólicos offshore no Brasil. A partir da análise de princípios e experiências regulatórias brasileiras em geração de energia eólica onshore, geração de energia hidrelétrica, exploração e produção de petróleo e gás natural, e, em geração de energia eólica offshore do Reino Unido, Alemanha, Dinamarca, Holanda, Bélgica, China e Estados Unidos, foram elaborados quadros de referências para servirem de base para o caso do Brasil. Em conclusão, princípios dos modelos brasileiros para outorga de usinas hidrelétricas; princípios do modelo de exploração e produção de petróleo e gás natural, assim como das experiências internacionais em energia eólica offshore aderentes ao ambiente institucional do Brasil, podem ser adotados na formulação de instrumentos jurídicos e normativos com vista a inserção da energia eólica offshore no país. / Wind power is one of the most promising and fastest growing renewable energy sources in the world. The use of wind power can contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. It is estimated that Brazil has a significant offshore wind potential in its Exclusive Economic Zone of about 1.78 TW. However, one of the limiting factors for the development of offshore wind power in Brazil is the lack of a regulatory framework. The regulatory framework is an essential condition to attract investments in the sector and allowing the development of latent potential. This study aims to analyze Brazilian and international regulatory principles and experiences to support the debate in the formulation of normative instruments for the insertion of offshore wind energy in Brazil. The study presents an overview of the state of the art and technological trends for offshore wind power generation that helps to understand how the construction and operation of power plants can cause socio-environmental impacts and conflicts in the ocean space. A synthesis of the concept of wind potential is elaborated, and the economic rents of the offshore wind resource are analyzed emphasizing the necessity of State action in the arbitration of its extraction and distribution. Based on the investigation of the Brazilian legal-regulatory framework and by using the descriptive methodology it was verified that there are no instruments capable of supporting the development of offshore wind farms in Brazil. Based on the analysis of Brazilian principles and regulatory experiences in onshore wind power generation, hydroelectric power generation, oil and natural gas exploration and production, and in offshore wind power generation in the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, China, and United States, frameworks of the conceptual references were developed to serve as a basis for the case of Brazil. In conclusion, principles of the Brazilian model for the grant of hydroelectric plants; principles of the Brazilian model for oil, and natural gas exploration and production, as well as of the international offshore wind experiences adhering to the institutional environment of Brazil, can be adopted in the formulation of legal and normative instruments aiming the insertion of offshore wind power in the country.

Previous research has not specified the circumstances under which foreign aid may increase the probability of armed conflict. The purpose of this dissertation is to address this gap by employing a theoretical framework in which foreign aid produces incentives for a rent-seeking scramble among elites. A set of conditions affecting the likelihood of armed conflict are identified and tested on global data in a series of statistical analyses. Paper I argues and finds that foreign aid increases the probability of armed conflict in states where there are few constraints on executive power, allowing for a scramble for rents. Paper II proposes and finds a threshold effect of aid, such that the likelihood of armed conflict increases only when aid has reached a certain level. Paper III suggests and demonstrates that sudden negative changes in aid flows enhance the risk of armed conflict as well as coup attempts, as aid shortfalls accelerate distributional conflict over aid rents. Paper IV claims and shows that civil wars are less likely to be terminated by settlement in the form of elections when conflict parties are dependent on rents. In sum, this dissertation contributes by theoretically specifying and empirically identifying conditions under which foreign aid increases the probability of armed conflict.

From the standpoint of basic human rights, government and society should share the responsibility of providing various welfare services to the disabled and ensure their opportunities for education, jobs and even basic survival. However, in the time of financial hardship for the government, to rebuild or purchase new buildings to facilitate the welfare institutions for the disabled will surely have impacts on other existing welfare spending. On the other hand, there are many public properties and buildings not utilized, wasting the government resources. How the government agencies can effectively push the reuse of the public deserted spaces for the welfare institutions, the current issues and the strategies for the future are the topics which are worth exploring and may well be the references for the government agencies. This study is based on the research methods such as data collection, case study and in-depth interviews and finds that the welfare institutions to be housed in the public deserted spaces should be community-based. To sustain itself financially and to avoid the management liability and pressure, the scale should not be too small. The role of the welfare institutions for the disabled is to assist the government, support the families, subside, create, profit and provide social education. The government should be responsible for the policies or the affairs beneficial to the people with much less resources, and create incentives for the private sectors to participate in the welfare business. Reuse the public deserted spaces can efficiently utilize and manage the public properties. However, the issues encountered during the remodeling process such as the structures of the site, wheelchair accessibility, building permits for the building expansion and permits for changes of building purposes are beyond these welfare institutions. To resolve these issues requires the coordination of the involving government agencies and the welfare institutions to be housed at the public deserted spaces. If the institutions to be housed at the public deserted spaces are service-oriented, they should be able to use the spaces without paying rents. If the institutions are for profits, the government agency managing the properties should collect rents to enforce a fair, efficient utilization and long-termed planning. Also, the institutions should think about the sufficiency of their staff trainings and marketing strategies for the whole year to maintain smooth and stable business running. This study proposed the following four proposals: 1.Establish a complete and open information network and set up a reasonable rental procedure so that the private sectors can locate the deserted spaces and reuse the spaces for the welfare of the disabled by renting. 2.Help the private sectors to push for the social services for the disabled. 3.While not compromising the public welfare and safety, modify the codes and laws involved to streamline the space reuse process. 4.Regarding the business model of the welfare institutions to be housed at the public deserted spaces, assess and evaluate not only the rental periods and the sizes but also the budget expenses and business strategies, hoping the institutions can be run stably and smoothly and maximize the benefits of space reuse.

With the significant rise in immigration to the U.S. over the last few decades, fully understanding the economic impact of immigration is paramount for policy makers. As such, this dissertation consists of three empirical essays contributing to the literature on the impact of immigration. In my first essay, I re-examine the impact of immigration on housing rents and completely controlling for endogenous location choices of immigrants. I model rents as a function of both contemporaneous and initial economic and housing market conditions. I show that existing estimates of the impact of immigration on rents are biased and the source of the bias is the instrumental variable strategy common in much of the immigration literature. In my second essay, I present a new approach to estimating the effect of immigration on native wages. Noting the imperfect substitutability of immigrants and natives within education groups, I posit an empirical framework where labor markets are stratified by occupations. Using occupation-specific skill to define homogeneous skill groups, I estimate the partial equilibrium (within skill group) effect of immigration. The results suggest that when one defines labor market cohorts that directly compete in the labor market, the effect of immigration on native wages is roughly twice as large as previous estimates in the literature. In my third essay, I return to the housing market and examine the effects of immigration within metropolitan areas. Specifically, I investigate the relationship between immigrant inflows, native outflows, and rents. Taking advantage of the unique settlement patterns of immigrants, I show that the effect of immigration on rents is lower in both high-immigrant neighborhoods and portions of the rent distribution where immigrants cluster. Contrary to the existing belief in the literature, the results suggest that the preferences of natives, not immigrants, bid up rents in response to an immigrant inflow.