Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal. / This thesis defines collusion broadly as play in a repeated game which differs from play in a one shot game. The analysis of collusion is an important part of many branches of economics. In industrial organization, for example, if collusion were not present then we could restrict investigation to the study of oligopolistic and competitive markets. Another important part of modern economic theory is the analysis of situations where there exists some ldnd of privileged information. Game theorists would say that in such a scenario there exists incomplete information. The predominant theme of the three essays composing this thesis is the study of repeated games under incomplete information. Typically, repeated game analyses have assumed the presence of complete information. However, many examples of repeated interaction must be treated in an incomplete information scenario. Auctions, the subject of the first essay, are the most natural example of this. The goal of this study is to understand how bidders collude in auctions. The main innovation is an explicit treatment of the repeated nature of the game to endogenize the threats necessary to support non competitive behavior. This analysis yields several testable implications about the behavior of colluding agents in auctions which are not apparent from the few models which have studied collusion in auctions from a static point of view. Nearly every model constructed to study collusion makes predictions which are at odds with accepted stylized facts. The most prominent of these paradoxes is the stability which theoretical models predict yet empirical and allegorical evidence rejects. This is the subject of the second essay. Incomplete information takes the form of how players evaluate future payoffs. This is an important detail because future payoffs are the only tool a cartel can use to enforce the play of collusive equilibria. The developed model imposes that patience is private information and heterogeneous and develops predictions which contrast strongly with accepted models of collusion. The predictions of the model are supported with discussion of some empirical evidence on cartels. The third essay develops a model which can have sociological as well as economic applications, in that it studies how rational agents form surplus creating partnerships in a repeated, incomplete information environment. Previous work has assumed an exogenous production technology which partners use to create this surplus. Furthermore an agents type, which affects surplus creation, has always been assumed to be observable. This essay studies matching with an endogenous production technology, in the sense that the surplus is a function of the level of collusion which can be supported. Collusion can be supported to varying degree based upon the type (patience, or discount factor) of each agent in the partnership. A special attention is turned to contrasting the implications of the model in the presence of complete as opposed to incomplete information.

Cooperation-88 (C88) is a late blight resistant potato variety that was formally released in China in 2001 and has become popular in China's Yunnan Province. The International Potato Center (CIP) and Yunnan Normal University collaborated to produce the variety, which is one of CIP's most successful varieties. C88 is popular due to its high quality and taste, and it is used commonly in China's expanding potato chip processing market. The purpose of this study is to examine adoption of C88 in the Yunnan Province, its value chain, and economic impacts. The analysis indicates that C88 is still popular with 16.8% of the potato area in Yunnan devoted to this variety in late spring 2015. To examine factors affecting household decisions to adopt and the intensity of their adoption, village adoption, household adoption, and household intensity of adoption were assessed. A village's proximity to a metropolitan county was the most important factor explaining adoption and intensity of adoption. Households in villages closer to a metropolitan county disadopted at higher rates than those farther away. To quantify the economic benefits of C88 adoption, an economic surplus analysis was conducted. Total surplus changes ranged from $2 to 3 billion indicating significant economic benefits to consumers and producers in Yunnan. / Master of Science / Cooperation-88 (C88) is a popular late blight resistant potato variety that was released to the Yunnan Province of China in 2001. Late blight is the disease responsible for the Great Potato Famine in Ireland. The International Potato Center (CIP) and Yunnan Normal University collaborated to produce the variety, and C88 is one of CIP’s most successful varieties. C88 is popular due to its high quality and taste, and it is used commonly in China’s potato chip processing market. The purpose of this study is to examine the number and types of people who adopted C88 in the Yunnan Province, provide an understanding of the process from farm to consumer, and to determine the economic impacts of the variety. A major finding of the study is that C88 remains popular in Yunnan as of spring 2015. To study the households that grew C88 during the spring 2015 season, statistical analysis was conducted with the focus on what household traits influence the number of surveyed households who grow C88 in a village, whether a household grows C88, and the number of hectares under C88. A village’s proximity to a metropolitan county was the most important factor explaining whether a household adopted the variety and the number of hectares. Households in villages closer to a metropolitan county stopped growing C88 at higher rates than those farther away. To quantify economic benefits, a supply and demand analysis of potatoes in Yunnan was conducted, which indicated significant economic benefits to consumers and producers in Yunnan.

The primary goal of this study was to determine the impact of price discrimination on tourism demand. Four objectives were defined with reference to the primary research goal. The first objective was to analyse the concept of price discrimination and relevant theories by means of a literature study. In this regard it was found that price discrimination between markets is fairly common and that it occurs if the same goods were sold to different customers at different prices. Price discrimination is also possible as soon as some monopoly power exists and it is feasible when it is impossible or at least impractical for the buyers to trade among themselves. Three different kinds of price discrimination can be applied, namely first-degree, second-degree and third-degree price discrimination. The data also indicated that price discrimination is advantageous (it mainly increases profit) and that it has several other effects too. The second objective was to analyse examples of price discrimination by means of international case studies. In these different case studies it was found that demand and supply, therefore consumer and product, formed the basis of price discrimination. If demand did not exist, it would be impossible to apply price discrimination. The findings also indicated that, for an organisation to be able to practice price discrimination, the markets must be separated effectively and it will only be successful if there is a significant difference in demand elasticity between the different consumers. Furthermore, the ability to charge these different prices will depend on the consumer's ability and willingness to pay. If an organisation should decide to price discriminate, it would lead to a higher profit, a more optimal pricing policy and also to an increase in sales. The third objective was to analyse national case studies. This was done through comparing the data of a tourism organisation price discriminating (Mosetlha Bush Camp, situated in the North West) to two organisations that did not implement price discrimination (Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape and Golden Leopard Resort, also situated in the North West). It was found that a customer with low price elasticity is less deterred by a higher price than a customer with a high price elasticity of demand. As long as the customer's price elasticity is less than one, it will be very advantageous to increase the price: the seller will in this case get more money for less goods. With the increase in price the price elasticity tends to rise above one. The fourth objective was to draw conclusions and make recommendations. It was concluded that price discrimination could be applied successfully in virtually any organisation or industry. Furthermore, price discrimination does not always have a negative effect; but can have a positive ass well. It can have a positive effect on tourism demand. The findings emphasised that the main reason for implementing price discrimination is to increase profit at the cost of reducing consumer surplus. From the results it was recommended that more research on this topic should be conducted. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This small-scale study is positioned within a social constructionist interpretive paradigm using a mixed methodology employing principles of adapted grounded theory, simple scale-based questionnaires and action research. Fourteen disabled young people from one specialist and three secondary mainstream settings were interviewed using semi-structured interviews to gain their views on friendship and belonging in schools. Three groups of parents, TAs, SENCos and allied education professionals engaged in action research to examine these views, their own views and values and those of disabled young people in their families and schools in order to better understand the sensitivities and subtleties of successful social inclusion and to consider change to whole school practice. The limitations that non-disabled adults unwittingly ‘construct’ that act as barriers to friendship and social inclusion were explicitly recognised in this interpretive research as a contribution to informing practice and theory in this domain. Paper One focuses on the views of young people and the meaning and importance they placed on friendship and social relationships in their lives. Findings included that young people in specialist and mainstream setting highly valued friendships but that sustaining friendships in the wider community was often problematic for those participants who attended schools outside their local community. This mainly affected the specialist setting students but was also recognised as an issue by some of the mainstream parents who lived outside the catchment area. Findings also revealed that young people gained their sense of belonging from the positive relationships they formed with TAs and teachers as well as friends. In order for friendship and positive social inclusion to develop, however, participants required schools to provide a supportive environment of accessible rooms, doors and lifts and adults who trusted them to have the competency and agency to manage their social times and spaces with choice and autonomy. The issue of ‘surplus visibility’ was highlighted by disabled young people who spoke of an experience of school where lack of choice concerning where and with whom to spend break times limited their friendship opportunities and sense of well-being and inclusion. This was compounded by an expectation of compliance by adults and automatic assumption of their belonging to a disabled group despite differences of sex, gender or common interests. The participants valued genuine connection through humour, interests and social support and were active in seeking private time for talking with friends. Schools that provided a range of highly social or quieter, more private, locations for students were highly valued. Paper Two describes using these views as stimulus for action research to bring about change towards improved social inclusion. Groups of parents, senior management, SENCos, TAs and other education professionals met formally three times over a four month period. These groups examined vignettes selected from data from paper one, engaged in debate and discussions, interviewed disabled young people themselves, formulated key concept maps leading to revised theoretical frameworks, reflected and evaluated the process of the action research and considered practice change or further research. This stage was a continued process of seeking to hear authentic voices, in depth discussion and reflection on what we were learning from disabled young people combined with our own knowledge, values, and beliefs. This led to the development of conceptual models and practical change intentions to promote social inclusion. Intentions to change included •Developing alternative social rooms with minimal TA presence •Including disabled young people in TA selection processes •Involving parents in reviewing the school inclusion policy •Establishing a regular parents’ support group •A commitment to keep listening to young people’s voices and preferences on key matters rather than ‘assuming that we already know!’ •Lengthening the lunch break in the specialist setting to ensure time for socialising and friendship building These commitments to change demonstrated that schools were able to engage successfully in the action research process, valued parents’contributions further and were willing to change practice towards greater social inclusion of disabled young people and parents.

O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar como a política fiscal brasileira respondeu às variações do ciclo econômico no período de 1997 a 2016. A partir do uso de dados trimestrais, busca-se entender se a política fiscal brasileira apresentou comportamento pró-cíclico, isto é, se atuou no sentido de reforçar os ciclos econômicos, se apresentou comportamento anti-cíclico, no qual as medidas de política fiscal são implementadas a fim de possibilitar um movimento fiscal na direção contrária aos ciclos, ou se foi tipicamente acíclica, sem possuir qualquer relação com o momento no qual a economia se encontrava. O estudo se dará analisando o superávit primário e enfatizando como certas variáveis macroeconômicas reagem a variações do hiato do produto. A análise se dará tanto do lado da despesa, com ênfase no gasto e também no consumo do governo, como também no que tange à receita. A análise pelo lado da receita é a grande contribuição deste trabalho para a literatura existente uma vez que os trabalhos já existentes para o caso brasileiro focam apenas no lado do gasto. Ainda no que diz respeito à receita, como a arrecadação total possui um comportamento tipicamente endógeno já amplamente discutido pela literatura existente, o foco se dará usando alíquotas efetivas médias de arrecadação tributária calculadas em estudos recentes. Os resultados indicam um comportamento pró-cíclico da política fiscal brasileira nos últimos vinte anos, tanto do lado da receita como da despesa, bem como uma inércia fiscal que ajuda a explicar o agravamento do problema da dívida pública e de solvência fiscal que o Estado brasileiro vem enfrentando recentemente. / The aim of this work is to analyze how the Brazilian fiscal policy responded to the variations of the business cycle within the period from 1997 to 2016. By using quarterly data, we seek to understand if the Brazilian fiscal policy presented a procyclical behavior, that is, if it acted so as to reinforce the business cycles, if it presented countercyclical behavior, in which the fiscal policy measures are implemented in order to allow a fiscal movement in the opposite direction of the cycles, or if it was typically acyclical bearing no relation to the moment in which the economy was subject. This study analyzes the primary surplus and emphasizes how certain macroeconomic variables react to the variations of the output gap. The analysis is conducted from the point of view of the expenditure, with emphasis on public spending and also in the government consumption, as well as the revenue. The analysis from the point of view of the revenue is the great contribution of this work to the existing literature as the already existing studies for the Brazilian case focus only on the point of view of the expenditure. Still regarding the revenue, as the total revenue has a typically endogenous behavior already largely discussed by the existing literature, the focus is on the average effective tax rates of the tax revenue calculated in recent studies. The results indicate a procyclical behavior of the Brazilian fiscal policy over the past twenty years, from both points of view: the revenue and also the expenditure, as well as a fiscal inertia which helps to explain the aggravation of the problem of the public debt and the fiscal solvency that the Brazilian State has been facing recently.

A presente pesquisa se situa no contexto das investigações que buscam contribuir para o ensino de matemática nas séries iniciais da escolaridade. As investigações nesta área sugerem que as habilidades metacognitivas do indivíduo devam se tornar o foco da instrução em sala de aula. A literatura sobre educação matemática destaca as atividades de resolução de problemas como especialmente significativas para a investigação dos processos metacognitivos do aluno. Além disto, o tema problemas aritméticos verbais com história tem gerado numerosos artigos e livros que analisam as diversas categorias de problemas existentes, entre eles os problemas de adição/subtração e de multiplicação/divisão. Assim, o presente trabalho se propõe a investigar a eficácia de procedimento de desenvolvimento de habilidades metacognitivas em matemática, utilizando-se de problemas aritméticos verbais com história em um ambiente lúdico de aprendizagem. A amostra foi composta com 100 alunos de três turmas de segunda série do Ensino Fundamental. Todos os alunos foram avaliados por meio da Prova de Problemas Aritméticos Verbais com História (de adição, subtração, multiplicação e divisão) e o Subteste de Aritmética do Teste de Desempenho Escolar TDE. A partir dos resultados obtidos nestas duas avaliações, cada classe foi dividida em duas metades, a primeira, com resultados superiores à mediana, compôs o grupo de controle superior, e a segunda, com resultados inferiores à mediana, foi novamente subdividida, sendo que, um quarto compôs o grupo de controle inferior e o outro quarto, o grupo de intervenção. Este grupo recebeu o treinamento em habilidades metacognitivas em matemática em um ambiente lúdico de aprendizagem, ao longo do segundo semestre letivo, num total de 11 sessões, enquanto os outros dois grupos de controle participaram de atividades placebo. No final de cada semestre letivo, todos os alunos foram novamente avaliados, como no seu início. A análise estatística dos resultados obtidos no TDE e na Prova de Problemas Aritméticos revelou diferença significativa nas duas avaliações apenas para os alunos do Grupo de Intervenção. Para os dois Grupos de Controle, a diferença foi significativa somente no TDE. Assim, foi possível concluir que o treinamento realizado com o Grupo de Intervenção foi eficaz no sentido de promover uma melhoria nas habilidades metacognitivas em matemática. / This research situates within the context of investigations that seek to contribute to the teaching of mathematics in the early grades of schooling. Investigations in this area suggest that the metacognitive skills of the individual should become the focus of instruction in the classroom. The literature on mathematics education highlights the activities of problem solving as particularly significant for the investigation of the metacognitive processes of the student. Moreover, the theme of \"verbal arithmetic problems with history\" has generated numerous articles and books about the different categories of problems, including the problems of addition / subtraction and multiplication / division. The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the procedure of developing metacognitive skills in mathematics, using the \"verbal arithmetic problems with the story\" in a playful learning environment. The sample is composed of 100 students from three classes of second grade of elementary school. All students were assessed using the Test of Verbal Arithmetic Problems with History (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and the arithmetic subtest of the Test of Educational Achievement - TDE. From the results obtained in these two evaluations, each class was divided into two halves, the first are better than the median, composed the Control Higher Group, and second, with results below the median was again divided, with one quarter composed the Control Lower Group and the other fourth the Intervention Group. This group received training in metacognitive skills in mathematics in a playful learning environment, during the second semester, a total of eleven sessions, while the other two control groups participated in activities placebo. At the end of each semester all students were re-evaluated, as in the beginning. Statistical analysis of results obtained in the TDE and Problem Arithmetic Test revealed significant differences in the two ratings for the students in the intervention group. For the two control groups, the difference was significant only in the TDE. Thus, we concluded that the training carried out with the group intervention was effective in promoting an improvement in metacognitive skills in mathematics.

A sociedade contemporânea está em transição. O mundo moderno, cartesiano e positivista, cede espaço à conduta pós-moderna, em que a tônica é a liquidez e a efemeridade. O capital amolda-se a essa transformação, mantendo a relação simbiótica com as instituições públicas e influenciando nas decisões estatais. No espaço urbano, essa transformação se traduz em conflito e desigualdade das oportunidades de acesso à terra, à infraestrutura e aos serviços públicos. Essa situação é agravada pela ausência de efetividade e de ineficiência das ações do Estado. O objetivo deste trabalho é o de pesquisar qual o papel do Estado, do Direito e da Justiça brasileira, influenciados pelo capital, em direção à cidade justa, na sociedade pós-moderna. Por meio do exame do ordenamento jurídico brasileiro, que pressupõe igualdade, justiça, solidariedade social e participação popular como princípios constitucionais expressos, busca-se verificar a evolução e efetividade do procedimento administrativo de recuperação de mais-valias urbanas. Para isso utiliza-se o processo de implantação, execução e ampliação do Shopping Center Iguatemi, na cidade de Porto Alegre, analisando-se a materialidade da justa distribuição dos ônus e benefícios decorrentes do processo de urbanização, como um dos modos de promoção da cidade justa. / Contemporary society is in transition. The modern, cartesian and positivist world, gives way to postmodern conduct, in which liquidity and ephemerality stand out. Capital molds to this transformation, maintaining the symbiotic relationship with public institutions and influencing state decisions. In urban space, this transformation translates into conflict and inequality of access to land, infrastructure and public services. This situation is exacerbated by the lack of effectiveness and the inefficiency of the State. The goal of this work is to investigate the role of the Brazilian State, Law and Justice, influenced by capital, towards to the just city, in postmodern society. Through the examination of the Brazilian legal system, which presupposes equality, justice, social solidarity and popular participation as expressed in the constitutional principles, it is sought to verify the evolution and effectiveness of the administrative procedure for the recovery of urban surplus value. In this regard, it is used the process of implantation, execution and expansion of the Shopping Center Iguatemi, in the city of Porto Alegre, analyzing the materiality of the fair distribution of the onus and benefits emerging from the process of urbanization, as one of the means to reach of the just city.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:23:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Debora Sotto.pdf: 3077729 bytes, checksum: 289ee575d3cc1a569596dd9913975cc4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-04 / The aim of this doctoral thesis is to promote, from a multidisciplinary perspective, a legal analysis of the urban surplus values capture as a means of furthering the sustainable development of Brazilian cities. Urban surplus values are herein defined as land value increases due both to public works as to legislative changes to development rights. Our intent is to demonstrate that the public administration has both the powers and the legal duty to intervene on urban surplus value phenomena, wielding the tools, already provided for by Brazilian urban laws, to raise and effectively reverse those surplus values to the benefit of the community, also preventing these increases in land value from encouraging real estate speculation, urban sprawl and socio-spatial segregation. As it will be examined in detail, value capture can further prosperity, environmental balance and social inclusion in contemporary cities as it provides the means to redistribute wealth and to adjust urban space organization and consumption mechanisms for more equitable and sustainable standards, thus promoting equal acess to urban land and to adequate housing for everyone, specially to the poor / O objetivo desta tese de Doutorado é analisar, sob uma perspectiva multidisciplinar, o regramento jurídico da recuperação de mais-valias urbanísticas no Direito Brasileiro como meio de promoção do desenvolvimento urbano sustentável. Compreende-se como mais-valia urbanística a valorização imobiliária decorrente de obras públicas ou da alteração dos parâmetros urbanísticos de parcelamento, uso e ocupação do solo urbano. Pretende-se demonstrar, com base em dados empíricos, referências bibliográficas e pesquisa legislativa e jurisprudencial, que o Poder Público tem o poder-dever de recuperar as mais-valias urbanísticas, como medida de justa distribuição dos benefícios e ônus do processo de urbanização, revertendo-as em benefício da coletividade e impedindo que sirvam de motor à especulação imobiliária, à expansão urbana desordenada e à segregação sócio-espacial urbana. A captação de mais-valias urbanísticas, por meio do manejo integrado e coordenado dos instrumentos de política urbana, a ser examinado em detalhe, pode contribuir para a construção de cidades mais prósperas, ambientalmente equilibradas e socialmente inclusivas, pois permite redistribuir riquezas e ajustar os mecanismos de estruturação e consumo do espaço urbano para padrões mais justos e sustentáveis, promovendo, dessa forma, a igualdade no acesso à terra e o direito à moradia adequada para todos, sobretudo para os mais pobres

在保險業的經營體系中，傳統再保險所扮演的角色，一直是著重於分散保險公司的核保風險為最主要目的。然而隨者經濟市場與金融環境的變遷日益迅速，財務風險之分散與公司財務結構之改善，亦成為保險經營者所必須面臨之重要課題。而財務再保險於其中所可以產生之效益，則是除了可以滿足保險公司對於分散核保風險的原始需求外，另外亦可以做為其規劃財務結構的工具之一。 本篇論文探討之重點，除了介紹財務再保險的基本理論架構，和當今發展之趨勢外，如何運用財務再保險作為保險公司之風險管理與財務規劃，亦是本篇所要闡釋之主題，其中並以監理之角度，探討財務再保險所可能產生之弊端以及建議採取之因應措施，最後則以當今台灣保險市場的經營環境，分析壽險業對財務再保險合約的需求性。 略

本論文共分七章、二十七節，內容如下：　第一章　前言。對研究動機、 目的、範圍與限制、內容架構做一簡扼說明。第二章 利率風險之概述。 分別就利率風險之定義，對資產、負債之影響，及評估利率風險的方法， 分別加以闡述。第三章 期間分析之理論基礎。期間分析乃是管理利率風 險的方法之一，本章主要就期間分析的演進、目的、計算、特性做一詳述 。第四章 現金流量之預測－－利率情境分析。此章就資產、負債現金流 量之形成，現金流量與利率風險的關係，以及利率情境分析之定義、模型 、假設、優缺點依序加以介紹。 第五章 期間分析之應用。以前兩章為 基礎，對期間窗口(Duration Window)， 投資周期 ( The Planning Period)，利率風險與投資報酬率的關係，最適期間決策 ( The Optimal Du- ration )，資產負債期間的配合，及期間分析的修正，分別逐一探討 。第六章 實證。以保証利率契約 ( GICs; Guarante- ed Interest Contracts ) 為例模擬操作，說明運用資產負債期間配合達到免疫之效果 。第七章 結論與建議。