China is the world’s largest pork producer and consumer, and Hubei Province is one of the top pork production provinces in China. Since problems and risks have led to large-scale reduction of pork production and farmers’ income, Chinese government offers various policy measures to help farmers. Breeding sow insurance is considered as one of the most effective measures started in 2007. To better understand farmer’s need for breeding sow insurance and make proper policy insights, our research is the first empirical study in Hubei Province and one of the pioneer studies investigate farmer’s willingness to pay(WTP) for breeding sow insurance premium and preferred coverage level. Survey questionnaires were distributed to breeding sow farmers in 5 townships from Shayang County, Hubei Province. Based on random utility theory, we use tobit model to examine the factors that affect farmer’s WTP and preferred coverage level. The results showed that famers’ average WTP for premium was ¥14.4 and average preferred coverage level was ¥1191, both exceeded current values. Farmers’ trust towards insurance companies, household income, and knowledge about breeding sow insurance significantly affect their WTP and preferred coverage level.

This study examines the determinants of a household’s threshold price for a restaurant meal cost increase; the level of cost increase that would cause households to either eat in restaurants less frequently or change what they would typically purchase. The design of the study is formulated using a Tobit model to examine the threshold price by differing social, economic and demographic characteristics of households in Kentucky as well as their preferences for restaurant-specific characteristics. The empirical estimates suggest that households that frequently have dinner at restaurants, households with higher incomes and households that strongly prefer full-service restaurants have a positive threshold price-range; which suggests that such households are more willing to pay an additional cost increase in restaurant meals. Conversely, households that always notice taxes before paying their checks, households close to retirement-age, and households that do not strongly prefer local-food restaurants have negative threshold price-range and are consequently less willing to pay an additional cost increase in restaurant meals.

La presente tesis tiene como objetivo determinar la disposición a pagar (DAP) de los consumidores en el Gran La Plata (Buenos Aires) por atributos de Responsabilidad Social Empresaria, así como también analizar si el género, la edad y el contar con nivel educativo universitario completo influye sobre la misma. Como metodología se procedió a estimar modelos de regresión logit y tobit. Del análisis de los resultados se puede destacar, que los encuestados presentan una DAP alta para el atributo de RSE Protección al Medio Ambiente, y que la DAP positiva y su monto se relaciona inversamente con el género y la edad, lo que implica que el monto de la DAP disminuye en caso de ser hombre y a medida que aumenta la edad.

This thesis investigates why and how macroeconomic volatility in source countries interacts with their FDI outflows. The study focuses on FDI flowing out from OECD countries to less developed countries in the ASEAN region. Using a panel data encompassing 52 country-pairs over the period 1996-2011, I find a negative correlation between FDI outflows and macroeconomic volatility in source countries. More specifically the empirical results suggest an adverse relationship between inflation and output volatility (business cycles fluctuations) and FDI flows – the more macroeconomic volatility in developed economies the lesser FDI flows to less developed economies, which is explained by Keynesian theories. These findings derive from a gravity model approach, which enabled me to control for host country determinants. In order to estimate these relationships I adopted a random effects model and a tobit model. The reason behind the use of these two models derives from the different views within this branch of research because of censored FDI statistics. The thesis is inspired by Éric Rougier’s et al. work on how macroeconomic volatility in European countries interacts with FDI flows to the MENA region (2012).

本研究是以「台灣公益團體自律聯盟」40家會員為研究對象，2007年與2008年為研究期間，採用落後一期的解釋變數，並利用Tobit模型來探討哪些非營利組織的特性變數會影響其政府補助收入的多寡。本文分組織財務特性與組織自身特性二個構面來分析。組織財務特性的實證結果為：捐款收入與資本適足性對於政府資金挹注具有顯著的負面效果；組織服務效率對於政府資金挹注具有顯著的正面效果；而商業收入與政府補助收入之間呈現不顯著的反向關聯性；行政管理成本與政府補助收入呈不顯著的正向關聯性。由組織自身特性實證結果發現：組織宗旨及組織規模對於政府經費補助有顯著的正面影響效果；組織年齡對於政府經費補助有顯著的負面影響效果；而組織區位、企業資助成立者則與政府經費補助之間呈現無顯著的正向關聯性；組織服務範圍與政府經費補助之間呈現無顯著的反向關聯性。

Cette thèse s'inscrit dans la littérature qui analyse les déterminants des performances budgétaires des pays en développement. Nous nous intéressons particulièrement à la question de mobilisation des recettes publiques en raison de l'enjeu que suscite le financement des politiques de développement dont les pays en développement se sont dotés. Certes, nombre d'études se sont intéressées au sujet, mais rares sont les analyses qui abordent les effets des chocs dans la mobilisation des recettes publiques des pays en développement. Or, nombreux sont les pays en développement qui connaissent à fréquence élevée des chocs de grande ampleur. La compréhension du mécanisme de transmission de l'effet de ces chocs est déterminante dans la conduite des politiques budgétaires et dans la projection des politiques de développement des pays en développement. Le caractère capital du sujet de la mobilisation des ressources publiques pour l'économie des pays en développement et la non-prise en compte par les précédentes études du rôle des chocs dans la conduite de la mobilisation des recettes publiques constituent nos principales motivations pour cette recherche. Ainsi, le chapitre 1 de la thèse analyse les effets des chocs des produits de base sur la mobilisation des recettes publiques des pays d'Afrique subsaharienne. Le deuxième chapitre examine le rôle des chocs des prix des produits de base à l'export comme à l'import dans la conduite des réformes de transition fiscale engagées par les Etats de l'UEMOA. Il revient sur les entraves que posent les chocs exogènes aux possibilités de mobilisation des recettes internes face à la baisse du poids de la fiscalité tarifaire. Le chapitre 3 analyse l'effet des chocs sociopolitiques, notamment celui des guerres civiles ou conflits intra-étatiques. Enfin, le chapitre 4, prolongement du chapitre 3, porte sur la mobilisation des ressources publiques durant les périodes post-conflictuelles. Le message central qui se dégage de cette thèse est la nécessité de rigueur des pays en développement dans la gestion des retombées des chocs positifs des produits de base pour faire face aux épisodes de chocs négatifs. Cette rigueur doit être complétée par un soutien extérieur bien adapté à la nature des épisodes de chocs. Concernant le cas des chocs sociopolitiques, l'appui externe doit être non seulement financier mais aussi technique durant les périodes post-chocs.

Household survey data collected primarily from rural Bangladesh (Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2005-2006) is utilized in this paper to identify the important individual, household and district-level factors that influence the decision making process that parents undertake to determine their children’s (between the age of 7 and 14 inclusive) absence rate from school and work intensity. Bivariate Tobit model is used to jointly estimate the absence rate and hours worked equations. The results of the analysis conducted in this paper suggest that an increase in perceived returns on human capital from attending school – as measured by the wage differential between low-skilled and higher-skilled occupations in a given market – negatively impact absence rate in rural Bangladesh. Moreover, results suggest that the education level of the parents has an impact on a child’s absence rate and the number of hours worked in a week. It is found that the higher the education level of the father, the lower the absence rate and the number of hours worked of a child, while higher levels of the mother’s education level is shown to negatively impact the absence rate. It is also found that being the first born child in a household is associated with both higher absence rate from school and greater amount of hours worked per week. With respect to gender, being a girl is found to be associated with a greater number of hours worked. Lastly, household wealth is found to have a U-shaped relationship with both absence rates and number of hours worked; it is negatively associated with both of the dependent variables at lower levels, but has a positive impact on both absence rate and number of hours worked at higher levels. In general, the results detailed in this paper highlight the importance of policies such as the provision of cash stipends to the poorest households, improving the quality of schooling facilities and directed educational schemes meant to eradicate the persistent gender inequality that is hindering truly universal primary education in rural Bangladesh. / Graduate / 0501 / najsaqib@hotmail.com

Neste trabalho estudou-se a existência de viés de gênero nas escolhas familiares em gastar recursos na educação dos filhos e filhas. Foi obtida uma amostra de 11386 famílias da Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares - POF 2002-2003 do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). As famílias tinham filhos e filhas entre 7 e 20 anos de idade, com pelo menos um deles matriculado e sem que outro membro da família, pais ou outros parentes, também estivesse matriculado. Curvas de Engel para as despesas com educação e para gastos com grupos de itens de despesas educacionais foram estimadas. Entre as variáveis explicativas estão o número de filhos e número de filhas matriculados e o número de filhos e o número de filhas não matriculados segundo faixas etárias. Outras variáveis socioeconômicas e demográficas controlaram as demais características familiares. Como 2066 famílias não apresentaram despesas com educação, as curvas de Engel foram estimadas com a utilização de modelos Tobit. As curvas de Engel também foram estimadas por Mínimos Quadrados e os resultados comparados com os obtidos pelos modelos Tobit. A igualdade entre os parâmetros estimados do número de filhos e filhas matriculados em cada faixa etária foi verificada com testes de Wald, isto para os dois procedimentos de estimação utilizados. Os resultados econométricos foram consistentes com a hipótese do trade-off quantidade qualidade existente nas decisões familiares de alocar recursos para a prole, pois o número total de filhos e filhas pressionou as despesas com educação a taxas decrescentes. As análises das despesas com educação, realizadas com os dois procedimentos de estimação, indicaram diferenças significativas no impacto causado por filhos e filhas matriculados nas faixas etárias de 7 a 10 anos e de 15 a 20 anos, com viés pró-feminino. A análise dos gastos com mensalidades escolares com modelos Tobit indicou diferenças significativas para duas faixas etárias, de 11 a 14 anos e de 15 a 20 anos, com viés pró-feminino na última faixa. Com Mínimos Quadrados houve viés pró-feminino na faixa de 15 a 20 anos, nas demais faixas não houve diferenças significativas. Quando foram analisados os gastos com cursos não regulares com um modelo Tobit, foram observadas diferenças significativas de 7 a 10 anos e de 11 a 14 anos, as duas pró-femininas. Ao analisar os gastos com cursos não regulares por Mínimos Quadrados, detectou-se viés pró-masculino na faixa etária de 11 a 14 anos e viés pró-feminino nas demais faixas. Entre as demais estimativas não houve diferenças significativas ou elas foram pró-femininas, independente do procedimento de estimação. Os resultados indicam que a formação das jovens não sofreu discriminação no que tange à disposição das famílias de gastarem com a formação de sua prole, salvo as duas exceções mencionadas. Estes resultados mostraram-se consistentes com o cenário favorável à escolarização feminina no Brasil já apontado em outros estudos. / This study investigated the gender bias presence within the family choices about spending resourses with their children\'s education. A sample of 11386 families was obtained from Household Budget Survey - POF 2002-2003, of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistic - IBGE. The families had children between 7 and 20 years old, with at least one of them enrolled, considering that no other member of the family, parents or relatives, was enrolled. Engel curves for the overall expenses and for expenditures with educational item groups were estimated. The number of sons and daughters enrolled and the number of sons and daughters not enrolled according to age level are among the explanatory variables. Other socioeconomics and demographic variables controlled the rest of the family characteristics. As 2066 families did not showed expenses with education, the Engel curves were estimated using Tobit models. The Engel curves were also estimated by the method of Least Squares and the results were compared to the ones obtained by Tobit model. The equity between the estimated parameters of the number of sons and daughters enrolled in each age level was verified with Wald test for both the estimation procedures used. The econometric results were consistent with the hypothesis of quantity-quality trade-off which exists within the family decisions when allocating resourses for their children because the total number of children pressed the educational expenditures at decreasing rates. The analysis of total expenses with education, accomplished by both the estimation procedures, indicated significant differences in the impact caused by sons and daughters enrolled at the age level from 7 to 10 and from 15 to 20 with pro-female bias. The analysis of the expenditures with school monthly fees with Tobit models indicated significant differences for both age levels, from 11 to 14 and from 15 to 20, with a pro-female bias in the latter level. With the Minimum Square method there was a pro-female bias in the level of age from 15 to 20 years old, in the other levels there were no significant differences. When the expenditures with non regular courses were analyzed with Tobit model, significant differences were observed from 7 to 10 and from 11 to 14 years old, both pro-female. When the expenditures with non regular courses were analyzed with the Minimum Square method a pro-male bias was detected in the age level from 11 to 14 and a pro-female bias in the other levels. Among the other estimations there were no significant differences or they were pro-female, despite the estimation procedure. The results show that the young girls\' education did not suffer any discrimination related to the family disposition of spending with their children\'s education, apart from the two exceptions mentioned. These results are consistent with the favorable scenario to the female education in Brazil already pointed out in other studies.

Many factors influence quality of higher education. Current research mostly works with economic factors (GDP, higher education expenditures etc.). However, there are also publications that examine an impact of sociological aspects on quality of higher education. My research examined the impact of income inequality on quality of tertiary education. In the analysis of socioeconomic data of 76 countries I have proven that there is no linear relationship between income inequality and quality of tertiary education. According to my results the size of population, GDP per capita and being English speaking country are main drivers of quality of tertiary education. Modified model without outliers also shows that there is a positive effect of R&D expenditures on quality of tertiary education.

The most recent research in police domestic violence has shown that officers may perpetrate domestic violence at a higher rate than the general population, 28% versus 16%, respectively (Sgambelluri, 2000). Traditional police sub-culture has been identified, in several studies, as contributing to higher work stress, and using force on the job (Alexander et al., 1993; Drummond, 1976; Johnson et al, 2005; Kop and Euwema, 2001; Sgambelluri, 2000; Wetendorf, 2000). This research, however, has not fully examined the link between adherence to the traditional police sub-culture and officer involvement in domestic violence. This study attempts to identify whether officers who adhere to the aspects of the traditional police sub-culture are more likely to use violence against their intimate partner using two types of domestic violence-physical assault and psychological violence-as well as examine gender's moderating influence on police domestic violence and traditional police sub-culture. Using a survey created from existing scales, 250 officers were contacted within several departments in Central Florida, of these, 90 officers responded. Using Tobit and Logistic Regression the study found that officers who adhere to aspects of the traditional police subculture are more likely to engage in psychological domestic violence. There was no relationship found between traditional police culture and physical domestic violence. A thorough discussion of the results and future research directions is also included.