Dissertation : Berlin :Freie Universitat Berlin, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 254-294)

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / "Fall 2009." At head of title: University of Alberta. "A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in mathematical finance-- thesis based, Dept. of Mathematical and Statistical Science." Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on July 15, 2009).

Orientador: Wagner Luiz Lourenzani / Co-orientador: Ana Elisa Bressan Smith Lourenzani / Co-orientador: Izabel Castanha Gil / Banca: Gessuir Pigatto / Banca: Ferenc Istvan Bankuti / Resumo: O urucum é considerado um dos mais importantes corantes naturais, atuando não só como colorífico, mas também agregando propriedades nutricionais aos produtos que o utilizam. Apesar da importância, poucos estudos são desenvolvidos acerca da sua cadeia produtiva. Visando a preencher essa lacuna, este trabalho teve o objetivo de compreender a estrutura e o funcionamento do Sistema Agroindustrial (SAG) do urucum na Microrregião de Dracena, no estado de São Paulo. A seleção desse SAG, nessa região, deveu-se pela falta de trabalhos científicos acerca desse produto, nessa abordagem, e pela sua representatividade geográfica na produção nacional e estadual. Para a realização desse trabalho, foi utilizado um estudo exploratório de caráter qualitativo. A metodologia envolveu uma pesquisa bibliográfica e uma pesquisa de campo. Esta última contou com a realização de entrevistas junto aos agentes chaves do SAG do urucum na região estudada. Em um contexto socioeconômico, identificouse que o cultivo do urucum é uma alternativa de produção agrícola para a região estudada. Trata-se de uma atividade característica da pequena produção e adotada, em sua maioria, por produtores caracterizados pela agricultura familiar. Os resultados mostraram alguns desafios associados ao SAG do urucum, tais como: a falta de produtos defensivos aprovados para o urucum, a incipiência no desenvolvimento de máquinas e implementos específicos para a cultura, a escassez de mão de obra para o manejo e a colheita, bem c... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Annatto is considered one of the most important natural dyes, acting not only as colorific, but also adding nutritional properties to the products that use it. Although it is an important crop, few studies are developed regarding the chain organization. In order to fulfill this gap, this work aimed at understanding the structure and functioning of the Agroindustrial System (SAG) of annatto in the Microregion of Dracena, in the state of Sao Paulo. The selection of this SAG in this particular region was due to the lack of academic work regarding this product under supply chain approach and due to its geographical representativeness in national and state production. For the accomplishment of this work, an exploratory study of qualitative character was used. The methodology involved a bibliographical research and a field research. This last one counted on the accomplishment of interviews with the key agents of the SAG of annatto in the studied region. In a socioeconomic context, it was identified that the cultivation of annatto is an alternative of agricultural production for the region studied. This activity is characteristic of small-scale production and it is mostly cultivated by family farmers. The results reveled some challenges associated with SAG of annatto, such as: the lack of approved agrochemical products for annatto cultivation; the incipience in the development of specific machines and implements for the culture; the scarcity of hand labor for handling and harvesting; and the concern with the continuity of the agricultural activity by the next generations of the rural farmers. The low organization and cooperation among farmers for the commercializing annatto reduces bargaining power and weakens the production sector. When analyzing the relations between farmers and its dealers three types of transactions involving the relationship between buyers and buyers of annatto have been identified and [...]. / Mestre

Key Words: continuous-time model, mean-variance, transaction costs, stochastic singular control, Lagrange multiplier method, parabolic free-boundary problem, double-obstacle problem, Skorokhod problem. / We study continuous-time Markowitz's mean-variance portfolio selection problem in a market with one stock, one bond and proportional transaction costs. The presence of transaction costs makes the problem being a singular control problem in a finite time horizon, which is very hard to deal with from the point view of control theory. Using a partial differential equation approach, we formulate the problem as a double obstacle problem, and prove the smoothness of the value function. Then we give the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of an optimal solution and completely characterize the optimal strategy when the problem is feasible. We show three critical distinctive features of the Markowitz model under the presence of transaction costs. First, the expected return on the portfolio could be too high to achieve if the time to maturity is not long enough, while without transaction costs, any expected return can be reached in an arbitrary short time. Second, instead of keeping the investment ratio between stock and bond to be a constant, there exists time-dependent upper and lower boundaries, transaction is carried out only if the investment ratio is on the boundaries. Third, there exists a critical time, which only depends on the market parameters, such that beyond the time no more investment will be added to stock holding. Our result is closer to real investment practice where people tend not to invest on risky assets towards the end of the investment horizon. / Xu Zuoquan. / "January 2007." / Adviser: Xunyu Zhou. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-08, Section: B, page: 5290. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 118-123). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

A condução de processos de falência ou de recuperação geram custos, principalmente, aos seus participantes diretos: credores e devedora. Esses custos são chamados custos de falência e são classificados em diretos e indiretos. Os custos diretos são representados pelas despesas administrativas do processo jurídico, tais como honorários do administrador judicial, custas e despesas judiciais. Os indiretos são os custos de oportunidade incorridos para os participantes devido à participação em processos de falência ou de recuperação, tais como a dificuldade em obter crédito, ou o tempo despendido no processo. Admitindo-se a presença desses custos, este trabalho objetivou identificar, mensurar e classificar os custos de falência para os participantes diretos desses processos (devedor e credores) conduzidos sob a legislação falimentar brasileira a fim de compará-los aos custos encontrados em trabalhos internacionais que trataram sobre o tema. Por meio da consulta de processos de falência e de recuperação judicial nas comarcas de São Paulo-SP, Belo Horizonte-MG e Contagem-MG, foi possível coletar os dados necessários para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa. Como resultados principais foram encontrados que os desembolsos ocorridos nos processos de falência foram de em média 35% do ativo final da falida, os ativos das falidas perderam, em média 47% do valor, a taxa de recuperação total dos credores foi de, em média, 12% e os processos duraram 9 anos, em média. Em relação aos processos de recuperação, os custos diretos foram de, em média, 26% do ativo inicial da recuperanda, a taxa de recuperação dos credores foi, em média, de 25% e a duração de processos foi de 4 anos, em média. A análise dos resultados conduziu à indicação de que o processo falimentar brasileira é moroso e oneroso, considerando-se os resultados encontrados nos estudos internacionais utilizados como parâmetro, e que a dificuldade em se maximizar o valor do ativo da falida e ressarcir credores em ambos os procedimentos é um desafio não somente para o Brasil. / The procedure of bankruptcy generates direct and indirect costs of bankruptcy to its participants. Direct costs are represented by the expenses incurred during the legal procedure, such as trustee\'s fees, legal costs and expenses. The indirect costs are the opportunity costs incurred for the participants due to participation in liquidation or reorganization. Assuming the presence of these costs, this study aimed to identify, measure and classify bankruptcy costs of Brazilian bankruptcy law to direct participants of proceedings (debtor and creditors) and to compare them to the costs found in international studies that treated on the subject. Through documentary research, it was possible to collect the necessary data for the development of research that had as its main results that the direct costs of liquidation represented in this sample, on average 11.63% of the initial asset of the bankrupt, and in the reorganization, these costs were average 25.46 % of the initial asset of the firm. The asset bankrupt companies lost an average of 46.84 % of the value. Regarding the creditor recovery rates in the liquidation it was, on average, 12.40 % and 25.36 % in the reorganization. The results led to the indication that the Brazilian bankruptcy law is slower than results of international studies and the difficulty in maximizing the value of the bankrupt\'s assets and repay creditors in both procedures is a challenge not only to Brazil.

The transaction of agricultural products, which take place in the local farmers¡¦ market, has a variety of modes. According to Oliver. E Williamson (1991), the characteristics of transactions differ from incentives intensity, administrative control, and performance attributes. Based upon the foregoing, agricultural transaction modes in the local farmers¡¦ market distinctions into three kinds: (1) market mode (2) hybrid mode, and (3) hierarchy mode. The purpose of this study is attempting to abstract the crucial dimension of agricultural transactions for organizing some transactions this way and other transactions another. The overall objectives of this study can be said to be threefold: (1) To investigate and collect literatures about the agricultural transaction modes which are presently most popular in Taiwan. (2) To identify and distinguish these transactions into market mode, hybrid mode, and hierarchy mode as suggested by Williamson. (3) As an exploratory study, to suggest uncertainty as the crucial dimension of agricultural transactions alternatives, to demonstrate why and how uncertainty rule on the selection decision. The results from this study suggest that: (1) When the uncertainty of agricultural transactions is high, hierarchy mode appears to be feasible relatively. (2) When the uncertainty is low, market mode appears to be feasible relatively. (3) When the uncertainty is in an intermediate situation, hybrid mode appears to be feasible relatively. A case study of the broiler contracts of the Charoen Pokphand Enterprise (Taiwan) Co. shows that the relationship between feasible contract mode and uncertainty of transaction is consistent with theoretical expectation.

The study follows the "contract theory" to establish a model of a classification system for certification under the Lease of agricultural products for the design contract. In addition to show the optimal lease¡¦s prices and classification standards for certification of the determining factors, an important phenomenon, this model can be used to interpret, Lease contract with a decline in transaction costs discount and gradually disappear from the market.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Pretoria, 2001. / "June 2001." Includes bibliographical references (p. 164-181). Adobe Acrobat Reader needed to open files.

This thesis presents an analysis of finished beef marketing in the UK using Transaction Cost Economics (TCE). Transaction costs fall into three broad categories: information costs, negotiation costs and monitoring or enforcement costs. The key insight provided by TCE is that economic activity will be organised, <I>ceteris paribus</I>, so as to minimise the costs of carrying out transactions. Empirical applications of TCE have not kept pace with theoretical developments partly due to data limitations; in particular, there have been few applications of TCE by agricultural economists. Data on the transaction costs which farmers face when marketing finished beef cattle are collected through a survey of beef producers in N.E. Scotland. These data are analysed using Tobit analysis - a limited dependent variable econometric technique. A number of transaction cost and farm characteristic variables are found to be significant in influencing a farmer's decision whether to sell cattle through the live-ring auction or direct to abattoirs. The influence of transaction costs on abattoirs' cattle procurement preferences are then examined using conjoint analysis. This technique allows the joint effect of two variables on a dependent variable to be measured. Procurement channels are described in terms of four key transaction cost attributes. Data from a survey of UK abattoirs allows the extent to which respondents are willing to trade-off attribute levels, and therefore, the relative importance of the transaction cost attributes, to be determined. Conjoint analysis is also used to measure the relative importance of transaction costs in the procurement decisions of retailers, through a small-scale survey of UK supermarket meat buyers. The main contribution of this study is to demonstrate that measuring the importance of transaction costs to the parties to an exchange is a fruitful avenue of research.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.