Tourism is currently the third largest industry within South Africa. Many African countries, including South Africa, have the potential to achieve increased economic growth and development with the aid of the tourism sector. As tourism is a great earner of foreign exchange and also creates employment opportunities, especially low–skilled employment, it is identified as a sector that can aid developing countries to increase economic growth and development. Accurate forecasting of tourism demand is important due to the perishable nature of tourism products and services. Little research on forecasting tourism demand in South Africa can be found. The aim of this study is to forecast tourism demand (international tourist arrivals) to South Africa by making use of different causal models and to compare the forecasting accuracy of the causal models used. Accurate forecasts of tourism demand may assist policy–makers and business concerns with decisions regarding future investment and employment. An overview of South African tourism trends indicates that although domestic arrivals surpass foreign arrivals in terms of volume, foreign arrivals spend more in South Africa than domestic tourists. It was also established that tourist arrivals from Africa (including the Middle East), form the largest market of international tourist arrivals to South Africa. Africa is, however, not included in the empirical analysis mainly due to data limitations. All the other markets namely Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America, South America and the United Kingdom are included as origin markets for the empirical analysis and this study therefore focuses on intercontinental tourism demand for South Africa. A review of the literature identified several determinants of tourist arrivals, including income, relative prices, transport cost, climate, supply–side factors, health risks, political stability as well as terrorism and crime. Most researchers used tourist arrivals/departures or tourist spending/receipts as dependent variables in empirical tourism demand studies. The first approach used to forecast tourism demand is a single equation approach, more specifically an Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model. This relationship between the explanatory variables and the dependent variable was then used to ex post forecast tourism demand for South Africa from the six markets identified earlier. Secondly, a system of equation approach, more specifically a Vector Autoregressive Model and Vector Error Correction Model were estimated for each of the identified six markets. An impulse response analysis was undertaken to determine the effect of shocks in the explanatory variables on tourism demand using the Vector Error Correction Model. It was established that it takes on average three years for the effect on tourism demand to disappear. A variance decomposition analysis was also done using the Vector Error Correction Model to determine how each variable affects the percentage forecast variance of a certain variable. It was found that income plays an important role in explaining the percentage forecast variance of almost every variable. The Vector Autoregressive Model was used to estimate the short–run relationship between the variables and to ex post forecast tourism demand to South Africa from the six identified markets. The results showed that enhanced marketing can be done in origin markets with a growing GDP in order to attract more arrivals from those areas due to the high elasticity of the real GDP per capita in the long run and its positive impact on tourist arrivals. It is mainly up to the origin countries to increase their income per capita. Focussing on infrastructure development and maintenance could contribute to an increase in future tourist arrivals. It is evident that arrivals from Europe might have a negative relationship with the number of hotel rooms available since tourists from this region might prefer accommodation with a safari atmosphere such as bush lodges. Investment in such accommodation facilities and the marketing of such facilities to Europeans may contribute to an increase in arrivals from Europe. The real exchange rate also plays a role in the price competitiveness of the destination country. Therefore, in order for South Africa to be more price competitive, inflation rate control can be a way to increase price competitiveness rather than to have a fixed exchange rate. Forecasting accuracy was tested by estimating the Mean Absolute Percentage Error, Root Mean Square Error and Theil’s U of each model. A Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model was estimated for each origin market as a benchmark model to determine forecasting accuracy against this univariate time series approach. The results showed that the Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model achieved more accurate predictions whereas the Vector Autoregressive model forecasts were more accurate than the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model forecasts. Policy–makers can use both the SARIMA and VAR model, which may generate more accurate forecast results in order to provide better policy recommendations. / Thesis (M.Com. (Economics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The dissertation thesis is devoted to the topic of investment with emphasis on their position within the transmission mechanism of inflation targeting. It discusses starting-points of inflation targeting regime, individual transmission channels of monetary policy including their connections, and routes through which the central bank may influence the investment. There are analyzed selected investment theories and other theoretical models that are associated with the investment. Factors, whose changes may induce changes in investment, are derived using the intersection of these two analyzed aspects. They are variables, which flow from a theoretical analysis of transmission channels, as well as variables, that are not directly accented within these channels, but they can be affected by the central bank. Even factors, that are not within the competence of the central bank, are included among the variables. Using available data, sources of investment variability are verified on data for the Czech Republic. Basic empirical analysis of time series and correlation analysis are performed and the vector error correction model is compiled.

Dividend policy is widely researched in financial management, but determining whether it affects the market price per share is difficult. There has been much published on the subject, which presented theories such as the Modigliani, Miller, Gordon, Lintner, Walter and Richardson propositions and the relevance and irrelevance theories. However, little research has been done on the impact of dividend policy on shareholders’ wealth while considering the short- and long-run effects. The Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) was used to describe the short-run and long-run dynamics or the adjustment of the cointegrated variables towards their equilibrium values in South Africa. This study attempts to explain the effect of dividend policy on the market price per share. A sample of 46 companies listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) was selected for the period 1995-2010. Three variables were used, namely the market price per share, the dividend per share and the earnings per share. The market price per share was used as a proxy in measuring shareholders’ wealth and the dividend per share was used as a proxy in measuring the dividend policy. Fixed and random effects models were applied to panel data to determine the relation between dividend policy and market price per share. The fixed effects method was used to control the stable characteristics of the companies over a fixed period. The random effects model was applied when the companies’ characteristics differed. Results for both models indicated that dividend yield is positively related to market price per share, while earnings per share do not have a significant impact on the market price per share. To test the strength of the long-run relationship, the VECM was applied. The coefficient for dividend per share in the co-integrating equation was positive, while the coefficient for earnings per share was negative. This confirms previous research findings. The results suggest that there is a long-run relationship between dividend per share and market price per share. The Granger causality test indicates there is bi-directional Granger causality between market price per share and dividend per share in South Africa. Therefore dividend policy does have a significant long-run impact on the share price and therefore provides a signal about the company’s financial success. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Financial Management / Unrestricted

This study provides evidence of the relationship between bank-granted credit and business cycles in South Africa. The study is conducted in three phases, namely qualitative research (Phase I), quantitative research (Phase II) and econometric analysis (Phase III). A sequential (connected data) mixed methodology (Phase I and II) is used to collect and analyze primary data from market participants. The qualitative research (Phase I) involves structured interviews with influential or well informed people on the subject matter. Phase I of the study is used to understand the key determinants of bank credit in South Africa and to appreciate how each of the credit aggregates behaves during alternate business cycles. Qualitative survey results suggest key determinants of commercial bank credit in South Africa as economic growth, collateral value, bank competition, money supply, deposit liabilities, capital requirements, bank lending rates and inflation. The qualitative results are used to formulate questions of the structured survey questionnaire (Quantitative research- Phase II). The ANOVA and Pearman’s product correlation analysis techniques are used to assess relationship between variables. The quantitative results show that there is direct and positive relationship between bank lending behavior and credit aggregates namely economic growth, collateral value, bank competition and money supply. On the other hand, the results show that there is a negative relationship between credit growth and bank capital and lending rates. Overall, the quantitative findings show that bank lending in South Africa is procyclical. The survey results indicate that the case for demand-following hypothesis is stronger than supply-leading hypothesis in South Africa. The econometric methodology is used to augment results of the survey study. Phase III of the study re-examines econometric relationship between bank lending and business cycles. The study employs cointegration and vector error correction model (VECM) techniques in order to test for existence of long-run relationship between the selected variables. Granger causality test technique is applied to the variables of interest to test for direction of causation between variables. The study uses quarterly data for the period of 1980:Q1 to 2013:Q4. Business cycles are determined and measured by Gross Domestic Product at market prices while bank-granted credit is proxied by credit extension to the private sector. The econometric test results show that there is a significant long-run relationship between economic growth and bank credit extension. The Granger causality test provides evidence of unidirectional causal relationship with direction from economic growth to credit extension for South Africa. The study results indicate that the case for demand-following hypothesis is stronger than supply-leading hypothesis in South Africa. Economic growth spurs credit market development in South Africa. Overall, the results show that there is a stable long-run relationship between macroeconomic business cycles and real credit growth in South Africa. The results show that economic growth significantly causes and stimulates bank credit. The study, therefore, recommends that South Africa needs to give policy priority to promotion and development of the real sector of the economy to propel and accelerate credit extension. Economic growth is considered as the significant policy variable to stimulate credit extension. The findings therefore hold important implications for both theory and policy. / Business Management / D.B.L.

This article investigates the interrelations between the initial members of the Euro area and five important Central and Eastern European economies. We set up a theoretical open economy model to derive the Purchasing Power Parity, the Interest Rate Parity, the Fisher Inflation Parity, and an output gap relation. After taking convergence into account, they are used as restrictions on the cointegration space of a structural vector error correction model. We then employ generalized impulse response analysis to assess the dynamic effects of shocks in output and interest rates on the respective other area as well as the implications of shocks in the exchange rate and in relative prices on both areas. The results show a high degree of interconnectedness between the two economies. There are strong positive spillovers in output to the respective other region with the magnitude of the impact being similarly strong in both areas. Furthermore, we find a multiplier effect being present in Eastern Europe and some evidence for the European Central Banks' desire towards price stability. (author's abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

This thesis consists of an introductory part and three papers. Paper [I] examines how taxes affect consumption of commodities that are detrimental to health and the environment. Specifically, this paper examines if a tax increase leads to a significantly larger change in consumption than a producer price change, which is referred to as the signaling effect from taxation. The analysis uses aggregated cross-sectional time series data and information on major legislation introductions in Sweden, Denmark and the United Kingdom from 1970 to 2009. We find the main result to be that the signaling effect is significant for “Electricity” in Sweden and Denmark and significant for “Electricity” and “Petrol” in the United Kingdom. Paper [II] examines how sin taxation changes long-term consumer behavior regarding commodities which are deemed harmful for both health and the environment. These include tobacco, alcoholic beverages, sugar and confectionary, household energy, and motor fuel. Specifically, we examine the signaling effect from taxation which is seen if a tax increase leads to a significantly larger change in consumption than a producer price change. The empirical analysis is conducted by a US panel data study, during the period 1988-2012 for the four US census regions, using the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS). We find the main result to be that the signaling effect from taxation is significant for tobacco as well as for electricity and motor fuel.    Paper [III] examines state and industry responses on consumption of cigarettes and petroleum in the United States from 1998-2012. Upon facing consumption choices, the consumer faces two competing sets of messages, one from the government and another from the industry. The objective of the state is to steer consumption in the right direction due to the harmful effects from consumption and asymmetric information among consumers. This is done mainly via taxation and state media expenditures. The industry, on the other hand, seeks to incentivize the public to ignore or reject state research and signals as well as maximizing net economic returns. This is mainly done via industry media and lobbying expenditures. We find that the main results indicate, for cigarettes, industrial media and lobbying expenditure is statistically significant on consumption. For petroleum, we find that producer prices, state media expenditure, and industrial lobbying expenditure are statistically significant on consumption.

The recent economic and financial turmoil has led central banks around the world to heavily utilize unconventional monetary policy measures. Unconventional in this sense means a deflection from traditional central bank policy measures, i.e. interest rate innovations. Although these measures were widely discussed, the uniformed, coherent and comprehensive framework of such measures is still missing. The aim of this thesis is to establish the framework for possible classification of such policies together with transmission channels to the real economy. The empirical part examines the impacts of unconventional policies on real data using vector autoregression and vector error correction models. This analysis is based on monthly data period between 1999 and 2013, which is strongly affected by implementation of the unconventional policies in its second half. The last section examines the possible future of these policies as a normal instrument of central banks and describes their main challenges and shortcomings. JEL classification: C32, E40, E44, E50, E52, E58, E60 Keywords: Unconventional monetary policy, Interest rate, Decoupling principle, Balance sheet policy stratification, Quantitative easing, Channels of transmission, Vector Autoregression, Vector error correction model Author's e-mail:...

The aim of this thesis is to verify and analyse presumed relations between selected macro-fundamentals, namely USD exchange rate, production index, interbank offered rate, inflation, money supply and two exogenous indices ( Standard & Poor's 500 and EURO STOXX 50), and CEE (Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary) or SEE (Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania) financial markets over the period from December 1995 to December 2015. In order to test the long-run cointegration relationships between studied markets and the set of macroeconomic variables, the Engle-Granger and Johansen tests are applied. The vector error correction model is used to confirm the long-run equilibrium interlinkages and the results show similar trend tendencies between stock indices and some of the macro-fundamentals in Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania. To verify the short-run causal linkages, the Granger causality test is employed. Based on retrieved findings, the efficiency of studied markets with respect to Efficient Market Theory is reviewed. Our findings reveal several pairwise short-run causal impacts between studied macroeconomic indicators and stock indices. The only indicator which does not impact any stock market is the interbank offered rate. Moreover, according to our results, all CEE&SEE stock...

本篇探討在2010年4月16日滬深300股指期貨正式上市到2012年9月18日止的連續近月每日收盤日資料，進行區域內金融期貨市場連動關係的研究，試圖發現兩岸三地之股價指數期貨市場在亞太地區的金融主導地位，以作為國內外投資者在區域內的投資決策參考。 實證結果顯示，從共整合及向量誤差修正模型檢定發現，兩岸三地股指期貨具有長期均衡及短期的互動關係，因此可以視此三地為單一區域市場。在Granger因果檢定上，台股指數期貨雖無法預測恆生指數期貨，但仍明顯領先滬深300股指期貨且程度大於恆生指數期貨，或可推測兩岸因ECFA的簽訂使實體經濟的關聯性更為緊密，至於恆生指數期貨大多以金融、地產股為其主要成分，與大陸主要以實體經濟為主的金融市場，其Granger預測滬深300股指期貨的能力因此相對較弱。另由衝擊反應檢定得知恆生指數期貨為一獨立的市場，不受台灣及大陸指數期貨市場衝擊的影響；滬深300指數期貨因大陸金融市場逐漸開放，也會受到香港及台灣金融期貨市場之衝擊而產生影響；至於台股指數期貨則在兩岸三地，最易受到其他市場影響。最後由預測變異數分解檢定發現，台股指數期貨及滬深300股指期貨的波動皆易受到恆生股價指數期貨變異的影響，而恆生指數期貨在兩岸三地間之解釋能力最強，於兩岸三地間具金融主導地位。至於台股指數期貨對大陸金融期貨的影響也有突出的表現，因此若政府有心推展亞太金融中心之營運，勢必得加強區域間整合的力度，提出有利吸引外資之最政策，以增加台灣股市於國際間之競爭力。 / This study conducts analysis of regional linkage between financial futures market by examining consecutive daily closing information from April 16, 2010 (the official list date of CSI 300 index futures) to September 18, 2012. This study tries to find the financial dominance of these index futures market in the Asia Pacific region and hopefully it may be used as an investment decision reference for domestic and foreign investors. The empirical results show that from the total integration and vector error correction model tests and three places all indicate long-run equilibrium stock index futures and short-term interaction. Therefore, these three places can be viewed as a single regional market. In the Granger causality test on the TAIEX futures and Hang Seng Index futures, in spite of TAIEX futures can’t predict Hang Seng Index futures, it is significantly ahead of the CSI 300 index futures. TAIEX futures on the CSI 300 index futures even more impact than the Hang Seng Index Futures. It can explain that the ECFA has been signed and results show closely-related economy. Since the Hang Seng Index futures are mainly from financial and real estate stocks while the mainland-based financial market is mainly from the real economy, Granger predicts ability of CSI 300 index futures is relatively weak. Another test on the impulse response shows that (1) Hang Seng Index Futures is an independent market and is not affected by shocks from Taiwan and the mainland index futures markets, (2) CSI 300 index futures is affected by shocks from Hong Kong and Taiwan because of the gradually open financial markets, and (3) TAIEX futures can be seen as a potential Taiwanese dish economy because it is most vulnerable to other market influences among the three places. To sum up, the forecast variance decomposition tests show that TAIEX futures and the CSI 300 stock index futures are vulnerable to fluctuations in the Hang Seng index futures. In order words, the Hang Seng Index futures have the strongest explanatory power among the three places and shows financial dominance. The TAIEX futures also show its significant impact on the mainland China financial futures index. If the Government decides to promote the operation of the Asia-Pacific financial center and to increase competitiveness of Taiwan stock market, it will inevitably have to strengthen inter-regional integration efforts and make the most favorable policies to attract foreign investment.

自行車一詞儼然成為綠色環保的代名詞之一，台灣自行車業過去在國際間，被認定為品質粗糙的產品，在經過多年努力的情況下，台灣自行車業不斷的備受肯定，隨著近年全球暖化議題、全球性健康概念、油價飆漲、金融海嘯爆發等，諸多原因造成自行車從不被看好的代步工具，演變到現在成為休閒運動工具的轉變，其中；台灣自行車2008年的金融海嘯中，相較於其他傳統產業，不論是出口產值或是股價不降反漲，大舉逆勢成長，其中巨大(Giant)、美利達(Merida)、愛地雅(Ideal)，成車製造商，近年來分別占出口前三大。 所以本研究要探討，金融海嘯爆發的前後，對台灣自行車業帶來的影響，研究資料選定為2000年1月至2013年12月間的巨大股價(9921)、美利達股價(9914)、愛地雅股價(8933)、台灣股價加權指數(TWII)、原油價格、工業生產指數的月資料，共168筆。透過單根檢定檢測資料是否為定態，利用共整合檢定確定是否含有至少一組解，搭配向量誤差修正模型檢測變數間的長短其關係，在利用複迴歸模型檢測。 研究結果顯示，巨大、美利達、愛地雅和台灣加權股價指數具有顯著關係，由於台灣自行車屬於出口導向以及中高價位產品，故全球景氣對台灣自行車業深具影響。其中，巨大和美利達除了ODM外，亦有自有品牌在全球銷售，愛地雅定位專業ODM專業代工廠，前者發展不同市場。 / The word "bicycle" has become one of the pronouns of environmental protection. In the past, Taiwan bicycling industry was treated as low-quality products internationally. With long-time effort, Taiwan bicycling industry was highly appreciated. Recently, global warming issue, cosmopolitan health sense, dramatically increased oil price, the eruption of financial crisis, and many reasons lead the bicycles have not positively evaluated as means of transportation. Now, it becomes the outdoor recreation mean. Comparing Taiwan bicycling industry with other traditional industry, it doesn't fall down but highly increase no matter export value or stock price. The manufacturer of Giant, Merida, and Ideal are the top 3 of export recently. So this study want to explore the things happened before and after the outbreak of the financial crisis that affects bicycle industry in Taiwan, research data for selected between January 2000 and December 2013, relationship between the Giant(9921) shares, Merida (9914) shares, Ideal(8933) shares, TWII, the price of crude oil, industrial production index. Through the Unit Root Test to test whether the data is the steady state or not. By using cointegration test to make sure whether contains at least one group of solutions and vector error correction model to detect the length of the relationship between variables, and using the multiple regression model to test. Results of the research shows that Giant, Merida, Ideal has significant relationship with TWII, because Taiwan bicycle are export-oriented and high price products, so the global boom has profound influence to Taiwan bicycle industry, among them, the Giant and Merida except the ODM, have their own brands in global sales, Ideal professional locate, ODM professional contract, the former develops different markets. / 摘要 I Abstract II 謝辭 III 目錄 IV 圖目錄 VI 表目錄 VII 第一章　緒論 1 第一節　研究動機 1 第二節　研究目的 3 第三節　巨大機械工業股份有限公司簡介 4 第四節　美利達工業股份有限公司簡介 5 第五節　愛地雅工業股份有限公司簡介 6 第六節　研究架構 7 第二章　文獻回顧 9 第一節　國內相關文獻 9 第二節　國外相關文獻 11 第三節　國內外文獻一覽表 12 第三章　研究方法 20 第一節　單根檢定 20 第二節　共整合檢定 22 第三節　向量誤差修正模型(VECM) 24 第四節　迴歸分析 24 第四章　實證分析 26 第一節　資料來源與處理 26 第二節　敘述統計 31 第三節　單根檢定 32 第四節　共整合檢定 33 第五節　向量誤差修正模型(VECM) 33 第六節　複迴歸模型 35 第五章　結果分析與建議 38 第一節　結果分析 38 第二節　建議 39 參考文獻 40 附錄一　巨大工業股份有限公司沿革 43 附錄二　美利達股份有限公司沿革 47 附錄三　愛地雅股份有限公司沿革 57 圖目錄 圖1-6 研究架構 8 圖4-1-1 台灣自行車業總出口產值(百萬元，美金) 27 圖4-1-2 台灣股價大盤指數(TWII，當日收盤價) 27 圖4-1-3 巨大股價(9921，當日收盤價) 28 圖4-1-4 美利達股價(9914，當日收盤價) 28 圖4-1-5 愛地雅股價(8933，當日收盤價) 29 圖4-1-6 國際原油價格(西德州，美元) 29 圖4-1-7 台灣工業生產指數 30 表目錄 表1-3 巨大公司基本資料 4 表1-4 美利達公司基本資料 5 表1-5 愛地雅公司基本資料 6 表2-3 國內外相關文獻整理 12 表4-1 資料來源一覽表 26 表4-3-1 ADF 單根檢定 32 表4-3-2 單根檢定-一階差分 32 表4-4-1 共整合檢定 33 表4-5-1 Giant & Merida　向量誤差修正模型 34 表4-5-2 Giant & Ideal　向量誤差修正模型 34 表4-5-3 Merida & Ideal　向量誤差修正模型 34 表4-6-1 自行車產業與景氣循環對巨大股價之影響 37 表4-6-2 自行車產業與景氣循環對美利達股價之影響 37 表4-6-3 自行車產業與景氣循環對愛地雅股價之影響 37