The causal effect of family size on child labor and education

This paper investigates the causal relationship between family size and child labor and education among brazilian children. More especifically, it analyzes the impact of family size on child labor, school attendance, literacy and school progression. It explores the exogenous variation in family size driven by the presence of twins in the family. The results are consistent under the reasonable assumption that the instrument is a random event. Using the nationally representative brazilian household survey (Pnad), detrimental effects are found on child labor for boys. Moreover, significant effects are obtained for school progression for girls caused by the exogenous presence of the young siblings in the household.

Variáveis explicativas da internacionalização de franquias brasileiras: um estudo causal à luz das teorias da agência e da escassez de recursos

Este trabalho objetiva entender o processo de internacionalização de franquias brasileiras, fenômeno de importância teórica e prática, através do estudo do grau de associação entre uma série de variáveis organizacionais e a internacionalização de franquias. Para tanto efetuou-se uma revisão bibliográfica visando colher subsídios para a formulação de onze hipóteses envolvendo às variáveis acima mencionadas. Tais hipóteses foram testadas a partir de dados provenientes de 293 franquias que participaram da publicação - 500 Franquias para Você Investir edição 2009/10. O estudo adotou como base teórica principal às teorias da Agência e da Escassez de Recursos. Os resultados obtidos apontam para a não existência de correlação das variáveis crescimento do faturamento e do número de unidades ano contra ano e a internacionalização de franquias, indicando que um crescimento interno acentuado diminui as vantagens relativas de se internacionalizar. Argumentos semelhantes podem ser utilizados para explicar a não correlação entre as variáveis financeiras e o processo de internacionalização. A variável faturamento apresentou uma correlação significativa com a internacionalização, o que sugere que o acúmulo de recursos permite desenvolver novos e mais efetivos mecanismos de controle, permite o acesso a novos e mais baratos mecanismos de financiamento e dá um indicativo importante da razoável exploração dos mercados internos e necessidade de busca de novos mercados. Contudo, foram as variáveis idade da empresa e número de unidades franqueadas as características com maior poder explicativo no estudo, o que revela comportamentos peculiares do mercado brasileiro como uma baixa diferença entre o tempo de fundação da empresa e da entrada no sistema de franquias e a opção por crescer através de franquias ao invés de unidades próprias, mais rentáveis, mesmo quando a franquia atinge a maturidade.

Exploratory semiparametric analysis of two-dimensional diffusions in finance

We examine bivariate extensions of Aït-Sahalia’s approach to the estimation of univariate diffusions. Our message is that extending his idea to a bivariate setting is not straightforward. In higher dimensions, as opposed to the univariate case, the elements of the Itô and Fokker-Planck representations do not coincide; and, even imposing sensible assumptions on the marginal drifts and volatilities is not sufficient to obtain direct generalisations. We develop exploratory estimation and testing procedures, by parametrizing the drifts of both component processes and setting restrictions on the terms of either the Itô or the Fokker-Planck covariance matrices. This may lead to highly nonlinear ordinary differential equations, where the definition of boundary conditions is crucial. For the methods developed, the Fokker-Planck representation seems more tractable than the Itô’s. Questions for further research include the design of regularity conditions on the time series dependence in the data, the kernels actually used and the bandwidths, to obtain asymptotic properties for the estimators proposed. A particular case seems promising: “causal bivariate models” in which only one of the diffusions contributes to the volatility of the other. Hedging strategies which estimate separately the univariate diffusions at stake may thus be improved.

Modelo causal explicativo para o formalismo: um estudo de caso do Banco Central do Brasil

Sendo um dos objetivos básicos do Banco Central do Brasil a produção de normas visando o controle da política econômica, creditícia e cambial, e tendo esta organização um caráter estritamente normativo, esta dissertação estuda, a partir de um modelo causal explicativo, as formas em que se apresenta o fenômeno denominado formalismo, buscando retratar as discrepâncias existentes entre o que está escrito nas leis e normas e o que é, de fato, realizado na prática.

Nexo causal em matéria penal: análise da jurisprudência dos tribunais de justiça

Este artigo discute uma pesquisa empírica apresentada em 2009 como trabalho de conclusão de curso na DIREITO GV sobre a definição da causalidade para responsabilização criminal nos tribunais de justiça. Foram analisadas 84 apelações criminais julgadas entre 2007 e 2008 e extraídos resultados quantitativos e qualitativos relacionados aos dados do processo, ao resultado da decisão e à argumentação. A análise desses resultados levou a cinco principais constatações: (1) a discussão sobre nexo causal ocorre quase exclusivamente em casos de crimes culposos; (2) muitas vezes, apesar de discutido pelas partes, a existência de nexo causal não é afirmada no acórdão; (3) o nexo causal é frequentemente afirmado com pouca fundamentação e, em geral, com menos argumentos do que a afirmação de culpa; (4) a teoria mais utilizada pelos tribunais é a da equivalência das condições; e (5) o nexo causal é frequentemente afirmado como decorrência da culpa.

New evidence of the causal effect of family size on child quality in a developing country

This paper presents new evidence of the causal effect of family size on child quality in a developing-country context. We estimate the impact of family size on child labor and educational outcomes among Brazilian children and young adults by exploring the exogenous variation of family size driven by the presence of twins in the family. Using the Brazilian Census data for 1991, we nd that the exogenous increase in family size is positively related to labor force participation for boys and girls and to household chores for young women. We also and negative e ects on educational outcomes for boys and girls and negative impacts on human capital formation for young female adults. Moreover, we obtain suggestive evidence that credit and time constraints faced by poor families may explain the findings.

O problema do nexo causal na responsabilização das empresas tabagistas

Desde o início da década de 1990, quando o Código de Defesa do Consumidor entrou em vigor, diversos fumantes passaram a buscar no judiciário a responsabilização das empresas tabagistas pelos danos advindos do fumo. Acerca desta pretensão dos consumidores, diversos são os debates. O objetivo deste trabalho é verificar como a jurisprudência brasileira enfrentou e enfrenta as dificuldades em se estabelecer o nexo causal entre a atividade desenvolvida pelas empresas tabagistas e os danos sofridos pelos fumantes. A escolha pelo estudo do nexo de causalidade no caso da responsabilização das empresas tabagistas decorre do fato de este revelar-se o maior obstáculo para que seja reconhecida a responsabilidade das referidas empresas.

‘Avaliações de impactos’: pensamento contrafactual e inferência causal, controles experimentais e estudos observacionais

Por todo o mundo gasta-se milhões em políticas públicas, programas e campanhas de preservação ambiental e minoração de mazelas sociais. Nas últimas décadas, diversas ferramentas vêm sendo desenvolvidas com objetivo de tornar a gestão e a avaliação de políticas, programas e campanhas nas áreas social, e socioambiental, mais eficientes.

Integral representation with convex capacities that are squeeze of (additive) probability measures

In this paper I will investigate the conditions under which a convex capacity (or a non-additive probability which exhibts uncertainty aversion) can be represented as a squeeze of a(n) (additive) probability measure associate to an uncertainty aversion function. Then I will present two alternatives forrnulations of the Choquet integral (and I will extend these forrnulations to the Choquet expected utility) in a parametric approach that will enable me to do comparative static exercises over the uncertainty aversion function in an easy way.

Differences in the perception of interest representation: a comparision of Brasília and Brussels lobbying activity

The research topic of this paper is focused on the analysis of how trade associations perceive lobbying in Brussels and in Brasília. The analysis will be centered on business associations located in Brasília and Brussels as the two core centers of decision-making and as an attraction for the lobbying practice. The underlying principles behind the comparison between Brussels and Brasilia are two. Firstof all because the European Union and Brazil have maintained diplomatic relations since 1960. Through these relations they have built up close historical, cultural, economic and political ties. Their bilateral political relations culminated in 2007 with the establishment of a Strategic Partnership (EEAS website,n.d.). Over the years, Brazil has become a key interlocutor for the EU and it is the most important market for the EU in Latin America (European Commission, 2007). Taking into account the relations between EU and Brazil, this research could contribute to the reciprocal knowledge about the perception of lobby in the respective systems and the importance of the non-market strategy when conducting business. Second both EU and Brazilian systems have a multi-level governance structure: 28 Member States in the EU and 26 Member States in Brazil; in both systems there are three main institutions targeted by lobbying practice. The objective is to compare how differences in the institutional environments affect the perception and practice of lobbying, where institutions are defined as ‘‘regulative, normative, and cognitive structures and activities that provide stability and meaning to social behavior’’ (Peng et al., 2009). Brussels, the self-proclaimed "Capital of Europe”, is the headquarters of the European Union and has one of the highest concentrations of political power in the world. Four of the seven Institutions of the European Union are based in Brussels: the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council and the European Commission (EU website, n.d.). As the power of the EU institutions has grown, Brussels has become a magnet for lobbyists, with the latest estimates ranging from between 15,000 and 30,000 professionals representing companies, industry sectors, farmers, civil society groups, unions etc. (Burson Marsteller, 2013). Brasília is the capital of Brazil and the seat of government of the Federal District and the three branches of the federal government of Brazilian legislative, executive and judiciary. The 4 city also hosts 124 foreign embassies. The presence of the formal representations of companies and trade associations in Brasília is very limited, but the governmental interests remain there and the professionals dealing with government affairs commute there. In the European Union, Brussels has established a Transparency Register that allows the interactions between the European institutions and citizen’s associations, NGOs, businesses, trade and professional organizations, trade unions and think tanks. The register provides citizens with a direct and single access to information about who is engaged in This process is important for the quality of democracy, and for its capacity to deliver adequate policies, matching activities aimed at influencing the EU decision-making process, which interests are being pursued and what level of resources are invested in these activities (Celgene, n.d). It offers a single code of conduct, binding all organizations and self-employed individuals who accept to “play by the rules” in full respect of ethical principles (EC website, n.d). A complaints and sanctions mechanism ensures the enforcement of the rules and addresses suspected breaches of the code. In Brazil, there is no specific legislation regulating lobbying. The National Congress is currently discussing dozens of bills that address regulation of lobbying and the action of interest groups (De Aragão, 2012), but none of them has been enacted for the moment. This work will focus on class lobbying (Oliveira, 2004), which refers to the performance of the federation of national labour or industrial unions, like CNI (National Industry Confederation) in Brazil and the European Banking Federation (EBF) in Brussels. Their performance aims to influence the Executive and Legislative branches in order to defend the interests of their affiliates. When representing unions and federations, class entities cover a wide range of different and, more often than not, conflicting interests. That is why they are limited to defending the consensual and majority interest of their affiliates (Oliveira, 2004). The basic assumption of this work is that institutions matter (Peng et al, 2009) and that the trade associations and their affiliates, when doing business, have to take into account the institutional and regulatory framework where they do business.