Essays in resource economics

Cette thèse comporte trois essais en économie des ressources naturelles. Le Chapitre 2 analyse les effets du stockage d’une ressource naturelle sur le bien-être et sur le stock de celle-ci, dans le contexte de la rizipisciculture. La rizipisciculture consiste à élever des poissons dans une rizière en même temps que la culture du riz. Je développe un modèle d’équilibre général, qui contient trois composantes principales : une ressource renouvelable à accès libre, deux secteurs de production et le stockage du bien produit à partir de la ressource. Les consommateurs stockent la ressource lorsqu’ils spéculent que le prix de cette ressource sera plus élevé dans le futur. Le stockage a un effet ambigu sur le bien-être, négatif sur le stock de ressource au moment où le stockage a lieu et positive sur le stock de ressource dans le futur. Le Chapitre 3 étudie les effects de la migration de travailleurs qualifiés dans un modèle de commerce international lorsqu’il y a présence de pollution. Je développe un modèle de commerce à deux secteurs dans lequel j’introduis les questions de pollution et de migration dans l’objectif de montrer que le commerce interrégional peut affecter le niveau de pollution dans un pays composé de régions qui ont des structures industrielles différentes. La mobilité des travailleurs amplifie les effets du commerce sur le capital environnemental. Le capital environnemental de la région qui a la technologie la moins (plus) polluante est positivement (négativement) affecté par le commerce. De plus, je montre que le commerce interrégional est toujours bénéfique pour la région avec la technologie la moins polluante, ce qui n’est pas toujours le cas pour la région qui a la technologie la plus polluante. Finalement, le Chapitre 4 est coécrit avec Yves Richelle. Dans ce chapitre, nous étudions l’allocation efficace de l’eau d’un lac entre différents utilisateurs. Nous considérons dans le modèle deux types d’irréversibilités : l’irréversibilité d’un investissement qui crée un dommage à l’écosystème et l’irréversibilité dans l’allocation des droits d’usage de l’eau qui provient de la loi sur l’eau (irréversibilité légale). Nous déterminons d’abord la valeur de l’eau pour chacun des utilisateurs. Par la suite, nous caractérisons l’allocation optimale de l’eau entre les utilisateurs. Nous montrons que l’irréversibilité légale entraîne qu’il est parfois optimal de réduire la quantité d’eau allouée à la firme, même s’il n’y a pas de rivalité d’usage. De plus, nous montrons qu’il n’est pas toujours optimal de prévenir le dommage créé par un investissement. Dans l’ensemble, nous prouvons que les irréversibilités entraînent que l’égalité de la valeur entre les utilisateurs ne tient plus à l’allocation optimale. Nous montrons que lorsqu’il n’y a pas de rivalité d’usage, l’eau non utilisée ne doit pas être considérée comme une ressource sans limite qui doit être utilisée de n’importe quelle façon.

Priv-C : une politique de confidentialité personnalisable

Les politiques de confidentialité définissent comment les services en ligne collectent, utilisent et partagent les données des utilisateurs. Bien qu’étant le principal moyen pour informer les usagers de l’utilisation de leurs données privées, les politiques de confidentialité sont en général ignorées par ces derniers. Pour cause, les utilisateurs les trouvent trop longues et trop vagues, elles utilisent un vocabulaire souvent difficile et n’ont pas de format standard. Les politiques de confidentialité confrontent également les utilisateurs à un dilemme : celui d’accepter obligatoirement tout le contenu en vue d’utiliser le service ou refuser le contenu sous peine de ne pas y avoir accès. Aucune autre option n’est accordée à l’utilisateur. Les données collectées des utilisateurs permettent aux services en ligne de leur fournir un service, mais aussi de les exploiter à des fins économiques (publicités ciblées, revente, etc). Selon diverses études, permettre aux utilisateurs de bénéficier de cette économie de la vie privée pourrait restaurer leur confiance et faciliter une continuité des échanges sur Internet. Dans ce mémoire, nous proposons un modèle de politique de confidentialité, inspiré du P3P (une recommandation du W3C, World Wide Web Consortium), en élargissant ses fonctionnalités et en réduisant sa complexité. Ce modèle suit un format bien défini permettant aux utilisateurs et aux services en ligne de définir leurs préférences et besoins. Les utilisateurs ont la possibilité de décider de l’usage spécifique et des conditions de partage de chacune de leurs données privées. Une phase de négociation permettra une analyse des besoins du service en ligne et des préférences de l’utilisateur afin d’établir un contrat de confidentialité. La valeur des données personnelles est un aspect important de notre étude. Alors que les compagnies disposent de moyens leur permettant d’évaluer cette valeur, nous appliquons dans ce mémoire, une méthode hiérarchique multicritères. Cette méthode va permettre également à chaque utilisateur de donner une valeur à ses données personnelles en fonction de l’importance qu’il y accorde. Dans ce modèle, nous intégrons également une autorité de régulation en charge de mener les négociations entre utilisateurs et services en ligne, et de générer des recommandations aux usagers en fonction de leur profil et des tendances.

Economics of Human Resource Planning With Special Reference to Higher Education in Kerala

Ongoing changes in global economic structure along information revolution have produced an environment where knowledge and skills or education and training are considered increasingly valued commodities. This is based on the simple notion that nation’s economic progress is linked to education and training. This idea is embodied in the theory of human capital, according to which the knowledge and skill found in labour represents valuable resources for the market. Thus the important assumptions of the Human capital theory are 910 Human capital is an investment for future (2) More training and education leads to better work skills (3) Educational institutions play a central role in the development of human capital(4) the technological revolution is often cited as the most pressing reason why education and knowledge are becoming valuable economic commodities . The objectives of the present study are, the investment and institutional or structural framework of higher education in Kerala, the higher education market and the strengths and weakness of supply demand conditions , cost and the benefits of higher education in Kerala , impact of recent policy changes in higher education,need for expanding higher education market to solve the grave problem of Un employment on the basis of as systematic manpower planning and the higher education and its association with income and employment.

Complexity quantification of dense array EEG using sample entropy analysis

n this paper, a time series complexity analysis of dense array electroencephalogram signals is carried out using the recently introduced Sample Entropy (SampEn) measure. This statistic quantifies the regularity in signals recorded from systems that can vary from the purely deterministic to purely stochastic realm. The present analysis is conducted with an objective of gaining insight into complexity variations related to changing brain dynamics for EEG recorded from the three cases of passive, eyes closed condition, a mental arithmetic task and the same mental task carried out after a physical exertion task. It is observed that the statistic is a robust quantifier of complexity suited for short physiological signals such as the EEG and it points to the specific brain regions that exhibit lowered complexity during the mental task state as compared to a passive, relaxed state. In the case of mental tasks carried out before and after the performance of a physical exercise, the statistic can detect the variations brought in by the intermediate fatigue inducing exercise period. This enhances its utility in detecting subtle changes in the brain state that can find wider scope for applications in EEG based brain studies.

Economics of Ornamental Fisheries in Kerala

Comprehensive studies integrating production, consumption and marketing of ornamental fishes were never conducted in the past in Kerala and this study is an attempt to highlight the dynamics in a systematic manner by making a primary empirical study. The advantages of such an approach are many. First, the study entails detailed empirical data under a given time frame on various inter linked economic activities in ornamental fisheries sector. Second, the study tries to improve upon the previous discipline-bound studies by adopting an integrated approach. As Kerala has diverse ecological and climatic conditions, case studies on various ornamental fish production systems help identifying suitable culture practice for selected environmental conditions. One of the major conclusions of this study as explained in the concluding chapter is that although Kerala is blessed with favourable geographic and climatic conditions needed for developing ornamental fishery, diverse local conditions and requirements contain adopting modern methods of enterprise development.Consumer studies conducted would help to identify the demand of ornamental fishes and the factors leading to it. Market studies would help in understanding the forces behind domestic market, which is very promising, but neglected. Viability studies throw light on the economic performance of both the production systems and the trading units of ornamental fishes. Despite the economic significance of ornamental fisheries industry, its development has been constrained due to various bio-technical, cultural, socio-economic, organisational and above all, institutional and policy failures. The outcome of the study would identify constraints facing the industry and institutional arrangements for development.

The economics of rubber plantation industry in kerala

The study is an objective analysis of the importance of the economics of rubber plantation industry in Kerala. The study covers a period of 25 years ranging from 1950-51 to 1974-75. The data for the study were obtained partly from published documents such as: (1) The Plantation Inquiry Commission Report (for 1950s) (2) The Tariff Commission Reports (for 1960s) (3) Indian Rubber Statistics (for 1970s) and partly from personal inquiries. The thesis is divided into three parts consisting of eight chapters. Part I deals with the importance, growth, present position, and the scope of the industry. Part II discusses in detail the various development schemes, their impact, the role of small holding sector in the development of the rubber plantation industry and the problems faced by small holdings. Part III analyses the problems connected with marketing, cost, profitability and the development potential of the industry

The economics of chemical industry in kerala

The main purpose of the present study is to examine the growth and development problems of a new industry ,the chemical industry in the state of kerala. Problems of productivity and efficiency are studied with respect to the different branches of the industry such as fertilizers and insecticides basic inorganic and organic chemicals drugs and pharmaceuticals and miscellaneous chemicals. A study of partial input output linkages between the different chemical units is also attempted. The chemical industry is generally characterized by high linkage effects .These linkages could be used to generate subsidiary industries and thereby help in the growth and diversification of the industry. The efficiency of the working of individual units is also studied to understand the problems involved and to suggest remedial measures.

The economics of tea plantations in South India

Thc tea industry in lndia is going through a period of crisis. The crisis in brought about mainly by cost caculation and declining or stagnant prices. The impact of the present crisis is felt most by the owners of tea plantations in Kcrala . The present study assumes significance due to the fact that the critic which already affected Keralas tea industry is now threatening to extend to other tea-growing areas in south India. Today, ensuring a favourablc price to the producers via-a-via possibilities or reducing the cost of production through increase in productivity of land and labour are the main considerations. The main purpose of the study is to analyse the factors behind the crisis as well as exploring immediate and long-term measures for the sustained growth of the industry.

Stochastic processes and their applications semi-markov analysis of some inventory and queuing problems

This thesis analyses certain problems in Inventories and Queues. There are many situations in real-life where we encounter models as described in this thesis. It analyses in depth various models which can be applied to production, storag¢, telephone traffic, road traffic, economics, business administration, serving of customers, operations of particle counters and others. Certain models described here is not a complete representation of the true situation in all its complexity, but a simplified version amenable to analysis. While discussing the models, we show how a dependence structure can be suitably introduced in some problems of Inventories and Queues. Continuous review, single commodity inventory systems with Markov dependence structure introduced in the demand quantities, replenishment quantities and reordering levels are considered separately. Lead time is assumed to be zero in these models. An inventory model involving random lead time is also considered (Chapter-4). Further finite capacity single server queueing systems with single/bulk arrival, single/bulk services are also discussed. In some models the server is assumed to go on vacation (Chapters 7 and 8). In chapters 5 and 6 a sort of dependence is introduced in the service pattern in some queuing models.

Economics Of Poultry Farming In Kerala

Though of recent origin, commercial poultry farming has achieved momentum in Kerala because of its wide and varied potentials capability of employment creation, low investment, quick returns, lesser combination of various factors of production, enhanced productivity per unit of agricultural land, maintenance of soil fertility etc. Despite all the ancillary attributes characteristic of a thriving venture, the performance of poultry farming in Kerala was not comforting, especially in the case of small and medium size farms. This study has aimed at detailing the various components of cost and revenue in the business of poultry farming, and the adducing of empirical evidences on the nature of relationship of different variables as the gross income, current rate of productivity, extent of capacity utilisation and size of farms in terms of number of birds reared and the farms’ overall financial performance. Alongwith this a descriptive approach was made to highlight the challenges and opportunity poultry farming in Kerala, with special emphasis on its economic and financial aspects.

Economics of Justice in Kerala

The focus of the present study is on issues related to Legal—Economics. The economic approach to legal issues is based on the belief held by both legal professionals and economists that law and economics are complementary disciplines and that collaboration is highly beneficial.The principles of economic analysis can help our understanding of the law. Economic approach has important effects on the costs and benefits that prospective litigants may expect from litigation and their decisions to litigate or to settle out of court. Economic consideration is also helpful to understand I 1 the significance of litigation costs, the practical problems of legal administration and the provision of legal servicesz. The economic approach to law is mainly based on the belief held by some economists that the core of economics, the theory of choice is in principle- applicable to all human and institutional behaviour.