Do nonreciprocal preference regimes increase exports?

This paper investigates whether and to what extent nonreciprocal preference regimes have increased developing countries’ exports to richer countries. Moreover, it analyzes how they have affected donors’ exports to beneficiary countries. Using recent developments in the econometric analysis of the gravity equation over the period 1990-2008, we find robust evidence that, on the whole, nonreciprocal preference regimes and GSP schemes have had an economically significant effect on exports from developing countries. However, the estimation of catch-all dummies masks heterogeneous results for the individual schemes. Finally, we find that nonreciprocal regimes have also increased exports from donors to beneficiary countries.

The Parallelometer: a mechanical device to study curvature

A simple mechanical device is introduced, the parallelometer, that can be used to measure curvatures of surfaces. The device can be used as a practical illustration of parallel transport of a vector and to study Berry phase shift when it is carried along a loop on the surface. Its connection to the Foucault pendulum is discussed. The experimental results can be successfully compared with the theoretical expectations. The experiment is inexpensive and conceptually easy to perform and understand for a beginner

Export market integration in the European Union

This paper examines the degree and recent evolution (1988-2001) of export-price dispersion among European Union countries. It also explores the effect of exchange rates on exportprice dispersion by reviewing the experience of some European countries that participated in the exchange rate stability zone. The results indicate that export-price dispersion across European Union countries was usually lower than across OECD countries. Moreover, although there is little evidence of convergence, this is stronger across European Union countries. Finally, even though price dispersion was often lower across European Union countries where exchange rates have been relatively stable than across countries with relatively volatile exchange rates, exchange-rate stability has not significantly contributed to export-price convergence across participating countries over the sample period.export market integration, European Union, exchange rates

Decision Making Models applied to IT Project Selection

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies ManagementIT project investments: how can we identify the best project to invest? To invest means to spend resources with the intention of future benefits. Can this evaluation be made in a sustained way that minimizes the failure of a wrong pick and therefore someway to be assure of those benefits? The aim of the study is to build a decision-making tool, based on existing multipurpose ones and to perfect it to the IT Project Portfolio reality, with an in-depth project analysis, valuing its tangible and intangibles characteristics to facilitate the organization board or decision makers. Following an inductive based thinking, real decision-making matrixes are to be dissected to establish a future generalization in form of a new tool to apply to a specific scenario. A mixed strategy (quantitative strategy to the establishment of cause-effect relations and qualitative to understand intangible factors associated to the IT projects) will be adopted