Business Commons^™

Efficiency And Performance Of Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reits): An Empirical Examination, Can Topuz

Doctoral Dissertations

This study has a threefold purpose. Its first objective is to investigate input and output efficiencies in the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) industry. Its second objective is to understand the impact of size, property share, loan production, debt ratio, property and geographic diversification, control and governance variables, overall risk, capital risk, growth rate, and management type on a number of efficiency measures, including profit, cost, allocative, technical, pure technical and scale efficiency. The third objective is to assess the impact of structural and regulatory changes in the industry on REITs' productivity, technology, and efficiency changes.

I have estimated the …

Financial Performance Of Insurance Companies Following Initial Public Offerings, Kulkanya Napompech

Doctoral Dissertations

The quality of insurance companies is a very significant societal issue. Policyholders pay premiums assuming indemnity of their potential losses. It is essential that an insurer be able to meet its contractual obligations when a loss occurs. An initial public offering provides an infusion of capital and an expansion of resources available to a firm. Thus, the objective of this study is to examine the financial and operating impacts of initial public offerings during 1980–2000 on insurance companies.

Chapter 2 examines changes in operating performance of property/casualty insurance companies following initial public offerings. I find that following initial public offerings, …

Two Essays On Exchange -Traded Funds, Natalya Vladimir Delcoure

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is twofold. The first objective is to conduct an empirical inquiry into the diversification benefits of exchange-traded funds. The second objective is to examine whether exchange-traded funds exhibit superior performance compared to their rival closed-end country fund and traditional index mutual fund. I document that American investors manifest their preference for WEBS as a substitute for closed-end country funds. While I find that WEBS satisfy their objective of following their home indexes better than their rival closed-end country fund, the two-factor model I employ indicates that, despite some diversification benefits, WEBS also maintain certain risk …

Development Of Russian Commercial Banks And Financial Crisis Of 1998, Anna Barc

Theses Digitization Project

This report describes the development of commercial banks in Russia and role of government and Central Bank in advance of Russian financial system.

The Fundamental And Non-Fundamental Components Of Stock Prices: The Role Of Time-Varying Expected Inflation, Maosen Zhong

Doctoral Dissertations

I derive testable implications of fundamental and non-fundamental components of stock prices. In order to control for the role of time-varying expected inflation and to be able to perform reasonable empirical tests, I use a nominal (rather than a real) interpretation of the present-value model (PVM), whereby nominal interest rates approximate expected inflation. I conjecture that the fundamental and non-fundamental components represent the permanent and temporary components of stock prices, respectively. A series of cointegration analysis over the annual period 1871–1997 confirms my conjecture for the model with time-varying expected inflation. Various fundamental and non-fundamental exclusion tests indicate that both …

A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of The Determinants Of Corporate Share Repurchases, Kenneth M. Washer

Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this study is to determine which motives play a significant role in determining the extent of a firm's repurchasing activity. For firms repurchasing through the open market, the motives include taking advantage of perceived undervaluation, increasing financial leverage, distributing cash to shareholders, and reducing agency costs. For firms using a tender offer, the motives include taking advantage of perceived undervaluation and having the ability to significantly increase financial leverage. Also, the hypothesis that the perceived undervaluation motive is stronger for smaller firms is tested. Three censored regression models are employed, and each model's explanatory variables represent commonly …

The Impact Of The Louisiana Lottery On Salaries In Education, Melissa Vicknair Melancon

Doctoral Dissertations

The study was undertaken to decide whether lottery revenues impacted teachers' salaries in Louisiana. Economic recession brought on by the collapse of the oil and gas industry, disgruntled taxpayers, and the lure of easy money prompted Louisiana legislators to pass a bill adopting a state lottery. Initially, all funds were earmarked for education. Subsequently, lottery revenues were deposited into the general fund. Yet many thought the lottery would be a significant source of money for education and teachers' salaries.

Logged annual salaries were used in models for university teachers and for elementary and secondary school teachers. Variables were incorporated to …

The Incremental Information Content Of The Cash And Cash Equivalents Definition Of Funds, Hugh Samuel Riner Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to attempt to determine the incremental information content of the cash and cash equivalents definition of funds. The cash and cash equivalents definition of funds is the mandated definition of funds for use in the preparation of a statement of cash flows. Prior to 1988, firms were able to use alternative definitions of funds; working capital was the most widely-used alternative definition.

In order to determine whether the cash and cash equivalents definition of funds has incremental information content, event analysis methodology was utilized to compare the market reaction to the release of financial …

The Department Of Agriculture A Conceptual And Empirical Study Of Co-Ordination Of Activities In Cyprus, Chrystalla Yiakoumi

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Pitsilia Integrated Rural Development Project, Ioanna Sergidou

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Land Consolidation In Cyprus, Stephania Yiorca

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Major Trends In The Explanation Of Direct International Investment, Mark Grier

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Fraternal Life Insurance With Special Reference To Kansas, Dollie B. Thomas

Master's Theses

It is the purpose of this thesis to present a discussion of the history and development of the fraternal beneficiary societies, which make up one of the few distinct types of organizations that offer protection from financial loss resulting from physical disability or premature death. Chapter II will give a brief resume of the age-old principle of fraternalism, or brotherhood, from pre-historic times to the present. A general history of fraternal life insurance organizations in the United States will make up Chapter III. A study of the fraternal insurance law of the State of Kansas , including state regulation and …

The Kansas Court Of Industrial Relations, Jack W. Rodgers

Master's Theses

The Kansas Industrial Court Act has the distinction of being the only one of its kind ever passed. The things it attempted to do had never been done before in just the same way, nor have they ever since been imitated. But, to many people, there had been previous experiments closely resembling the Kansas act of 1920. They pointed to various acts passed in the latter part of the 19th. century, and the early part of the 20th, in such places as New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and even in parts of the United States as being forerunners of the Kansas …

The Economic Development Of Cowley County, Kansas, Richard J. Chisum

Master's Theses

This thesis is a survey of the history of Cowley County, Kansas from 1870 through 1947 focusing on the economic development of the county.

The Trend Of Farm Population And Land Ownership In Smith County, Kansas, From 1900 And 1940, Charles Casper Easterly

Master's Theses

All through their history the American people have lived and developed in the presence of abundant land. If a farm failed to produce profitably the occupants would merely move to the frontier and take up new land. In the few years prior to nineteen hundred the frontier, as a large determining factor in the life of our people, ceased to exist. Many farm problems arose. The spread of the machine process has raised many problems which we have to puzzle over. Power farm machinery has made it possible for one man to do the work which formerly required the services …

Real Property Assessment Variations In Dickinson County, Kansas, And Their Effect On School Finance, Robert B. Gilkison

Master's Theses

The problem of this thesis is indicated in the title, "Real Property Assessment Variations in Dickinson County Kansas and Their effect on School Finance.” This problem will be considered under two major phases: (1) a critical analysis of the 1938 assessment of all rural real property in Dickinson County, Kansas to determine what irregularities exist and what the cause for these irregularities appear to be, and (2) to ascertain the effect of these inequalities upon the financing of the public schools of the county. The schools in the two second class cities of the county will not be included in …

A Comparison Of The Personal Property Tax Burden Of Five Separate Groups Of Business In Norton County, Hobart E. Rader

Master's Theses

The subject of this thesis, "A Comparison of the Personal Property tax burden of Five Separate Groups of Business in Norton County", was selected after much consideration and investigation. The purpose of the investigation is to find to what extent the personal property tax burden is borne by business and what group bears the heaviest burden. The first four chapters of this thesis cover materiel and data considered essential in discussing the problem of personal property tax burden of business in the state as it might be expected to affect Norton County. These chapters lay the background concerning the wealth …

The Economic Development Of Gray County, Kansas, Marvin A. Hubert

Master's Theses

This thesis is a study of the economic development of Gray County, Kansas from the time of the organization of the county in 1887 to the year 1939. Historical facts and economic trends which tend to show progress or retardation have been organized in an attempt to show significant phases of the problem. Even though the study is limited to a period of fifty years, important events in the history of the territory prior to this time are not ruled out insofar as they have a bearing on the future development of the county.

The Federal Reserve System And Its Relation To Monetary Conditions In The United States: A Study Of The Banking System Of The United States, Gertrude F. Goldberg

Business and Economics Honors Papers

This 38 page thesis examines the history of the banking system in the United States and its problems.

Trends In Social Thinking, 1910-1935, Mary Elizabeth Williams

Master's Theses

This topic has been chosen because of an interest in the economic and social conditions of the present day and a desire to know just how much the changing events of the world’s history during the past twenty five years have affected our attitudes toward certain economic problems. In order to do this, five fields of interest were chosen. These are, banking practice and legislation, agriculture, public finance, labor problems and trusts. I have attempted to draw some conclusions which will show a definite trend toward certain attitudes of thinking of the present day which are different from the attitudes …

John Ruskin, His Social Philosophy, Frank Willis Cunningham

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to set forth the teachings of John Ruskin, to explain them in the light of the day in which he lived, to compare them with recent economic thought, and to point out their influence on the trend of economic thought. With this in mind the author set out first , to develop briefly, the social and economic doctrines preceding and during the time of John Ruskin in order to better understand Ruskin’s social philosophy. To still further enlighten the reader concerning the philosophy of Ruskin a brief biography is presented in which the influence …

The Trend Of Financing Urban Property, Irvine F. Wilson

Master's Theses

This thesis is intended as a survey of terns in financing urban property. Urban property as construed by this study includes all incorporated cities, towns, and villages. This interpretation is used firstly, in order that a more complete analysis might be pictured, and secondly, because investments in property are not necessarily restricted because of the number of inhabitants in a particular town or city.

Trends In Kansas State Government Revenue And Expenditure, 1880-1934, Vernon Thomas Clover

Master's Theses

The main purpose of this thesis is to point out the significant trends in governmental revenue receipts and expenditures in Kansas during the period from 1880 through 1934. Especial attention is given to the state government as opposed to the local governments. The discussion in connection with the latter is confined to property tax levies, expenditures for roads, streets and bridges, and for education. Few new or startling facts are presented. The trends shown however, are based upon definite statistics and therefore give the conclusions that are drawn the element of accuracy which has usually been lacking in the popular …

Branch Banking In California, Burrus Everett Claypool

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

In this paper it is hoped to present an accurate account of branch banking conditions. as they exist in California, followed by an expression of the writer's views upon the subject which have come from an impartial consideration of the movement from several standpoints.

Part one explains briefly the nature of branch banking , tells something of its importance and success in other countries and of its development in the United States. A discussion of the branch systems that are active in California and a detailed description of the origin, growth and importance of one large organization in the state …