Business Commons^™

Is The “Dominant Firm” Dominant? An Empirical Analysis Of At&T’S Market Power, Simran K. Kahai, David L. Kaserman, John W. Mayo

Economics & Finance

In this article, we estimate the degree of market power held by AT&T in the interstate long-distance market in the postdivestiture period. Our approach makes use of the dominant firm/competitive fringe model to impose the structure needed both to obtain estimates of the relevant structural parameters and to translate these parameters into an estimate of AT&T's residual demand elasticity and associated Lerner index. Because of the continued presence of regulation and other considerations, however, a direct estimation of the residual demand elasticity is not feasible. Consequently, we take a more indirect approach that combines estimation of the elasticity of fringe …

The Impact Of Operating And Financial Risk On Equity Risk, Richard Lord

Department of Accounting and Finance Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This paper empirically investigates a complete theoretical model relating the operating characteristics of a firm to the total, systematic, and unsystematic risk of its equity. The degree of operating leverage, the ratio of net profits to firm value, and the variability of unit output are all found to be positively correlated with each of the three risk measures. The degree of financial leverage, while positively related to total and unsystematic risk, does not appear to be related to systematic risk. After controlling for the business risk of the firm, no evidence can be found of an interaction between the degree …

The Effect Of Estate Taxes On Family Business: Survey Results, Joseph H. Astrachan, Roger Tutterow

Faculty and Research Publications

A survey of 1,003 businesses examined the effect of estate taxes on family business behavior, including investment, employment, and strategic decisions. The results strongly suggest that estate taxes have marked effects on business behavior. These effects are more pronounced in larger firms where their potential impact is of a greater magnitude.

1996-1997 Operating Budget, Southern University System. Office Of Finance & Administration.

All Southern University System Budgets

The Southern University at Shreveport Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 1996-1997.

1996-1997 Operating Budget, Southern University System. Office Of Finance & Administration.

All Southern University System Budgets

The Southern University System Board and System Administration 1996-1997 Operating Budget.

Semiparametric Exploration Of Long Memory In Stock Prices, David K. C. Lee, Peter M. Robinson

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

New or modified methods for semiparametric analysis of fractional long memory in time series are described and applied to twenty-six stock prices and two stock indices. Evidence is found that some, but not all, of the stocks have long memory, while one of the indices exhibits mean reversion.

The Influence Of Professional Investors On The Failure Of Management Buyout Attempts, Sarah Peck

Finance Faculty Research and Publications

In a sample of 111 MBO offers between 1984 and 1987, almost 30% attract new blockholders. These blockholders are primarily professional investors who act to facilitate a takeover by a higher bidder, thus increasing returns to both themselves and other public shareholders. In contrast, I find little evidence that pre-existing blockholders, particularly institutional holders, affect either the offer outcome or actively participate in the buyout contest once it begins. The overall pattern of results suggests that professional investors, particularly equity-holding companies, are 'control specialists' who provide valuable services as brokers in the market for corporate control.

Spreadsheets And Or/Ms Models: An End-User Perspective, Linda Leon, Zbigniew Przasnyski, Kala Seal

Finance Faculty Works

In 1986, Bodily stated that practitioners could use spreadsheets to model management science/operations research (OR/MS) problems. We surveyed OR practitioners to determine the extent of implementation of these OR/MS problems in a spreadsheet environment and found that end users are solving OR/MS problems using spreadsheets across many functional areas of business, though in varying degrees. Some areas show higher use than others and spreadsheet models are being used to implement various OR tools in a pattern very similar to their use in the nonspreadsheet environment.

Accounting For Derivatives, Craig Ward '96

Honors Projects

This paper will address the issue of disclosure concerning the derivative acitivities of publicly traded companies. The paper will begin by explaining the basics of derivatives and proceed to explain the current requirements in place to date. It will also detail the current developments of proposed new regulations for derivative activities. Then, the paper will present the results of how a sample of publicly traded companies currently account for and report their derivative positions in the financial statements. Finally, I will propose new requirements to account for and report derivatives in the financial statements. These requirements will combine ideas already …

A Simulation Approach To The Choice Between Fixed And Adjustable Rate Mortgages, William K. Templeton, Robert S. Main, J. B. Orris

Scholarship and Professional Work - Business

Presents a study which offers simulation approach model by which borrowers may more effectively evaluate fixed rate mortgage (FRM) and adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) choice. Identification of pricing variables as an important determinant of choice; Construction of model parameters comparing present value costs of ARM and FRM; Presentation of simulation outputs.

Pb1554 Ye$ Youth Entrepreneurship, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Financial Management

The YE$ curriculum has been designed for use in three ways to strengthen 4-H programming. Extension agents may use the curriculum to:

• Teach lessons in the classroom as a visiting educator or co-teach with the classroom teacher.

• Conduct workshops for educators who would like to have a copy of the curriculum and teach the materials themselves.

• Train volunteer leaders to conduct entrepreneurial activities with members enrolled in 4-H projects. The YE$ curriculum is designed as an enrichment activity to be integrated with or to supplement existing projects.

The YE$ program has been developed to support selected TCAP …

Journal Of Actuarial Practice, Volume 4, No. 2, 1996, Colin Ramsay , Editor

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

ARTICLES

Methodologies for Determining Reserve Liabilities in the Workers Compensation High Deductible Program • Jerome J. Siewert

Third Party Administrator (TPA) Service Pricing and Incentive Contracts • Hou-Wen Jeng

Annuity Choices for Pensioners • M. Zaki Khoransee

Pension Funding by Normal Costs or Amortization of Unfunded Liabilities • Keith P. Sharp

What We Say in the NAIC Annual Statement Blank Actuarial Opinion • Kenneth W. Faig, Jr.

Constrained Forecasting of the Number of IBNR Claims • Louis G. Doray

Editor - Colin Ramsay, University of Nebraska. Associate Editors: Robert Brown, University of Waterloo ○ Cecil Bykerk, Mutual of …

Journal Of Actuarial Practice, Volume 4, No.1, 1996, Colin Ramsay , Editor

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

ARTICLES

An Approach to Estimating Market Value and Duration of Interest-Sensitive Whole Life Contracts • Thomas J. Merfeld

Participating GICs: Performance Attribution Analysis • Alec Stais and John P. Toohey III

Asset Allocation in Investing to Meet Liabilities • Anthony Dardis and Vinh Loi Huynh

A Possibilistic Linear Programming Method for Asset Allocation • Lijia Guo and Zhen Huang

Nonmedical Limits in Individual Life Insurance • James B. Ross and Shalini Perumpral

A Proposed New System of Financing Health Care in Singapore • Robert Keng Heong Lian and Loi Soh Loi

Concentration in American Property-Casualty Companies • Edward Nissan

Bias …

Discussion Of Theodore Konshak's "Disclosure And Confidentiality Requirements Of Corporate Pension Plan Actuaries", Richard Daskais, Brian A. Jones

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

No abstract provided.

Constrained Forecasting Of The Number Of Ibnr Claims, Louis G. Doray

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

We consider the problem of forecasting the number of claims incurred. After subtracting the number of claims reported to date, the number of claims incurred but not reported (IBNR) can be forecasted. The basic model assumes that the number of claims per accident period follows an autoregressive moving average time series process. Instead of assuming the data are available in the usual claim run-off triangle format, we assume that the only data available are the number of claims reported at the valuation date for each accident interval of an observation period. Box-Jenkins methods are used to forecast the ultimate number …

A Possibilistic Linear Programming Method For Asset Allocation, Lijia Guo, Zhen Huang

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

The mean-variance method has been one of the popular methods used by most financial institutions in making the decision of asset allocation since the 1950s. This paper presents an alternative method for asset allocation. Instead of minimizing risk for a given expected return or maximizing expected return for a fixed level of risk, our approach considers simultaneously maximizing the rate of return of portfolio, minimizing the risk of obtaining lower return, and maximizing the possibility of reaching higher return. By using a triangular possibilistic distribution to describe the uncertainty of the return, we introduce a possibilistic linear programming model which …

Annuity Choices For Pensioners, Zaki M. Khorasanee

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

We consider two ways for a retiree to obtain a pension from a retirement fund: through the purchase of a whole life annuity providing a level monetary income; and through the withdrawal of income from a fund invested in equities. Deterministic and stochastic models are used to assess the risks and benefits associated with each approach. In each case the projected cash flows are compared with those from a whole life annuity providing an income linked to price inflation. We conclude that, although each of the two options conSidered involves significant risks, each method may be attractive to certain groups …

A Proposal For Improving The System Of Financing Health Care In Singapore, Robert Keng Heong Lian, Loi Soh Loi

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

Like many other countries, including the United States, Singapore faces the dual problems of rising health care costs and an aging population. To cope with these problems, the Singapore government introduced the Medishield scheme in 1989 that provides low cost catastrophic medical insurance coverage. The scheme suffers from a serious deficiency, however: coverage ceases at age 70. This deficiency is exacerbated by Medishield's premium payment structure which is akin to the premium structure of a one year renewable term policy so no reserves are developed. As a result, coverage beyond age 70 requires exorbitant premiums that are beyond the reach …

Nonmedical Limits In Individual Life Insurance, James B. Ross, Shalini E. Perumpral

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

This paper shows data that illustrate the substantial variation among nonmedical schedules and the dramatic increase in their amount limits from 1972 through 1992. Coefficients of variation are analyzed for several data subsets. We find that the variation of schedules in the sample of all firms has increased throughout the 1972-1992 period for issue ages up to 30, but has declined for issue ages beyond 30 during the 1982-1992 period. For the non-New York and stock companies our statistical tests indicate an increase in the variability of schedules over the full period 1972 to 1992.

Pension Funding By Normal Costs Or Amortization Of Unfunded Liabilities, Keith P. Sharp

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

We discuss the extent of the actuary's freedom in choosing the funding method for defined benefit pension plans. In particular, we look at funding through a combination of normal costs, amortization of an unfunded liabilities, and fund of assets. The IRS constraint on "reasonable funding methods" is considered, with particular mention of the aggregate entry age normal method. In addition, an algebraic development is performed of year-to-year changes in the status of a plan's funding.

The Effect Of Portfolio Asset Size On The Performance Of Australian Superannuation Fund Managers, M. Mccrae

Faculty of Business - Accounting & Finance Working Papers

Overseas studies suggest a correlation between the performance of mutual fund managers and the size of funds under control, with small funds outperforming large funds. This study extends the analysis to Australian superannuation fund managers where industry structure, purpose, asset base and investment strategies are considerably different. It investigates the potential effect of portfolio asset size on quarterly excess and risk adjusted returns and systematic risk profiles from 1977 to 1993. Although overall performance has weakly improved since the 1970's, the results contradict overseas evidence. After allowing for survivorship bias and extreme outliers, variations in asset size are not related …

An Analysis Of International Inter-Bank Settlement Problems And Responses, G. Hartono, G. Gniewosz

Faculty of Business - Accounting & Finance Working Papers

Timely and adequate settlement of international inter-bank payments has always been a major concern for the banking industry. However the 1974 failure of Herstatt Bank, and the disruption which hit the financial markets, ushered in an era of heightened concern about the potential vulnerability of the international settlement systems. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the encountered settlement problems and attempted solutions. Nowhere are these efforts more apparent then in the European attempt to create a single financial market. One of the more interesting developments in this evolution towards regional and global payment markets has been the push …

How Critical Is A Good Location To A Regional Shopping Center?, Mark Eppli, James D. Shilling

Finance Faculty Research and Publications

The goal of this paper is to empirically measure the consumer utility trade-off between store location (i.e., distance to a shopping center) and retail agglomeration in regional shopping centers. Using the Lakshmanan and Hansen retail expenditure model, our findings reveal that the distance specification is of surprisingly little importance in explaining retail sales. Conversely, agglomeration economies were of significant importance in explaining consumer patronage at regional shopping centers. The implication of these results is that smaller regional shopping centers may be dominated by large super-regional shopping centers with the smaller one or two anchor regional shopping centers unable to compete …

What We Say In The Naic Annual Statement Blank Actuarial Opinion, Kenneth W. Faig Jr.

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

The new language adopted for the actuarial opinion in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' model actuarial opinion and memorandum regulation has been weakened at the same time the responsibilities of the opining actuary have been increased. The restoration of stronger language to the actuarial opinion would enhance the professional image of the actuary. If the legal environment for professional liability inhibits such a change, the opinion should be changed to describe more precisely the work performed and the conclusion reached by the actuary.

Third Party Administrator (Tpa) Service Pricing And Incentive Contracts, Hou-Wen Jeng

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

This paper addresses a few of the most important pricing issues faced by a third party administrator (TPA) whose main responsibility is claims handling for self·insured employers and self·insured groups. Such pricing issues include the development of service fees using claim closure information, the selection of service durations, and the design of incentive (either activity-based or financially-based) service contracts. Formulas for pricing new and open claims are provided.

Disclosure And Confidentiality Requirements Of Corporate Pension Plan Actuaries, Theodore Konshak

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

Corporate pension plan actuaries are subject to the standards of the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries. The Joint Board is empowered to establish such standards under the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, a federal law. In consideration of these statutory standards, this article will discuss whether standards published by professional actuarial organizations have any applicability. The contrast between the disclosure requirements of federal law and the confidentiality standards of the Society of Actuaries will be highlighted.

Asset Allocation In Investing To Meet Liabilities, Anthony Dardis, Vinh Loi Huynh

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

We present some rudimentary concepts on asset/liability management and describe an approach to asset allocation modeling for institutions that invest to meet liabilities. The traditional risk/reward framework of financial economics is used as a starting pOint. The definitions of risk and reward are then refined with regard to the institution under consideration. A simple model of a U.S. life office is examined. We assume that the only investments available are domestic stocks and long-dated government bonds. Stochastic simulation is used to create a large number of future investment scenarios using historical total return data for these asset classes. The ability …

Concentration In American Property-Casualty Companies, Edward Nissan

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

A Theil's entropy index utilizing premiums written as units is employed to measure trends in concentration of the largest 200 property-casualty companies in the United States between 1985 and 1993 based on Best's Insurance Report data. Each of the indexes confirms that concentration trends experienced no increase for the whole period for all 200 firms, the top 20, and subsets of lower ranked companies. Significant differences are observed, however, between groups of companies for the same period.

Methodologies For Determining Reserve Liabilities In The Workers Compensation High Deductible Program, Jerome J. Siewert

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

In this paper I describe several approaches for estimating liabilities under a high deductible program, including a proposal for a more sophisticated approach relying upon a loss distribution model. The discussion addresses several related issues dealing with deductible size and mix, absence of longterm histories, and the determination of consistent loss development factors among deductible limits. In addition, I propose several approaches for estimating aggregate loss limit charges, if any, and the asset value for associated servicing revenue.

Participating Gics: Performance Attribution Analysis, Alec Stais, John P. Toohey Iii

Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)

The increasing popularity of participating GICs has created a need for an objective understanding of their performance. The fixed income attribution techniques are not adequate for measuring participating GIC performance because they typically restrict performance measurement to concepts such as duration management, sector rotation, and issue selection. We develop an attribution technique based on four components or effects that are helpful in explaining the changes in credited rates. They are the constant duration effect, the reinvestment effect, the cash flow effect, and the investment effect. The underlying mathematical approach to calculating these effects is presented along with examples.