Business Commons^™

Central Bank Of Nigeria Annual Report And Statement Of Accounts For The Year Ended 31st December 2007, Central Bank Of Nigeria

CBN Annual Report

In 2007, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) faced significant challenges in monetary management due to statutory allocations to government tiers, autonomous foreign exchange inflows, and pre-election spending. These challenges were addressed through Open Market Operations (OMO), issuance of treasury securities, standing facilities, and foreign exchange swaps. The introduction of the monetary policy rate (MPR) in December 2006 moderated inter-bank rates, encouraged trading, and improved the transmission of monetary policy actions. The Bank intensified its non-regular management activities to ensure the Policy Support Instrument (PSI) target was met. The financial system at end-2007 comprised the CBN, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance …

American Index Put Options Early Exercise Premium Estimation, Ako Doffou

WCBT Faculty Publications

"This paper examines empirically the value of early exercise by testing the ability of two American put valuation models to predict the early exercise premium for the S&P 100 American put options. An accuracy test and a quality test are performed on (1) the MacMillan (1986) & Barone-Adesi and Whaley (1987) model, and (2) the Carr, Jarrow and Myneni(1992) model. The test results show that early exercise premium is significant regardless of moneyness. Moreover, consistent with the theory, the value of early exercise is significantly negatively related to moneyness and interest rates and significantly positively related to time to maturity …

Some Economic Issues In Indian Textile Sector, Badri Narayanan G.

Badri Narayanan G.

No abstract provided.

An Overview Of Combinatorial Auctions, Peter Cramton, Yoav Shoham, Richard Steinberg

Peter Cramton

No abstract provided.

Base Realignment And Closure Impact On Industry In El Paso, Tx And Doña Ana, Nm: Workforce Growth, Training Needs And Access To Federal Government Contracts, Carlos Olmedo, Dennis L. Soden, Daniel J. Quiñones, Elizabeth K. Gibson, Dannette De Leon, Michael F. Vargas

IPED Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

On The Total Duration Of Negative Surplus Of A Risk Process With Two-Step Premium Function, Pavlina Jordanova

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

We consider a risk reserve process whose premium rate reduces from c_d to c_u when the reserve comes above some critical value v. In the model of Cramer-Lundberg with initial capital u ≥ 0, we obtain the probability that ruin does not occur before the first up-crossing of level v. When u < v, following H. Gerber and E. Shiu (1997), we derive the probability that starting with initial capital u ruin occurs and the severity of ruin is not bigger than v. Further we express the probability of ruin in the two step premium function model - ψ (u,v), by the last two probabilities. Our assumptions imply that the surplus process will go to infinity almost surely. This entails that the process will stay below zero only temporarily. We derive the distribution of the total duration of negative surplus and obtain its Laplace transform and mean value. As a consequence of these results, under certain conditions in the Model of Cramer-Lundberg we obtain the expected value of the severity of ruin. In the end of the paper we give examples with exponential claim sizes.

Risk And Recovery, John Austin, Chris Decker, Tom Doering, Ernie Goss, Bruce Johnson, Lisa Johnson, Ken Lemke, Franz Schwarz, Scott Strain, Eric Thompson, Keith Turner

Economics Faculty Publications

The crisis in the housing and financial sectors has led to a dramatic slowdown in U.S. economic growth. Fourth quarter GDP growth and job growth are expected to be anemic and the economy may fall into recession in 2008. Indeed, several of the dozen members of the Nebraska Business Forecast Council do believe that the U.S. economy will likely slip into recession during 2008. However, the overall consensus of the Council is that the U.S. economy will avoid a recession. Economic growth will be slow in the first three quarters of 2008 before recovering in late 2008 and 2009.

Comments On The Rggi Market Design, Peter Cramton

Peter Cramton

No abstract provided.

The 700 Mhz Spectrum Auction: An Opportunity To Protect Competition In A Consolidating Industry, Peter Cramton, Andrzej Skrzypacz, Robert Wilson

Peter Cramton

This paper is provided in connection with the 2007 Telecommunications Symposium – Voice, Video and Broadband: The Changing Competitive Landscape and Its Impact on Consumers, sponsored by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (“the Division”). Our focus is on the state of competition in the wireless sector. Maintaining a competitive wireless sector is particularly critical if, as the Division’s agenda indicates, wireless services are to function as a competitive alternative to wireline technologies. Strengthening competition is especially important now after recent mergers that consolidated the wireless industry into a few dominant firms (two to four depending on …

Managing Through Strategic Agendas, Christine G. Springer

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Publications

The author discusses the development of the Balanced Scorecard and strategic agendas on solving social and economic problems by the government. She stated reasons why organizations or countries choose to establish strategic agendas, such as it helps develop a vision, serves as a framework for monitoring government and nonprofit performance, and develops political platform. She concluded that its establishment is vital to success in developing countries and in the federal system of government.

An Alternative Strategy For Building Sales Of Computers: Generic Advertising, Min Lu, Steven M. Thompson, Yanbin Tu

Management Faculty Publications

Frequent upgrading and aggressive price-cutting have become standard practice in the computer sector. While necessitated in part by declining production costs and a highly competitive market, these strategies have also served to make computers more affordable, growing the size of the overall market. Recently downturns in the sales of computers motivate us to examine the impact of these strategies on overall sales growth. We find evidence to suggest that excessive upgrading and overly aggressive price-cutting can be detrimental to overall sales growth. We also find that the computer sector exhibits characteristics that suggest that generic advertising would be an effective …

Corporate Investment And Analyst Pressure, Sébastien Michenaud

Sébastien Michenaud

Inter-State Economic Development- Powered By Utilities, John R. Lombard

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

In 2000, a group of state business recruiters from New England joined to promote New England to corporate real estate and site selection consultants at IDRC’s1 World Congress in New York City. At roughly the same time, the two metropolitan areas of Hartford, Conn., and Springfield, Mass., formed the Hartford-Springfield Economic Partnership (HSEP). These informal ventures that cross state borders represent coalitions of business, academic, political and policy leaders working together to foster the combined regions’ economic well-being.

An Assessment Of Factors Affecting Fleet Fuel Performance, Carlo D. Smith, John L. Kent, Cory J. Roberts

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Business

Improving fuel performance in all modes of transportation is becoming more important as fuel prices increase and concerns over environmental issues rise. This is particularly relevant in the class 8 motor carrier sector which accounts for the majority of fuel consumption among all classes of motor freight movement. The present study evaluated the extent that existing technologies, systems and policies designed to improve fuel efficiency have been and are expected to be adopted by current class 8 fleets. Results suggest that while many of the efforts of suppliers to the industry are focused on new technologies, there remains an opportunity …

Upper Rio Grande At Work Employee Satisfaction Survey, Daniel J. Quiñones, Carlos Olmedo, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

The Institute for Policy and Economic Development (IPED) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) was contracted by the Upper Rio Grande Workforce Development Board (URGWDB) to conduct an employee satisfaction survey as one component of a larger evaluation project. Employee satisfaction as defined in this survey includes quality of facilities and equipment as well as overall work setting and climate. The goal of this research is to assess the quality of URGWDB as a place to work and as an organization that has the processes in place to adapt and implement change to improve.

Upper Rio Grande At Work Client Satisfaction Survey 2007, Daniel J. Quiñones, Carlos Olmedo, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

The Institute for Policy and Economic Development (IPED) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) was contracted by the Upper Rio Grande Workforce Development Board (URGWDB) to conduct a client satisfaction survey as one component of a larger evaluation project. For purposes of this survey, “client” refers to businesses that have used URGWDB’s services such as job posting and job fair assistance. Client satisfaction as defined in this survey includes how well job seekers were matched with potential jobs and the customer service clients received from URGWDB staff. The goal of this research is to assess the performance …

Upper Rio Grande At Work Customer Satisfaction Survey 2007, Daniel J. Quiñones, Carlos Olmedo, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

The Institute for Policy and Economic Development (IPED) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) was contracted by the Upper Rio Grande Workforce Development Board (URGWDB) to conduct a customer satisfaction survey as one component of a larger evaluation project. Customer satisfaction as defined in this survey includes quality of training/instructional facilities and equipment as well as overall effectiveness of URGWDB services. The goal of this research is to assess the quality of URGWDB as a provider of services designed to help workers gain employment and as an organization that has the processes in place to adapt and …

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report, Vol. 9, No. 3, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

St. Cloud Area Quarterly Business Report

No abstract provided.

Essays On Risk And Incentives, Russell Engel

WCBT Faculty Publications

I use economic experiments to investigate individual behavior under uncertainty. The first essay examines the consistency of risk preferences over two institutions. The two institutions I use are the first price sealed bid auction and a Holt-Laury lottery. There is some controversy as to whether or not observed overbidding in first price auction is actually caused by risk aversion or simply consistent with it. Behavior in the Holt-Laury lottery being caused by risk aversion is not in dispute. By having the same subjects participate in both institutions, I show that subjects.risk preferences in the lottery are consistent with subjects' risk …

Fostering Entrepreneurship: Developing A Risk-Taking Culture In Singapore, Balbir B. Bhasin

WCBT Faculty Publications

About 10 years ago the Singapore Government realized that entrepreneurial spirit was lacking in its general population. These conclusions were confirmed by an empirical survey, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), an annual assessment of the national level of entrepreneurial activity. The paternalistic and authoritative approach of the government contributed to the general population's averseness to participating in risk-oriented ventures. Removing impediments to entrepreneurship is a key challenge for the government and the business sector if the island republic is to maintain its national competitiveness. This article explores the various initiatives taken by the government to stimulate risk-taking and attempts to …

Structural And Financial Constraints For Arabica Coffee Planters, Chloe Wardropper

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Arabica coffee production in Cameroon is struggling. Coffee growers and their plants are aging rapidly due to a lack of incentives to continue production. The downturn in arabica production started in the 1980’s, with the drop in the world price of coffee and the privatization of formerly government-run programs and agricultural cooperatives. Financial problems continue today because there are no structures to replace those organizations which offered financial and technical support. This paper will examine the constraints facing arabica coffee growers today and the options available to them for the amelioration of their situation. This is achieved primarily through interviews …

Distress During The Great Depression: The Illiquidity-Insolvency Debate Revisited, Gary Richardson

Gary Richardson

During the contraction from 1929 to 1933, the Federal Reserve System tracked changes in the status of all banks operating in the United States and determined the cause of each bank suspension. This essay analyzes chronological patterns in aggregate series constructed from that data. The analysis demonstrates both illiquidity and insolvency were substantial sources of bank distress. Periods of heightened distress were correlated with periods of increased illiquidity. Contagion via correspondent networks and bank runs propagated the initial banking panics. As the depression deepened and asset values declined, insolvency loomed as the principal threat to depository institutions.

The Legal Periphery Of Dominant Firm Conduct, Herbert J. Hovenkamp

All Faculty Scholarship

This essay explores two different but related problems and how U.S. antitrust law and EU competition law approach them. The first is the offense of attempt to monopolize, which concerns the acts that a firm that is not yet dominant might undertake in order to become dominant. The second is the offense of monopoly or dominant firm leveraging, which occurs when a firm uses its dominant position in one market to cause some kind of harm in a different market where it also does business.

The language of EU and U.S. provisions concerning dominant firms provokes one to think that …

University Of Texas At El Paso School Of Nursing: Assessment Of Interest In Lvn/Bsn Survey, Daniel J. Quiñones, Carlos Olmedo, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

The Institute for Policy and Economic Development (IPED) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) was contracted by the UTEP School of Nursing to conduct an interest survey for a possible Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Respondents were asked directly if they were interested in participating in such a program. The goal of this research is to assess the interest of LVNs in participating in a program that would provide them with the opportunity to earn their BSN.

Front Matter, Esr Review

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

No abstract provided.

Editor's Introduction: Finding Balance, Paul C. Godfrey

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

No abstract provided.

Innovation Spurs Growth, Jasmine Mohanty, Jasmine; Panda, Debadutta K. Panda

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

Product innovations are different and specific to MFIs, but all focus on one feature: they are all geared toward providing a wider range of financial products and intermediation options. These innovations are the launching pad and competitive advantage for MFIs, but most people are confused about these innovations.

Closing The Gender Gap, Dwight Haase

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

No abstract provided.

Partner Profiles, Esr Review

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

No abstract provided.

Mission Drift Understand It, Avoid It, James Copestake

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

No abstract provided.