Finance and Financial Management Commons^™

Given Credit Management Behavior, What Effect Does Educational Debt Have On Mortgage Approval Timetables?, Andrew Mcleod

Honors Projects in Finance

Educational debt in the United States is a major concern as many young people enroll in undergraduate institutions beyond their financial means and the gap between the cost of an education and family income widens. Research suggests that an individual’s level of educational debt will have an effect on their financial future, but measuring the extent of damage incurred is much more difficult and needs further examination. This paper analyzes the relationship between the level of educational debt at graduation and time between graduation and home mortgage approval. This paper also examines the relationship between credit management behavior and mortgage …

Cost Of Winning: What Contributing Factors Play The Most Significant Roles In Increasing The Winning Percentage Of A Major League Baseball Team?, Patrick Tartaro

Honors Projects in Finance

Over the past decade, discussions of competition disparity in Major League Baseball have been brought to the forefront of many debates regarding the sport. The belief that "large market" teams such as the New York Yankees buy their championships through acquiring star talent at high prices has become a common belief of many followers of the game. This research will answer the pressing question, "What are the most significant factors that correlate to a Major League Baseball Team’s winning percentage?”. I used stepwise regression to identify factors significantly related to winning percentage. Interestingly enough, payroll is not a significant factor …

How One Trade Could Change The World: High Frequency Trading And The Flash Crash Of 2010, Sarah Perlman

Honors Projects in Finance

Financial markets are controlled directly by a small population of people, but have direct effects on almost every aspect of the global community. Financial markets are now flooded with computerized algorithms that have drastically changed the face of trading. As with any advances in technology, there are always unforeseen events that create new challenges, and adjustments that need to be made. In our increasingly global and technological world, one wrong click of the mouse in New York could affect the stock markets in London, Tokyo, and Brazil. On May 6th, 2010, such a situation occurred and caused the Dow Jones …

The Odd Quarter Research Report, First Quarter, Volume 1, Issue 1, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, Fall 2011, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, May 2011, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

Investment Styles, Fees, & Returns Among Individually Managed & Team Managed Mutual Funds, Kendal Cehanowicz

Honors Projects in Finance

Identifying a successful mutual fund investment involves a crucial analysis of alternatives, all of which influence the true benefit of the investment. Major considerations must include performance, management and fees; which ultimately determine investment returns. Studies have shown that team managed mutual funds exhibit similar risk adjusted performance to individually managed mutual funds, however studies lack this comparison of performance based on fund fees and investment objective. This gap in research implies that there is an opportunity to examine how fund management, investment objective, and fund fees affect overall returns to the investor. Using the 2010 Center for Research in …

Getting The Sharks To Bite In Your Ocean: A Look At Regional Differences In Funding Components In China And The United States, Jennifer Ashley Schwall

Honors Projects in Finance

This study explores the relationship between a venture capital firm’s geographic region and the investment traits that it values. This study’s results will help determine whether venture capital firms, by geographic region, emphasize certain investment traits over others when funding new companies.

The study examines three regions (the East Coast of the United States, the West Coast of the United States and China, specifically Beijing and Shanghai). By surveying available firms in each region, I collected data on which funding components, or investment traits, the sampled respondents valued. To increase the usefulness of my findings, I held constant the stage …

Stock Exchanges In The Middle East: Risky Business Or Smart Investing?, Jed A. Haddad

Honors Projects in Finance

The goal of any investor is to obtain the highest possible return for his or her money. However for years, the debate has continued; stocks, bonds, mutual funds; which of these financial instruments will produce the greatest gain to give the investor the highest profit? Historically, stocks have been known to provide investors with high returns. With the world becoming increasingly globalized, international markets have proven to offer investors more options to help diversify their portfolios. The Middle East has been known as a region of recent economic growth and stability. Three prominent examples of such are Kuwait, Israel, and …

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, December 2010, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

Where Were The Media In The Financial Crisis Of 2008, And Have We Seen This Trend Before?, Margaret Dickinson

Honors Projects in Communication

In the fall of 2008, the United States and the rest of the world experienced significant financial turmoil. The financial industry as we knew it crumbled before our eyes. After experiencing this event and the media's fragmented and inconsistent coverage of it, I felt an interesting topic to look into was the financial press' failed coverage of the finance industry, both today and in the past. In looking at this event, I will focus on both the financial press that failed to cover the happenings of the financial industry, as well as those that did recognize the issue at hand. …

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, Spring 2010, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

Non-Profit Organizations In A Down Economy: The Financial Performance Of Higher Education Institutions In The New England Area, Yuanjun Li

Honors Projects in Finance

An economic recession affects an entire economy, including the non-profit sector. The impact could result from changes in government support, a decrease in donations, investment income, service fees or a combination. Many private universities and colleges, which rely on tuition and endowment, have been affected by a dip in enrollments, while their endowments shrink because of the recession and declining stock values. This study will examine how an economic recession can affect non-profit organizations, focusing on private, four-year higher education institutions in New England. Different types and sizes of schools will be affected differently. Since the large, well-known schools have …

Financial Literacy: The Impact Of Financial Training In High School On The Credit Behavior Of College Students, Lisa Tenaglia

Honors Projects in Finance

Managing credit is increasingly important not only for adults, but for college students. In recent years with sky rocketing tuition and easily available credit, college students find themselves with increasing debt burdens that result in serious and lasting financial problems. In response, financial literacy programs are emerging in hopes that better educated people will make healthy financial decisions, as well as responsibly manage credit. Research suggests that financial education should begin in high school so that young adults can effectively manage credit during the college years. This study assesses both college students’ financial knowledge and their credit management practices. Specifically, …

Possible Solutions To The Rhode Island State Government’S Unfunded Pension Liability, Derek Blunt

Honors Projects in Finance

This paper examines the possible causes of the nationwide unfunded public pension liability problem in the U.S., and what solutions are being proposed to combat the issue. After examining the general problems associated with multiple states’ pension systems, a specific analysis of the Rhode Island public pension system will be conducted. Through this investigation, the factors that led to the crisis in Rhode Island will be unveiled, and possible solutions to the state-specific problem will be developed. In order to arrive at a set of final recommendations for the government, a model will be used to evaluate the effects of …

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, December 2009, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, April 2009, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

Performance Of Major League Baseball Players During Their “Free Agency” Season, Evan Konstantatos

Honors Projects in Finance

Do pro athletes try harder and perform better during their free agency year? Each year this question is asked in many professional sports. The purpose and objective of this project is to discover whether Major League Baseball players actually have better statistics during their free agency year. The result will add creditability to one side of the issue at hand. Data collected consists of offensive statistics in the year prior to their free agency year, their free agency year itself and the year after their free agency season. A simple paired T-test was applied for six major offensive categories: HR/AB, …

The Impact Of The Summer Olympics On Its Host City: The Costs Outweigh The Tangible Benefits, Steven Rosenblum

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

In the eyes of a host city, the reason to host the Summer Olympic Games has evolved from shining glory on athletic feats to receiving the perceived benefits from the opportunity. In the current times, there are a record number of Olympic events generating a demand for the construction of a larger amount of Games facilities than ever before. However, nations still vie for the winning bid to host the Olympics in one of their cities. This paper seeks to show that the costs of hosting the Games outweigh its tangible benefits. In detail, it will look at the financial, …

Measuring Effectiveness Of Quantitative Equity Portfolio Management Methods, Andrew J. Mesale

Honors Projects in Finance

In this paper, I use quantitative computer models to measure the effectiveness of Quantitative Equity Portfolio Management in predicting future stock returns using commonly accepted industry valuation factors. Industry knowledge and practices are first examined in order to determine strengths and weaknesses, as well as to build a foundation for the modeling. In order to assess the accuracy of the model and its inherent concepts, I employ up to ten years of historical data for a sample of stocks. The analysis examines the historical data to determine if there is any correlation between returns and the valuation factors. Results suggest …

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, December 2008, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, May 2008, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, December 2007, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, May 2007, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

The Archway Investment Fund Semi Annual Report, Spring 2006, Bryant University, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.