Finance and Financial Management Commons^™

Smaller Drawdowns, Higher Average And Risk-Adjusted Returns For Equity Portfolios, Using Options And Power-Log Optimization Based On A Behavioral Model Of Investor Preferences, Jivendra K. Kale, Tee Lim

School of Economics and Business Administration Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Lévy Processes: Characterizing Volcanic And Financial Time Series, Peter Kwadwo Asante

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this work, we use the Diffusion Entropy Analysis (DEA) to analyze and detect the scaling properties of time series from both emerging and well established markets as well as volcanic eruptions recorded by a seismic station, both financial and volcanic time series data are known to have high frequencies (i.e they are collected at an extremely fine scale). The objective is to determine the characterization i.e whether they follow a Gaussian or Lévy distribution. If they do follow a Lévy distribution we are then interested in finding if they are characterized by a Lévy walk which has a finite …

Essays On The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Of 2017, Tahsina Haque Simu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study investigates the effects of a tax reform act on the financing and tax planning activities of firms using the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 as the experimental setting. This paper examines the changes in debt levels, effective tax rates, use of interest and non-debt tax shields and various tax constructs before and after the tax revision. The results show that debt ratios significantly rise from pre to post event year. Economically, this increase seems significant, as well, as increases in debt ratios range from 1% to 4%. There is also evidence that effective tax rates do …

Market Effects Of Local Media Employment Reductions On The Idiosyncratic Risk Of Nearby Firms; Returns, Valuation, And Debt; And Firm Meet-Beat Behavior And Ceo Turnover And Compensation, C. Kyle Jones

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research examines the effects of reductions in local and regional media employment on firms' information environment. A reduction in the number of local media employees available to provide coverage of firms is associated with persistent levels of increased idiosyncratic risk. The source of that firm-level risk appears to be increased estimation risk among investors, rather than decreased awareness about the investment opportunities or real effects on firms' product market competition. I also demonstrate that overall levels of local media coverage are associated with differences in returns similar to those associated with coverage in national outlets. While a reduction in …

Managerial Entrenchment And Financial Reporting Comparability, Qifeng Wu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examines whether managerial entrenchment has an association with firms' financial statement comparability. I find that managerial entrenchment has a significant negative association with financial statement comparability, providing a new notion about the management influence on financial reporting quality. Moreover, by using the business segment as a proxy for business complexity, I find that the variation of accounting comparability with its peer firms mainly stems from managers' investment choice. This finding supports FASB's assertion that financial statement comparability is a reporting quality that should be enhanced among firms with similar economic events. Lastly, I test if managerial entrenchment mitigates …

Two Essays On Executive Compensation, Michael Abrokwah

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation examines the effect of an exogenous event on Executive compensation and the relationship between executive compensation and earnings management undertaken by the firm.

My first essay presents evidence that natural disasters have an effect on CEO compensation. Our main findings are that option compensation is lower for CEOs in counties where a natural disaster occurred. Furthermore, in the year of the disaster, stock compensation is higher among CEOs in natural disaster counties when compared to those in non-disaster counties. When considering liquidity, option compensation levels are lower for firms with below average liquidity levels but stock compensation …

Stochastic Modeling Of Earthquakes And Option Pricing Using Bns-Gamma-Ou Model, Mandela Bright Quashie

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

High frequency data are becoming increasingly popular these days. They are fundamental in basically every facet of people’s lives. They are the determining factors in hedging in the field of finance. In geology, they help in the accurate prediction of earthquakes’ magnitude which goes along way to help save lives and properties.

High frequency data are also used more and more frequently for speculations. For this reason, it is important not only for scientists to apply models allowing correct quantification of these data, but also to improve the eciency of these models.

The Black-Scholes model, which is widely used because …

Sell-Side Analysts' Benchmarks, Ohad Kadan, Leonardo Madureira, Rong Wang, Tzachi Zach

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Sell-side analysts employ different benchmarks when defining their recommendations. A buy for some brokers means the stock is expected to outperform its industry, while for other brokers it means the stock is expected to outperform the market, or some return threshold. We show that these stated benchmarks have implications for the distribution of recommendations, price reactions to recommendations, and the investment value of recommendations. We conclude that, depending on the question, academics may need to account for the benchmarks when studying analysts’ outputs, and investors may find the benchmarks beneficial in interpreting analysts’ advice.

How Access To Finances Affects Gender Inequality Across Cultures, Allison Muntin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

While many studies of financial inclusion have been undertaken, very few discuss the inclusion of women. Financial inclusion plays a large role in unlocking resources for the disadvantaged, resulting in higher economic growth and development. The economic opportunity allows individuals and businesses to have a greater contribution to society as a whole, enhancing all aspects of the economy. This paper furthers the conversation of women’s access to financial institution accounts across cultures and what underlying factors play a key role. The results indicate that the female demographic has fewer financial institution accounts in comparison to men when: (i) a country’s …

Perceptions Of The Value Of Financial Education In African American Creditworthiness, Melvin Thomas Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research suggests a disparity for African Americans within the banking system, as they are denied credit at a higher rate than other ethnic groups. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of African Americans financial training in regards to qualifying for consumer loans. The conceptual framework was based on seminal theories on credit risk assessment and critical race theory. The research questions were designed to address banking officials' perceptions of financial training and the effectiveness of training in improving African Americans' credit. A phenomenological design was employed with the purposeful sample of 9 banking officials within …

Relationship Of Organizational Structure And Capital Structure On Financial Performance Of Banks, Adam Kakande

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor financial performance is a challenge for policy makers, industry regulators, investors, bankers, and business leaders. Understanding the relationship between organizational structure, capital structure, and financial performance is vital for business leaders to promote their long-term survival. Grounded in agency cost theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between organizational structure, capital structure, and financial performance of new commercial banks in Uganda to promote their long-term survival. Archived data were analyzed using 60 bank-quarter observations of 5 Ugandan commercial banks closed within 5 years after opening, restructuring, merging, or undergoing an acquisition by another …

Factors Affecting Electronic Banking Adoption In Barbados, Jacqueline Delores Bend

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The low rate of customers' adoption of electronic banking services affects retail banks' profitability. The operating cost for a financial transaction performed by bank tellers averages US$1.07 compared to US$0.01 using electronic banking channels. It is paramount for retail banking leaders to understand the factors influencing customer adoption of electronic banking to sustain competitive advantage. Grounded in the technology acceptance model framework, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), and customer adoption of electronic banking in Barbados. The validated technology acceptance model survey instrument was used …

Employee Motivation And Knowledge Transfer In Nonprofit Organizations, Heidi Keam Nors

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIneffective knowledge transfer strategies can negatively affect knowledge creation and employee motivation. Nonprofit business leaders who struggle with knowledge transfer among department staff are at a high risk of not improving employee motivation. Grounded in Kahn’s organizational theory on leadership and structure, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the knowledge transfer strategies used by nonprofit business leaders to transfer knowledge among departmental staff and to improve employee motivation. The participants comprised business leaders and staff, consisting of 2 executives, 2 managers, and 2 departmental staff members from a nonprofit charter school management company in North …

The Relationship Between Customer Relationship Management, Employee Retention, And Revenue, Bui Thanh Van

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Downsizing campaigns and employee layoffs can result in poor customer service leading to service revenue losses. Understanding lost service revenue predictors is critical for leaders and managers to maintain and increase organizational growth and financial performance. Grounded in the service-profit chain theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between customer relationship management (CRM), employee retention, and service revenue. Data were analyzed for 80 leaders and managers working in Vietnam’s industrial service field. The results of the multiple regression analysis indicated the full model, containing the 2 predictor variables (CRM and employee retention), was able …

Determinants Of Tax Morale Using Structural Equation Model (Sem), Raymond S. Pacaldo, Rodiel C. Ferrer

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This paper analyzes the impact of tax enforcement, trust in government, and demographic characteristics on the tax morale of firms in the Philippines. From the database of Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS), 864 firms were taken and analyzed using partial least squares on the structural equation of modeling (PLS-SEM). In the analysis, only trust in government, organizational form, and firm location provided a significant impact to tax morale. Thus, firms pay taxes religiously when the government acts trustworthily. On the other hand, sole proprietorship and Metro Manila firms exhibited lower tax morale as compared to corporations and outside …

Effect Of Moderating Variables: Financial Leverage And Dividend Payout Of Publicly-Listed Property Sector Of The Philippines, Cynthia P. Cudia, Harrison Kendrick L. Chun, Tristan Dranel M. Papa, Raveena S. Tahilramani, Althea R. Tan

DLSU Business & Economics Review

Various studies on the relationship between financial leverage and dividend payout have been conducted; however, different factors affecting this relationship remain unexplored. This study aimed to identify the effect of different firm-specific moderating variables on the relationship between financial leverage and dividend payout of Philippine publicly-listed companies under the property sector for the years 2012–2016. These firm-specific variables were classified into two categories—company profile and financial condition. By employing multiple regression with the interaction model, the results of this study found that business risk has a significant effect on the relationship between financial leverage and dividend payout. Similarly, firm size …

Essays On Financial Institutions And Advisors, Joseph D. Farizo

Theses and Dissertations--Finance and Quantitative Methods

In my first chapter, I examine how index funds vote their proxies on firms in its index that their family does not hold in its actively managed funds. For a given proxy proposal at a given point in time, I find that an index fund is more likely to oppose management on shares its family does not hold in its active funds than on shares its family does hold in its active funds. I further demonstrate that index fund governance has positive effects on the probability a proposal passes and on shareholder value. In my second chapter coauthored with Will …

Essays On Corporate Finance And Institutional Investors, Ang Li

Theses and Dissertations--Finance and Quantitative Methods

The dissertation consists of three chapters spanning two areas of finance: corporate finance and institutional investors. In the first chapter, “Board Gender Diversity, Firm Culture, and Female Inventors”, I study how employee's Research and Development (R&D) activity is affected by firm culture. Using board gender diversity as a proxy for female-friendly culture, I find that a greater representation of women in the boardroom is associated with increased productivity and innovation output by female inventors relative to male inventors. Female inventors file more highly cited patents and less uncited patents. The effect is driven by female directors with R&D or high-tech …

Essays On The Spillover Effects Of Whistleblowing On Peer Firms, Emmanuel Joseph Sequeira

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Dissertation examines the spillover effects of media reported corporate whistleblowing on industry peer firms in two essays. The first essay examines peer firm risk-taking and firm efficiency following a whistleblowing allegation. I find that peers significantly reduce their risk-taking following the allegation. They also increase their efficiency following the allegation and increase their market share at the expense of the whistleblowing firms, leading to increased profitability. My second essay examines peer firms' earnings management choices following a whistleblowing allegation. I find that peer firms significantly reduce their manipulation of real activities and reduce their use of accruals-based earnings management …

A Business Plan For The Fitzgerald Institute, Elaine M. King, Matthew G. Deibel, Matthew J. Bulgrin, Alex Skeen, Stephanie N. Kieke

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This piece seeks to develop a business strategy for the University of Akron's Fitzgerald Institute for Entrepreneurship. The recommendations given were developed utilizing research on entrepreneurial education and the desires of students at the university.