Business Commons^™

Profitable Financial Systems, Maria Otero

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

This article is a transcription of Otero's speech entitled “The Future of Microfinance: Creating Financial Systems to Serve the Poor Majority,” given on 11 March 2005 at the Economic Self-Reliance Conference held at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
Last November I met a widow of ten years in Arusha, Tanzania. Intent on providing a better life for her children and surviving as best she could, she had started a business selling rice soon after her husband died. Sophia has little education, but with a first loan of $50 she purchased a few kilo bags of rice for on-selling to …

Creating A Dynamic Board, Paul Jansen, Andra Kilpatrick, Vishy Cvsa

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

This article is taken from a report issued in 2003 by the Nonprofit Practice at McKinsey & Company, entitled “The Dynamic Board: Lessons from High- Performing Non-Profits.”
Does a great nonprofit organization need an exemplary board of directors? If an organization has a visionary leader, a skilled staff, loyal donors, and a substantial endowment, what does the board really add? In our consulting work, we are frequently asked to help assess board performance and identify opportunities for improvement. To get a more precise view of what makes board governance effective, we interviewed the directors or board chairs of thirty-two of …

Enrollment Forecasts For The El Paso Community College System And Component Campuses, Mathew Mcelroy

IPED Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Smart Subsidies, Jonathan J. Morduch

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

This essay is a reprint of Morduch's article “Smart Subsidy for Sustainable Microfinance,” published in the December 2005 issue (Vol. 6 No. 4) of Finance for the Poor, the quarterly microfinance newsletter of the Asian Development Bank.
Smart subsidy might seem like a contradiction in terms to many microfinance experts. Worries about the dangers of excessive subsidization have driven microfinance conversations since the movement first gained steam in the 1980s. From then on, the goal of serving the poor has been twined with the goal of long-term financial self-sufficiency on the part of microbanks, aiming for profitability became part …

Investments And Risk Management Under The New Pension Scheme, Atedo A. N. Peterside

Bullion

The Pension Reform Act 2004 ("the Act"), a compul sory contributory pension scheme ("the scheme ' or CPS") has been established for all the categories of workers in the Federal public service, Federal Capital Territory , and in the private sector ( 'applicable sectors'). This paper attempt to discuss and examine the issues of investment and risk management that are essential to the success of the new Scheme, and highlight some of the benefits and limitations of the contributory pension scheme and its investment and risk management framework. The study concluded that, the new CPS, it is also pertinent to …

Contributory Pension Scheme: The Case Of Brazil., Mbatomon R. Ako

Bullion

The reform of the pension industry in Nigeria was necessitated by many problems confronting both the public and private sectors pension schemes. The public sector operated largely the Defined Benefit - Pay As You Go (PAYG) scheme, which depended on budgetary provisions from various tiers of governments for funding. This paper discuss the conceptual issues of Contributory pension scheme in Brazil, the structure of the pension system and the features of the pension scheme as well as some other pension reforms in Brazil. The study concluded that. the pension systems were introduced into the country by the colonial administrators. The …

Financial Sector Outcomes In Nigeria: A Quantitative Evaluation., Abeng M. Okoi

Bullion

Prior to the adoption of the economic reforms measures of the 1980's, most African economies were predominantly characterised by extensive public ownership, management and control of productive and social infrastructures and institutions. This paper discuss the trend of investments and pension schemes with its risks and challenges in Nigeria. The study however confirmed the non applicability of the financial reform theory hypothesized by McKinnon and Shaw in Nigeria 'This Paper quantitatively examine the outcomes of financial sector reforms in Nigeria with a view to validating the applicability of the Mckinnon Shaw hypothesis of financial liberalization. The impact of reforms on …

Investments And Risk Management Under The New Pension Scheme., Luka A. Dalang

Bullion

Pension today, has become a topical issue. one that has engaged the commitment of government, attention of employers and workers not only in Nigeria but also in many developing and emerging economies of Africa, Asia and Latin America This paper discuss the trend of investments and pension schemes with its risks and challenges in Nigeria. The study however confirmed the non applicability of the financial reform theory hypothesized by McKinnon and Shaw in Nigeria.' . The National pension Commission guidelines as mentioned earlier, are designed to ensure transparency, integrity and objectivity in the vestment process. and to ensure that the …

Manufacturing Rebounds, John Austin, Chris Decker, Tom Doering, Ernie Goss, Nick Hernandez, Bruce Johnson, Ken Lemke, Donis Petersan, Franz Schwarz, Eric Thompson, Keith Turner

Economics Faculty Publications

National economic conditions will continue to favor growth over the next three years, including sustained increases in manufacturing employment. Higher energy prices, particularly for oil, gasoline, and natural gas, will impact the economy, but probably only will moderate economic growth rather than cause a significant slowdown.

After rapid growth in 2004 and 2005, growth in real gross domestic product is expected to moderate in 2006-2008, due to higher long-term interest rates as well as higher energy prices. Real gross domestic product will grow 3 percent in 2006 and fall to 2.5 percent growth in later years. The housing market will …

Holmes And The Bald Man: Why Rule Of Reason Should Be The Standard In Sherman Act Section 2 Cases, William J. Michael

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

[Excerpt] "It has been argued that the antitrust laws’ legislative history supports the notion that the laws were meant to prohibit anticompetitive price cuts – regardless of whether they are below cost. Thus, predatory pricing claims used to turn simply on whether the allegedly predatory price was intended to harm rivals. In fact, liability for predatory price discrimination was found without requiring probable or actual monopolization. Yet some cases brought early under Section 2 suggest that below cost pricing was indicative of, if not proof of, the type of conduct Section 2 prohibits. The results under this old scheme were …

Protecting Directors Of Nonprofit Boards, Kathleen O. Thompson

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

This article is adapted from Thompson’s article “Directors in a post-Enron world,” published in the Credit Union Magazine in April 2003.

Calendar, Esr Review

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

No abstract provided.

Vol. 08 No. 1 Esr Review, Esr Review

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

No abstract provided.

Desulfovibrio Desulfuricans G20 Tetraheme Cytochrome Structure At 1.5 A˚ And Cytochrome Interaction With Metal Complexes, Mrunalini Pattarkine, J J. Tanner, C A. Bottoms, Y H. Lee, Judy D. Wall

Faculty Works

The structure of the type I tetraheme cytochrome c3 from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20 was determined to 1.5 A˚ by X-ray crystallography. In addition to the oxidized form, the structure of the molybdate-bound form of the protein was determined from oxidized crystals soaked in sodium molybdate. Only small structural shifts were obtained with metal binding, consistent with the remarkable structural stability of this protein. In vitro experiments with pure cytochrome showed that molybdate could oxidize the reduced cytochrome, although not as rapidly as U(VI) present as uranyl acetate. Alterations in the overall conformation and thermostability of the metal-oxidized protein were investigated …

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (Ceds) For The Rio Grande Council Of Governments (Rgcog), Dennis L. Soden, America Tirado, Janet S. Conary, Miguel Chavez

IPED Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Challenges To Islamic Finance Services Industry, Ishrat Husain Dr.

Faculty Research - Talks, Speeches, & Discourse

The achievements made by Islamic Finance Industry during the last few years have indeed been impressive. The growth rate of 15-20% annually, the evolution of sukuks, fixed income, equity, money market instruments and the attraction of Islamic products among a large variety of issuers and investors globally have been the salient features that have characterized the Islamic Finance Industry (IFI). The highest spread of the industry has taken place in the GCC countries followed by Malaysia, Iran and Sudan. The annual growth rate in GCC countries is 24 percent while in South East Asia it is 26 percent. In all …

Modeling And Simulation Of Value -At -Risk In The Financial Market Area, Xiangyin Zheng

Doctoral Dissertations

Value-at-Risk (VaR) is a statistical approach to measure market risk. It is widely used by banks, securities firms, commodity and energy merchants, and other trading organizations. The main focus of this research is measuring and analyzing market risk by modeling and simulation of Value-at-Risk for portfolios in the financial market area. The objectives are (1) predicting possible future loss for a financial portfolio from VaR measurement, and (2) identifying how the distributions of the risk factors affect the distribution of the portfolio. Results from (1) and (2) provide valuable information for portfolio optimization and risk management.

The model systems chosen …

Three Essays On Banking And Corporate Finance, Fang Zhao

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is composed of three essays on banking and corporate finance. The first essay studies the relationship between interest-rate derivative usage and bank lending. Using recent data that cover a full business cycle, this paper documents a direct relationship between interest-rate derivative usage by U.S. banks and growth in their commercial and industrial (C&I) loan portfolios. This positive association holds for interest-rate options contracts, forward contracts, and futures contracts. This result is consistent with the implication of Diamond's model (1984) that predicts that a bank's use of derivatives permits better management of systematic risk exposure, thereby lowering the cost …

La Economía Solidaria: Ayudando A Las Mujeres A Cambiar Su Destino De Pobreza, Michele Frix

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the last two decades in Latin America many social movements have arisen in response to the permeation of neo-liberalism throughout. These movements have many different labels (economía solidaria, economía comunitaria, economía social, solidaridad social, etc) but are all centered around the objective of forming a network of groups in the fight for economic justice, joining in solidarity, cooperation and mutual support. The idea of “economía solidaria” has become an alternative method of development in Latin America on the micro level, alleviating the effects of poverty that result from neo-liberal policies. Many non-governmental organizations have adopted the beliefs of “economía …

Vision 2006 El Paso Citizen Survey, America Tirado, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

At The Cross Roads: Us / Mexico Border Counties In Transition, Dennis L. Soden

IPED Technical Reports

In 1998, former Texas Comptroller John Sharp published Bordering the Future: Challenge and Opportunity in the Texas Border Region,which provided an assessment of the economic, political, and social condition of the Texas border counties. This report, commissioned by the US / Mexico Border Counties Coalition, extends those findings to all of the 24 U.S. counties that are contiguous with Mexico. As a region, if these 24 counties were the 51st state, how would they compare with the rest of the nation?

Imperative Of National Savings: A Case For Adoption Of Appropriate Benchmark Price For Crude Oil., Moses F. Otu

Bullion

Budgeting involves the design of plans that aligns expected financial resources and expenditure to accomplish specific national goals and objectives. It is in this regard that this paper provides a simple framework for deriving an acceptable bench-mark price for crude oil for budgeting purposes. This is aimed at enabling the elimination of subjectivity in budgeting process and promote understanding between all the stakeholders in order to fast track the process of passage of the appropriation bill. Following a brief introduction, the paper examines the need for national saving fund and constitutional provisions for national savings. Section three focuses on the …

Is The Nigerian Curricula In Economics Relevant For The Nigerian Economy Of The 21st Century., J. A. Achilike

Bullion

The loopholes in Nigeria's educational system have created a death of capacity in the Nigerian economy. No nation can develop without qualitative education. The paper examines the relevance of the economics curricula in Nigeria's tertiary institutions in meeting the challenges of the 21st century. It highlights its problems and examines the efforts of National University Commission and Ministry of Education in meeting the challenges of economics education in Nigeria. Finally the study concludes that, the Nigerian Economics curricular is critically under developed and does not follow government economic policies, but if all the recommendations are adopted the Nigerian economics curricula …

Life Insurance As A Source Of Long-Term Savings In Nigeria: Regulator's Perspective., O. E. Chukwulozie

Bullion

Life insurance is an insurance contract in which the insured transfers, and the insurer assumes, the risk of death for a specified period of time. As in other insurance businesses, the insured transfers the risk to the insurer, and receives a life insurance policy, upon payment of a premium. The paper outlines the intrinsic benefits of life insurance, assess its performance in the Nigeria situation and examine what a regulator could do to facilitate its development. The paper reveals that, It was observed that there is an ongoing recapitalisation and consolidation programme which would boost the paid up share capital …

Nigeria's External Trade And The New Perspectives For Its Enhancement, G. K. Sanni

Bullion

Trade has been universally acknowledged as indispensable tool to rapid economic growth and development. This is because increased participation in trade is associated with higher inflows of foreign investment and new technologies which can be adopted to transform the economy through appropriate policy. This paper analyses Nigeria's foreign trade with a view to examining the composition and direction as well as impediments to the growth of trade, and proffer suggestions for enhancing Nigeria's foreign trade. The paper is divided into five sections. Following the introduction are the theoretical issues. This is followed by the analysis in section three of the …

Matters Arising From The Introduction Of The Defined Contributory Pension Scheme In Nigeria: A Policy Proposal, J.S. Akuns

Economic and Financial Review

In line with global trends in pension reforms as well as stark domestic realities, Nigeria introduced the operation of the DC pension scheme on 1st July 2004. In this regard, the main thrust of the paper is to examine some salient features of the defined contributory pension scheme and their welfare implications to retirees. An overview of the defined contributory pension scheme is carried out in section 2, while country-specific experiences with the defined contributory pension scheme is reviewed in section 3. Issues of public policy on the defined contributory pension scheme are explored in section 4. Finally, section 5 …

Building A Consensus Forecast For Crude Oil Prices, Kenneth W. Burke

Theses and Dissertations

Skyrocketing fuel prices have stressed the Department of Defense's budget in recent years. In 2001 the DoD spent $4.7 Billion on fuel with the Air Force consuming $2.7 Billion. These figures have grown over due to these increases as well as the increased flying ours to support the Global War On Terror. In fact, the Fiscal Year 2007 budget has already been increased by $1.1 billion, or 1% of the total budget, to accommodate the increased price of fuel. Current forecasts of this resource have yielded poor results, impairing the DoD's ability to budget this critical expense. Further because the …

Regulation And Freedom In Global Business Education, Stefano Harney, Cliff Oswick

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Purpose: This paper seeks to confront the orthodoxy of global business education with some insights from postcolonial theory in order to develop a new critical pedagogy adequate for a global sociology of management and accounting. Design/methodology/approach: Reviewing the state of play in postcolonial theory and noting the new politicisation in that field, the paper asks what relevance this politicisation might have for an alternative to orthodox global business education. Findings: The paper finds that the texts available to postcolonial theory present a wealth beyond the regulation of colonial and neo‐colonial regimes and in contrast critical management studies do not have …

The Rise In House Prices In China: Bubbles Or Fundamentals?, Jianying Hu, Liangjun Su, Sainan Jin, Wanjun Jiang

Research Collection School Of Economics

The dramatic rise of house prices in many cities of China has brought huge attention from both the governmental and academic circles. There is a huge debate on whether the increasing house prices are driven by market fundamentals or just by speculation. Like Levin and Wright (1997a, 1997b), we decompose house prices in China into fundamental and non−fundamental components. We also consider potential nonlinear feedback from the historical growth rate of house prices on the current house prices and propose a semiparametric approach to estimate the speculative components in the model. We demonstrate that the non−fundamental part contributes a relatively …

Effects Of Technological Improvement In The Ict Producing Sector On Business Activity, Hian Teck Hoon, Edmund S. Phelps

Research Collection School Of Economics

It seems to be taken for granted by many commentators that the sharp decline in prices of computers, telecommunications equipment and software resulting from the technological improvements in the information and communications technology (ICT)-producing sector is good for jobs and is a major driving force behind the non-inflationary employment miracle and booming stock market in the latter half of the nineties in the U.S. and their recurrence since 2004. We show that, in our model, a technical improvement in the ICT-producing sector by itself cannot explain a simultaneous increase in employment and a rise in firms’ valuation (or Tobin’s Q …