This book presents the best papers from the 3rd International Conference on Mathematical Research for Blockchain Economy (MARBLE) 2022, held in Vilamoura, Portugal. While most blockchain conferences and forums are dedicated to business applications, product development or Initial Coin Offering (ICO) launches, this conference focuses on the mathematics behind blockchain to bridge the gap between practice and theory. Blockchain Technology has been considered as the most fundamental and revolutionising invention since the Internet. Every year, thousands of blockchain projects are launched and circulated in the market, and there is a tremendous wealth of blockchain applications, from finance to healthcare, education, media, logistics and more. However, due to theoretical and technical barriers, most of these applications are impractical for use in a real-world business context. The papers in this book reveal the challenges and limitations, such as scalability, latency, privacy and security, and showcase solutions and developments to overcome them.

This book continues the discussion of the effects of artificial intelligence in terms of economics and finance. In particular, the book focuses on the effects of the change in the structure of financial markets, institutions and central banks, along with digitalization analyzed based on fintech ecosystems. In addition to finance sectors, other sectors, such as health, logistics, and industry 4.0, all of which are undergoing an artificial intelligence induced rapid transformation, are addressed in this book. Readers will receive an understanding of an integrated approach towards the use of artificial intelligence across various industries and disciplines with a vision to address the strategic issues and priorities in the dynamic business environment in order to facilitate decision-making processes. Economists, board members of central banks, bankers, financial analysts, regulatory authorities, accounting and finance professionals, chief executive officers, chief audit officers and chief financial officers, chief financial officers, as well as business and management academic researchers, will benefit from reading this book.

This book comprises an edited series of papers about risk management and the latest developments in the field. Covering topics such as Stochastic Volatility, Risk Dynamics, Weather Derivatives and Portfolio Diversification, this book will have broad international appeal. It is highly relevany for optimal portfolio allocation for both private and institutional investors worldwide.

Gorrod examines the many challenges for the next generation risk management system. Dramatic changes in market conditions, budgetary constraints, the evolving nature of risk within the financial organization, as well as the requirements of increasing regulation in the global market place have resulted in a totally different environment for risk systems. These applications must be functionally richer, have greater performance, provide seamless and improved integration, as well as being quick to deploy and cheaper to deliver and support. Recent advances in technology have provided a number of tools to help the risk technologist. This book summarizes these new trends and also arms the reader with the knowledge, tools and approaches required to survive in this new environment. Covering the requirements of the trader and risk manager, to how to decide whether and how to out-source or develop in-house, this book acts as the handbook for risk technologists to survive these challenges.

How might one determine if a financial institution is taking risk in a balanced and productive manner? A powerful tool to address this question is economic capital, which is a model-based measure of the amount of equity that an entity must hold to satisfactorily offset its risk-generating activities. This book, with a particular focus on the credit-risk dimension, pragmatically explores real-world economic-capital methodologies and applications. It begins with the thorny practical issues surrounding the construction of an (industrial-strength) credit-risk economic-capital model, defensibly determining its parameters, and ensuring its efficient implementation. It then broadens its gaze to examine various critical applications and extensions of economic capital; these include loan pricing, the computation of loan impairments, and stress testing. Along the way, typically working from first principles, various possible modelling choices and related concepts are examined. The end result is a useful reference for students and practitioners wishing to learn more about a centrally important financial-management device.

Financial institutions are tasked with keeping businesses of all sizes financially sounds while also providing accessible banking options to everyday individuals. Fintech, or financial technology, is an emerging disruptive technology in financial transaction that will change banking behavior for stakeholders and enable better traceability of funds against specific assets. FinTech as a Disruptive Technology for Financial Institutions is an essential reference source that discusses applications of FinTech in financial institutions in small, medium, and large businesses and through cultural and religious filters. Featuring research on topics such as machine learning, market development, crypto-currency, financial security, blockchain, and financial technology, this book is ideally designed for bankers, business managers, economists, computer scientists, academicians, researchers, financial professionals, and students.

The service field constitutes the cutting edge of the new industrial revolution and already surpasses manufacturing as the principal economic activity in the private sector. This contemporary revolution has witnessed the launching of many new companies and industries, assisted by venture capitalists committed to their success. This book emphasizes the creation of new industries with the aid of venture capitalists, arguing that investment bankers/venture capitalists contribute to the economy by conceiving and developing innovative financing to help along fledgling businesses.

The original theory of capital cost and capital structure put forward by Nobel Prize Winners Modigliani and Miller has since been modified by many authors, and this book discusses some of them. The book's authors have created general theory of capital cost and capital structure - the Brusov-Filatova-Orekhova (BFO) theory, which generalizes the Modigliani-Miller theory to encompass companies of an arbitrary age (and arbitrary lifetime). Despite the availability of this more general theory, the classical Modigliani-Miller theory is still widely used in practice. In this book, the authors for the first time generalize it for cases of practical relevance: for the case of variable profit; for the case of advance tax-on-profit payments and interest on debt payments; for the case of several tax-on-profit and interest on debt payments per period; and for the combination of all three effects. These generalizations lead to valuable theoretical results as well as significantly widen of practical application this theory in practice and increase of the quality of finance management of the company. As well, the book investigates the applications of said results in corporate finance, investments, taxation and ratings, where employing a generalized Modigliani-Miller theory can be very fruitful.

With fifty trillion in worldwide assets, the growth of mutual funds is a truly global phenomenon and deserves a broad international analysis. Local political economies and legal regimes create different regulatory preferences for the oversight of these funds, and academics, public officials and legal practitioners wishing to understand the global investing environment will require a keen awareness of these international differences. The contributors, leading scholars in the field of investment law from around the world, provide a current legal analysis of funds from a variety of perspectives and using an array of methodologies that consider the large fundamental questions governing the role and regulation of investment funds. This volume also explores the identity and behavior of investors as well as issues surrounding less orthodox funds, such as money market funds, ETFs, and private funds. This Handbook will provide legal and financial scholars, academics, lawyers and regulators with a vital tool for working with mutual funds. Contributors include: W.A. Birdthistle, M. Bullard, I.H-Y Chiu, B. Clarke, Q. Curtis, D.A. DeMott, J. Fanto, J.E. Fisch, P. Hanrahan, L.P.Q. Johnson, W.A. Kaal, A.K. Krug, A.B. Laby, J.D. Morley, A. Palmiter, I. Ramsay, E.D. Roiter, M. White, D.A. Zetzsche

The hospitality, travel, and tourism industries play a major role in citizen wellbeing, socio-cultural integration, and the economic advancement of a nation. The industries are increasingly complex in operation, demanding excellence across a far-reaching and diverse set of capabilities and changes in management practices across the board. With growing expectations for a better service quality from the users and endless calls for value-added service, managers are under constant pressure to improve their services across all aspects while growing customer numbers to meet various stakeholder expectations. Contemporary Management Approaches to the Global Hospitality and Tourism Industry is a key reference source that provides crucial knowledge on the application of new management practices and trends in the tourism industry. While highlighting topics such as service quality, culture sensitivity, and brand marketing, this publication explores the influence of globalization and the methods of sustainable business practices. This book is ideally designed for managers, hotel directors, restaurateurs, researchers, industry professionals, professors, and students seeking cutting-edge hospitality and tourism management strategies.

This collection critically explores the use of financial technology (FinTech) and artificial intelligence (AI) in the financial sector and discusses effective regulation and the prevention of crime. Focusing on crypto-assets, InsureTech and the digitisation of financial dispute resolution, the book examines the strategic and ethical aspects of incorporating AI into the financial sector. The volume adopts a comparative legal approach to: critically evaluate the strategic and ethical benefits and challenges of AI in the financial sector; critically analyse the role, values and challenges of FinTech in society; make recommendations on protecting vulnerable customers without restricting financial innovation; and to make recommendations on effective regulation and prevention of crime in these areas. The book will be of interest to teachers and students of banking and financial regulation related modules, researchers in computer science, corporate governance, and business and economics. It will also be a valuable resource for policy makers including government departments, law enforcement agencies, financial regulatory agencies, people employed within the financial services sector, and professional services such as law, and technology.

The ongoing digital transformation is shaping the Islamic mode of financial intermediation and the impact on the faith-based financial mode has been multifaceted. This has raised a host of interesting questions: what is the degree of penetration of Islamic finance in the fintech industry? Are Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) or banks ready to embrace fintech? Is fintech an enabler or barrier to achieve the intended purpose of Islamic finance? Will technology narrow the division between Islamic and conventional finance in the future? These are existential questions for Islamic finance and the book endeavors to examine the impact of financial technology on the industry. The book assesses various fintech business models and how they could be a threat or an opportunity. It also examines whether fintech provides IFIs an edge to serve clients following the Shariah norms and how the adoption of fintech in the Islamic mode is required for meeting the maqasid Al Shariah. The book discusses applicability of fintech like blockchain, digital currency, big data, and AI to different branches of Islamic finance. This book will interest students, analysts, policymakers, and regulators who are working on Islamic finance, financial economics, Islamic economics, and development finance.

An excellent and up-to-date . . . review of the health economics literature. The book is designed to supplement existing health economic texts, serve as a reference resource to researchers and policy analysts, and provide a frame of reference for administrators. The authors concentrate on four major topics and also review the research based on multivariate analysis relevant to those topics. . . . In brief, the book reviews a number of technical, conceptual, and research issues in a policy framework. Well-written. "Choice"

Rosko and Broyles begin the book with an overview of rising expenditures in the health care industry, commenting on inflationary pressures and the resulting reduction in access to health care services. The second part of the book, which is devoted to demand-side issues, looks at the determining factors in the demand for health services and the various theories that have been advanced to explain demand. The authors examine the economic impact of third-party payments, health insurance options, and the situation of the elderly and the uninsured. Supply-side analyses are the focus of Part III. The authors present models for assessing the impact of prospective payment systems on providers and the impact of admissions policies of hospitals and nursing homes on those who require health care. A discussion of the methods of determining the output of various types of health providers, including a comprehensive evaluation of patient classification systems is presented. Analyses of production and cost functions and the supply and distribution of physicians are included, and in the final chapters, competitive and regulatory approaches to cost containment are explored.

The book describes the historical evolution and development of accounting theories and principles. Value and valuation have been reviewed extensively. The author provides a detailed comparison between historic and fair value accounting. A comprehensive review of the literature and researchers' opinions about measurement, fair value, and historical cost value will enable the readers to understand the concepts in detail. Additionally, the book includes case studies evaluating the accounting practices in Turkey and Romania to illustrate how these concepts are implemented in practice. The reader will obtain a good understanding of the local nationalized accounting systems, and up to what extent countries have adapted to IFRS. The books discusses the usage of IT tools in accounting and analyses the impact of information technology such as big data, artificial intelligence, and data analytics in the field of accounting.

This book identifies the potential of intellectual property as a competitive asset for Latin American firms. The authors employ a cognitive approach that involves identifying why small firms are reluctant to register patents, resorting rather to alternative IP competitive strategies. This, in turn, results in the undercapitalization of intellectual assets, thus creating hurdles for the development of capital venture markets. Using new data gathered from highly innovative SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean, the authors bring a fresh cognitive approach towards understanding the institutional role of intellectual property, and outline various new policy recommendations.

This book addresses key issues in corporate finance and explores them from financial development and financial stability perspectives in emerging markets. Emerging economies are susceptible to rapidly changing financial sectors and products as well as financial upheavals. In this light, the growing interdependence of states and capital markets, and the risk of crises have an impact on the financing of firms. The chapters in this book highlight how companies and policies in emerging markets are affected and deal with the current post-crisis world. By combining academic and industry insights, the critical issues in corporate finance, financial development, and the preparedness of emerging markets are explored.

Why have financial crises been increasingly frequent and severe in the last thirty years? How can financial crises be prevented? What role do governments and international institutions play in their prevention? How does the latest crisis fit in the long-term political economy cycle of finance? This book answers these questions, using three complementary parts: Part I provides the reader with the 'toolkit' necessary for understanding financial crises -- explaining the essential elements of economic theory. In Part II the authors put these key theories in context, using them to illustrate the chief international crises since the Great Depression of the 1930s and events that, since the 1980s, have triggered a high level of instability. Whenever appropriate, similarities and differences between these historic crises and the recent crisis are highlighted. Part III focuses on the Great Crisis of 2007-09, triggered by the turmoil in the subprime mortgage market of the USA. By offering a comprehensive explanation of the long-term dynamics of financial systems and by depicting the prototype of a financial crisis, the book enables an in-depth understanding of any specific crisis and gives models for identifying the crisis's true origins and amplification channels. The book concludes with a discussion of ways to secure a stable, sustainable future for globalized finance.

Risk is the main source of uncertainty for investors, debtholders, corporate managers and other stakeholders. For all these actors, it is vital to focus on identifying and managing risk before making decisions. The success of their businesses depends on the relevance of their decisions and consequently, on their ability to manage and deal with the different types of risk. Accordingly, the main objective of this book is to promote scientific research in the different areas of risk management, aiming at being transversal and dealing with different aspects of risk management related to corporate finance as well as market finance. Thus, this book should provide useful insights for academics as well as professionals to better understand and assess the different types of risk.

This book examines the success story of Seng Heng Bank (SHB), the successful acquisition of SHB by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), and the continuing sound management and performance of ICBC (Macau). It shows how a loss-making small bank grew into one of the best banks in Macao and highlights the achievement, awards, and recognition of SHB. The authors detail the SHB acquisition process by ICBC, the biggest bank in the world in terms of total assets. They identify the main contributing factors for the success of SHB and draw conclusions and implications for bank managers in the region and beyond. This book will be of interest to finance professionals and business scholars.

The days of cheap raw materials and energy sources are gone. Suppliers will demand price increases due to the rising costs of energy and materials. This book describes how your purchasing department is able to gain (more) profit for your company and includes new ideas for successful purchasing and supplier development in Asia. The author discusses how to reduce costs in productive (BOM) and non-productive materials (NPMs) and how to calculate product and tool costs. As well, the book shows ways to negotiate your results with your suppliers in Asia and build an effective system of supplier relationship management.

This is the first comprehensive book that aims to understand how the novel coronavirus has impacted the venture capital industry. The analysis suggests that the industry has been undergoing profound changes. Specifically, the book assesses the short- and long-term impact of the economic, political, and social restrictions post COVID-response on different stakeholders in the venture capital ecosystem, including general partners (GPs), limited partners (LPs), and entrepreneurs. It also aims to answer the question whether current changes to the venture capital industry are likely to renew and promote its overhaul, or simply perpetuate its decline. The book will be of interest to students, academics, and researchers focusing on venture capital and private equity, entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurship, and new venture creation as well as industry practitioners

This book gives an overview of the most important theories on Corporate Governance, investigating the myth and the reality of it. It argues that within the banking sector exist two new agency costs (i.e., bank depositors and shareholders vs. directors and bank depositors vs. shareholders and directors). These agency problems are difficult to reduce for two reasons. First, banks are complex and opaque. Second, government implicit guarantees and the deposit insurance systems reduce the monitoring of depositors. This book also takes a deep dive into research on CG in the banking sector via a unique and innovative literature review covering the time period between 2000-2020. It finds that some specific CG characteristics affect banks: risk appetite, performance, accounting quality, compensation and corporate social responsibility disclosure. Furthermore, this publication contends that institutional investors are changing CG for the better, describing how major financial markets factors such as rating agencies and sell-side financial analysts make CG visible. Additionally, it investigates how managerial biases and irrational investors can affect CG negatively, leading to company distress. All-in-all, this book makes a threefold contribution: for regulators, it offers suggestions on how to improve banks' supervision; for researchers, it suggests new research topics; and for practitioners, it connects CG theory with real cases of CG failure.

The valuation of intangible assets has become a central issue in the practice of management. When companies undertake alliances or licensing agreements, effect mergers, sell or purchase brands, or evaluate R&D projects, a key issue is how each party puts a financial value on the intangible contribution. Valuations also have a tax implication, particularly in transnational operations. The contributors, including academics from five nations and expert practitioners from leading accounting and consulting companies, cover intellectual property strategy of global firms, valuation of human capital, and valuation techniques for the transfer or sale of brands, licenses, and other intangible assets.

In addition, the contributors address the special needs of the software and pharmaceutical sectors in separate chapters. This book includes tools, metrics, and models that are of interest to academics as well as global executives. Recommended for valuation experts, scholars, international tax specialists, executives (especially those involved in alliance negotiations, brand equity, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and intellectual property management), and officials in such supranational institutions as the EU, OECD, UNCTAD, WTO, IMF, and World Bank.

This book presents a theoretical and empirical framework to interpret the possible configurations of the integration between performance management and risk management systems as part of management control systems. The book provides an overview of the development paths of these three systems, outlining the evolution and the current development of these disciplines, highlighting emerging issues and providing some original considerations. The author uses both an inductive and deductive approach in shaping the proposed framework, and includes the perspective of practitioners and academics on the topic. Based on a multiple case study in listed companies and a survey administered to small and medium enterprises, this book provides readers with valuable insights to adapt the proposed framework in different business contexts.