Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds: Building Blocks to Wealth offers a synthesis of the theoretical and empirical literature primarily on mutual funds but also discusses related investment vehicles, especially ETFs. In this edited volume, noted scholars and practitioners write chapters in their areas of expertise. It interweaves the contributions of multiple authors into an authoritative overview of important but selective topics. Readers will gain an in-depth understanding of mutual funds and ETFs from experts from around the world. Based on research-based evidence, this is not intended to be a "how to " book; instead, it is a scholarly and in-depth approach to important investment subjects. Although the book places greater attention on these different types of investments in the United States, it also examines them in a global context. In today's financial environment, mutual funds and ETFs are dynamic areas that continue to evolve at a rapid pace. Because the flow of materials on the subject is voluminous, this book, by necessity, must be selective because it cannot cover every aspect of this field. However, readers can gain important insights about each investment vehicle including its structure and uses, performance and measurement. Beyond these core topics and issues, the book also examines the latest trends, cutting-edge developments, and real-world situations. Given its broad scope, this practical and comprehensive book should appeal to investors, investment professionals, academics, and others interested in mutual funds and ETFs. In particular, this book should help investors make key asset allocation decisions while capturing the benefits of a highly diversified, well-constructed, lower-cost portfolio of complementary strategies that enhance financial wealth.

There are many textbooks for business students that provide a systematic, introductory development of the economics of financial markets. However, there are as yet no introductory textbooks aimed at more easily daunted undergraduate liberal arts students. Introduction to the Economics of Financial Markets fills this gap by providing an extremely accessible introductory exposition of how economists analyze both how, and how well, financial markets organize the intertemporal allocation of scarce resources. The central theme is that the function of a system of financial markets is to enable consumers, investors, and managers of firms to effect mutually beneficial intertemporal exchanges. James Bradfield uses the standard concept of economic efficiency (Pareto Optimality) to assess the efficacy of the financial markets. He presents an intuitive, and introductory, understanding of the primary theoretical and empirical models that economists use to analyze financial markets, and then uses these models to discuss implications for public policy. Students who use this text will acquire an understanding of the economics of financial markets that will enable them to read, with some sophistication, articles in the public press about financial markets and about public policy toward those markets. The book is addressed to undergraduate students in the liberal arts, but will also be useful for undergraduate and beginning graduate students in programs of business administration who want an understanding of how economists assess financial markets against the criteria of allocative and informational efficiency.

This unique and detailed Handbook provides a comprehensive source of analysis and research on alternative investment funds in the EU, the US and other leading jurisdictions. Expert contributors offer an unparalleled perspective on the contemporary alternative funds industry, the main areas of regulatory policy concern surrounding its activities, and the role that alternative funds have played in recent financial crises, as well as an account of the rules governing their operation in selected jurisdictions. Providing insight and analysis of the contemporary investment funds industry at a time of crisis and transition, the Research Handbook on Hedge Funds, Private Equity and Alternative Investments will be a valuable tool for scholars, practitioners and policy makers alike. Contributors include: J. Adams, P. Athanassiou, A. Brav, T. Bullman, L. Chincarini, D.K. Das, A. Erskine, F. Goltz, N. Greene, D. Harrison, A. Hankova, M. Jickling, W. Jiang, H. Kim, V. Krepely Pool, M. Lamandini, N. Lang, F.-S. Lhabitant, H. McVea, T. Oatley, L. Phalippou, D. Schroeder, M. Stromqvist, W.K. Winecoff, P. Yeoh

Mergers & Acquisitions and Partnerships in China provides a fast and accessible framework to external growth in China, and is an attempt to accurately describe the main operative conditions and in particular the most common pitfalls for foreign businessmen. The business cases in this book illustrate real business situations, including different outcomes and a thorough analysis of the reasons for success or failure of the case. The authors provide all the necessary tools to better master the negotiation and transaction process, and provide in particular, detailed explanation on the due diligence process and the regulatory framework to help readers successfully lead acquisitions in China. Written by well-known experts in finance, law, and management, who all have deep business knowledge of China, the book aims to help practitioners, such as law firms, audit and advisory firms, and entrepreneurs to start or grow their businesses in China through successful partnerships, and acquisitions and mergers by explaining how these aspects are regulated by a complex web of laws, regulatory, and political practices in a context where the state plays a key role in the approval of important transactions.

This project examines the concept of fraud loss measurement by critiquing existing measurement methodologies, and argues for the mandating of fraud loss measurement by enforced self regulation, the creation of a British Standard of fraud loss measurement, and the establishment of an information exchange matrix to develop best practice.

This book develops a new framework (stakeholder model) that helps understand corporate finance and governance in modern society, where (especially in developed countries) the sources of people's happiness have shifted from monetary to non-monetary factors. The book takes a more comprehensive approach by explicitly incorporating the (monetary and non-monetary) interests of stakeholders and by examining the value creation of corporations from a much broader perspective. Specifically, the book addresses contemporary issues concerning corporate finance and governance all over the world, including: How should we define firm value in stakeholder society? What is the role of modern corporations? What are the principles of corporate financing decisions? To what extent should shareholder rights be enhanced? What determines the effectiveness of the board of directors? How can we understand the diversity of financial and governance systems among different countries? The book will answer these questions theoretically and empirically.The theoretical analyses build upon recent developments in incomplete contract theory, relational contract theory, multitask principal-agent models, economics of happiness, behavioral economics and neuroeconomics. The empirical studies presented in the book use large datasets on corporate finance, and survey and interview evidence from Japan, Germany, and the US. The book demonstrates how we can apply those insights to understand the legal and institutional diversity of corporate governance across developed countries.

In today's aggressive marketplace, listed companies can no longer rely on their numbers to do the talking. If companies can't communicate their achievements and strategy, mounting research evidence suggests, they will be overlooked, their cost of capital will increase and stock price will suffer. In Strategic Financial and Investor Communication: the stock price story Ian Westbrook, principal of Australia's leading independent financial communications firm, argues just this: stock price is more a story than a number. Moreover, the book will teach you how to tell your own story by guiding you through the fast-paced world of financial corporate communication with a professional's pragmatism as well as academic rigour. Whether you're a student or a professional of PR, investor relations or corporate communications, this much-needed guide will teach you how to tell a compelling story about your company that the stockbroker, fund manager and corporate media cannot ignore.

This book approaches the question of the relation between financial crises and earnings management from two philosophical perspectives: positivism and critical realism. The results obtained using the positivist approach indicate that financial crises tend to have no consistent effect on earnings quality since managers' earnings behavior does not differ from the pre-crisis to the crisis period. The author accordingly argues against the existence of a causal law based on a constant conjunction model (i.e., whenever a financial crisis happens, earnings management occurs) and concludes that financial crises cannot be seen as the cause of earnings management. The critical realism perspective, on the other hand, casts light on managers' reasons for acting like an earnings manager; in conjunction with the more traditional positivist approach, it assists in refuting the idea of financial crises as a generative mechanism for earnings management. The author concludes by exploring other structures at work that might be responsible for earnings management. This book will be of interest to both academics and a wide range of professionals.

Financial Economics and Econometrics provides an overview of the core topics in theoretical and empirical finance, with an emphasis on applications and interpreting results. Structured in five parts, the book covers financial data and univariate models; asset returns; interest rates, yields and spreads; volatility and correlation; and corporate finance and policy. Each chapter begins with a theory in financial economics, followed by econometric methodologies which have been used to explore the theory. Next, the chapter presents empirical evidence and discusses seminal papers on the topic. Boxes offer insights on how an idea can be applied to other disciplines such as management, marketing and medicine, showing the relevance of the material beyond finance. Readers are supported with plenty of worked examples and intuitive explanations throughout the book, while key takeaways, 'test your knowledge' and 'test your intuition' features at the end of each chapter also aid student learning. Digital supplements including PowerPoint slides, computer codes supplements, an Instructor's Manual and Solutions Manual are available for instructors. This textbook is suitable for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses on financial economics, financial econometrics, empirical finance and related quantitative areas.

This primer succinctly summarises key theoretical concepts in fiscal choice for both practitioners and scholars. The author contends that fiscal choice is ultimately a choice of both politics and economics. The book first introduces budget institutions and processes at various levels of government, which restrict budget decision makers' discretion. It also explains budget decision makers' efforts to make rational resource allocations. It then shows how and why such efforts are stymied by the decision makers' capacity and institutional settings. The book's unique benefit is its emphasis on all the essential topics, with short, module-type chapters which can be read in any order.

Make your next merger or acquisition one for the ages Meant to create value potentially fueled by synergies, the reality is that most mergers and acquisitions fail. It's estimated that 83% of mergers and acquisitions do not hit their desired results. The Merger & Acquisition Leader's Playbook tells you why most mergers fail. More importantly, it tells you how to make your next one a sweeping success. In the book, a team of private equity experts deliver a masterful walkthrough of how to integrate organizations by driving commercial success, instead of focusing purely on cutting costs. Readers will find: Concrete strategies for increasing the odds of success and reducing the risk of failure - of a new merger or acquisition A comprehensive, easily deployed and implemented plan to realize synergies Proven tools, techniques, and tricks of the trade to help leaders stay on top of their latest merger and keep everything on track A must-read resource for business leaders considering a fresh merger or acquisition, The Merger & Acquisition Leader's Playbook: A Practical Guide to Integrating Organizations, Executing Strategy, and Driving New Growth after M&A or Private Equity Deals will also earn a place in the libraries of investors, agents, corporate service providers, and consultants trying to get two or more businesses to pull in the same direction.

The book discusses 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 focuses on various types of crowdfunding and the lessons learned from academic research. Crowdfunding, a new and important source of financing for entrepreneurs, fills a funding gap that was traditionally difficult to close. Chapters from expert contributors define and carefully evaluate the various market segments: donation-based and reward-based crowdfunding, crowdinvesting and crowdlending. They further provide an assessment of startups, market structure, as well as backers and investors for each segment. Attention is given to the theoretical and empirical findings from the recent economics and finance literature. Furthermore, the authors evaluate relevant regulatory efforts in several jurisdictions. This book will appeal to finance, entrepreneurship and legal scholars as well as entrepreneurs and platform operators.

Solid guidance for selecting the correct strategic basis for mergers and acquisitions

Examining how M&A fits in corporate growth strategies, "Maximizing Corporate Value through Mergers and Acquisitions" covers the various strategic reasons for companies entering mergers and acquisitions (M&A), with a look at those that are based on sound strategy, and those that are not.Helps companies decide whether M&As should be used for growth and increased corporate valueExplores why M&A deals often fail to deliver what their proponents have represented they wouldExplains which types of M&A work best and which to avoid

With insider guidance on what boards of directors should be aware of when evaluating proposed deals, "Maximizing Corporate Value through Mergers and Acquisitions" provides a sound foundation for understanding the risks involved in any mergers and acquisitions deal, before it's too late.

The European Union (EU) has reached crisis point. Populist and Nativist forces are militating against years of austerity economics, distant elites, and a rising tide of migration. Despite the EU's shortcomings, this book seeks to determine the future of the EU, outlining how the institution can learn lessons from the elements that have plunged much of Europe into social, economic and political turmoil. This book argues for reform not revolution. By interviewing politicians, economists, representatives of national bodies and EU citizens, this book provides unique insights never before disclosed and makes a major contribution to current debates on the future of the EU and the Eurozone.

Corporate groups outside the US are often controlled by a complex of ownership links, which typically form a pyramidal structure: a private holding company sits at the top of a control pyramid of several tiers of companies; firms in the lowest tier are the group's publicly listed companies. The usual practice of expropriation in such groups is to pass bad assets to companies down the pyramid and to pass the proceeds up the pyramid via internal transactions. For this collection Larry Lang has selected some of the most significant previously published articles by leading academics which investigate this process and its consequences. The volume explores the nature of ownership structure in countries outside the US and examines how controlling owners expropriate minority shareholders. It includes articles which analyse the pros and cons of the various finance and accounting issues resulting from this separation of ownership and control, and presents some country-specific studies which examine the impact of this disjunction. The editor has written an authoritative introduction which provides explanatory information and points the way for future research in this area.

On March 14, 2012, more than three million people read Greg Smith's bombshell Op-Ed in the New York Times titled "Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs." The column immediately went viral, became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter, and drew passionate responses from former Fed chairman Paul Volcker, legendary General Electric CEO Jack Welch, and New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg. Mostly, though, it hit a nerve among the general public who question the role of Wall Street in society -- and the callous "take-the-money-and-run" mentality that brought the world economy to its knees a few short years ago. Smith now picks up where his Op-Ed left off.
His story begins in the summer of 2000, when an idealistic 21-year-old arrives as an intern at Goldman Sachs and learns about the firm's Business Principle #1: Our clients' interests always come first. This remains Smith's mantra as he rises from intern to analyst to sales trader, with clients controlling assets of more than a trillion dollars.
From the shenanigans of his summer internship during the technology bubble to Las Vegas hot tubs and the excesses of the real estate boom; from the career lifeline he received from an NFL Hall of Famer during the bear market to the day Warren Buffett came to save Goldman Sachs from extinction-Smith will take the reader on his personal journey through the firm, and bring us inside the world's most powerful bank.
Smith describes in page-turning detail how the most storied investment bank on Wall Street went from taking iconic companies like Ford, Sears, and Microsoft public to becoming a "vampire squid" that referred to its clients as "muppets" and paid the government a record half-billion dollars to settle SEC charges. He shows the evolution of Wall Street into an industry riddled with conflicts of interest and a profit-at-all-costs mentality: a perfectly rigged game at the expense of the economy and the society at large.
After conversations with nine Goldman Sachs partners over a twelve-month period proved fruitless, Smith came to believe that the only way the system would ever change was for an insider to finally speak out publicly. He walked away from his career and took matters into his own hands. This is his story.

This unique collection of new, previously unpublished papers demonstrates the importance of corporate governance throughout the different stages of the life-cycle of firms and organisations, and in particular in the crucial transitions between stages. In so doing it redresses an imbalance created by the wealth of literature and research devoted to the study of corporate governance in mature firms only. The book gives equal consideration to the monitoring and control functions of corporate governance mechanisms, and to the resource and strategic roles of governance in the decision-making process. In so doing it attempts to provide a framework through which to understand the factors that affect the balance between the possible functions of corporate governance. It is suggested in these papers that an analysis of the firm's governance life-cycles cannot be separated from the economic and institutional dynamics in a particular country, and as such the book reviews the role of the corporate governance life-cycle in different industrial and institutional contexts.

The comprehensive and crystal-clear companion to making the right acquisition decisions and executing them well: Acquisition is the most powerful corporate development tool available to companies and will therefore always be on the business agenda. Very practical and easy to follow: diagrams, checklists and case studies throughout. The authors have an accessible style and approach The Audience: High level entrepreneurs, senior executives, directors, and business strategists. Updates include: new and updated case studies, analysis of different types of company and how this could affect the transaction, a guide to working with external advisors.

Asset pricing theory yields deep insights into crucial market phenomena such as stock market bubbles. Now in a newly revised and updated edition, this textbook guides the reader through this theory and its applications to markets. The new edition features new results on state dependent preferences, a characterization of market efficiency and a more general presentation of multiple-factor models using only the assumptions of no arbitrage and no dominance. Taking an innovative approach based on martingales, the book presents advanced techniques of mathematical finance in a business and economics context, covering a range of relevant topics such as derivatives pricing and hedging, systematic risk, portfolio optimization, market efficiency, and equilibrium pricing models. For applications to high dimensional statistics and machine learning, new multi-factor models are given. This new edition integrates suicide trading strategies into the understanding of asset price bubbles, greatly enriching the overall presentation and further strengthening the book's underlying theme of economic bubbles. Written by a leading expert in risk management, Continuous-Time Asset Pricing Theory is the first textbook on asset pricing theory with a martingale approach. Based on the author's extensive teaching and research experience on the topic, it is particularly well suited for graduate students in business and economics with a strong mathematical background.

The definitive guide to best practices for mastering techniques of the insider-led transition planning

A must have book for business owners, key employees, and their advisors who need to be aware of the full spectrum of succession options, "Buyouts" provides objectives, advice, steps, and a host of examples on the full spectrum of insider-led buyouts. A road map for CPAs, it presents the parameters for many of the major industry segments, techniques for managing risk, providing retention and performance incentives for key personnel and insights into getting deals financed.Features advice and examples of insider led buyoutsEssential guidance on succession options for business owners, key employees, and their advisorsThe 411 on selling your company for a fair price, maintaining control over the process, and realizing lifelong goals

Transition planning is becoming a hot business topic as millions of business owners head into retirement. The fact is that only a limited number of privately held companies will be successfully sold to third parties. A road map for CPAs, "Buyouts" presents the parameters for many of the major industry segments, techniques for managing risk, providing retention and performance incentives for key personnel, as well as insights into getting deals financed.

Boards of directors are a central feature of any corporate governance regime. The role of directors and how they affect firm value and policies is examined in depth in academic literature. However, it is easy to get both lost and overwhelmed when searching through the literature review that investigates several characteristics, often one at the time. This book provides a careful and concise look at corporate finance literature, specifically with regard to the board of directors, summarizing the main findings and reconciling them. This book documents the pros and cons associated with the various attributes of the board and the directors as found in the current literature and provides sections geared specifically to practitioners in this space, as well, allowing for a better and more comprehensive description of this important corporate governance mechanism. The resulting book aims to facilitate the interpretation of changes in corporate governance through the lens of the recent academic literature.

Philip Brown is one of the most admired and respected accounting academics alive today. He was a pioneer in capital markets research in accounting, and his 1968 article, co-authored with Ray Ball, "An Empirical Evaluation of Accounting Income Numbers," arguably had a greater impact on the course of accounting research, directly and indirectly, than any other article during the second half of the twentieth century. Since that time, his innovative research has focused on issues that bridge accounting and finance, including the relationships between net profit reports and the stock market, the long-run performance of acquiring firms, statutory sanctions and voluntary corporate disclosure, and the politics and future of national accounting standards to name a few. This volume brings together the greatest hits of Brown's career, including several articles that were published in out-of-the-way places, for easier use by students and researchers in the field. With a foreword written by Stephen A. Zeff, and an introduction that discusses the evolution of Brown's research interests and explains the context for each of the essays included in the volume, this book offers the reader a unique look inside this remarkable 50-year career.

The conditions for successful manufacturing have changed considerably in recent years. New technologies such as information technology and biotechnology are considered important players in eradicating poverty in developing countries, but the risky nature of projects based on new technologies forces firms to raise investment capital by means other than conventional capital markets. This book examines the role of venture capital institutions in financing technology-based ventures both in developed and developing countries. It also explores that part of venture capital activity which is hitherto vastly under-researched; namely the ability of venture capital institutions to render a whole host of value-added support functions. These include setting up management teams and designing strategic plans for fledgling enterprises. The latter issue is operationalized through a series of carefully chosen case studies. Financial Systems, Corporate Investment in Innovation, and Venture Capital will be a valuable text for scholars and students of the theory and practice of financing innovation. It will also be a valuable source for governments, NGOs, financial institutions and multilateral agencies interested in the practicalities of promoting technology-based small and medium enterprises.