In 2020, the G20 proposed a solution for the debt-related issues affecting the world's poorest countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, their initiatives have failed to meet their objectives. The author argues that the reason for this failure is the inability to bring sovereign countries to the table to re-negotiate their debt agreements with private creditors as they fear credit rating agencies and the prospect of a downgrade. The author refers to this as the 'credit rating impasse'. This book proposes a novel solution. The author asserts that there is a need in the literature to unpick the dynamic that exists and creates that impasse, namely the pressures that exist between sovereign states, private creditors, credit rating agencies, and the geo-political backdrop that is massively influential in the dynamic, that is, the adversarial relationship between China and the US. This book addresses the recent history of debt treatment for poorer countries and related successes and failures: COVID-19-related issues and the development of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the Common Framework for Debt Treatment. This book examines the reasons for their failure by analysing the positions of the sovereign states, the division between private and official creditors and between multilateral institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank, credit rating agencies, and the competing political entities of China and the US. It presents a wider picture of the systemic underpinnings to such debt-related issues and, when examined through a geo-political perspective, the subsequent chances of future debt treatment-related successes. Licence line: The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Investment in infrastructure is essential for promoting economic growth, and while countries in Asia have enjoyed higher rates of gross domestic product growth in recent years, the region remains severely deficient in the scale and quality of sustainable infrastructure. Moreover, population growth and climate change continue to put increasing pressure on the need for strategic and farsighted development, calling for policy makers to reevaluate infrastructure governance to ensure sustainable economic growth. Currently, in developing Asia, most investment in infrastructure comes from the public sector. However, with growing fiscal deficits and other budgetary constraints, it is essential to develop alternative sources of investment for infrastructure projects. This presents opportunities to tap into the private sector, which can play an instrumental role in minimizing the funding gap through the development of stronger, more transparent public-private partnerships (PPPs) and incentivizing sustainable infrastructure investment. This book provides a scholarly discussion on the importance of PPPs and approaches to unlock private participation in infrastructure investment based on lessons from across Asia. Among the proposed schemes are government tax incentives, development-based land value capture strategy under PPP land pooling, Viability Gap Funds, Project Development Facilities, and other guarantees. The book aims to assess the impacts and future of sustainable infrastructure investments and examines the role of governments in mobilizing financial resources and new models for unlocking private investment in sustainable infrastructure. This book consists of fifteen original chapters on the experiences of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) and a few other cases for promoting private investment in sustainable infrastructure. The fact that not much has been published previously on this theme makes this book a welcome and timely addition to the much needed knowledge on this subject. 'The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylor fran cis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution- Non- Commercial- No Derivatives 4.0 license.'

Significant disruption to the educational sector occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This shed a light on the need for new delivery methods and greater collaboration, which has become urgent and obvious as existing structures and traditional channels have struggled to cope or shut down. Higher education institutions often fail to crowdsource successfully because crowds differ in how they are organized compared to traditional sourcing. Instead of managing, higher education institutions work with external contributors who self-select into the process. Crowdsourcing has significant potential to transform the education space by enhancing existing methodologies and offering innovative possibilities to develop new pedagogical techniques. This offers benefits for practitioners, institutions, students and participants. Drawing on theory and best practice, illustrated with a wide range of the examples and cases, Crowdsourcing for Innovation in Higher Education offers invaluable guidance and will be of interest to researchers, academics, policymakers, and students in the fields of higher education, development studies, organizational studies, management science and knowledge management.

* The first primer on investor stewardship, addressing both theoretical frameworks and practical considerations * Based on the renowned ICGN training course on stewardship, also developed by the authors * Includes a detailed case study on Volkswagen's 'Dieselgate' scandal, to highlight real-world corporate governance issues and inspire professionals and students to come up with their own ideas on ESG

State and Local Public Finance provides a comprehensive and sophisticated analysis of state and local government public finance practices and issues, using the basic tools of economics. This fifth edition maintains its focus on key local services such as education, health care, and transportation and brings in new coverage of land use and housing, applications from behavioral economics, and more international comparisons. This textbook provides an examination and analysis of public finance practices and problems in a federal fiscal system, focusing on the fiscal behavior and policies of state and local governments. Modern economic theory is applied to examine the way key institutions are used to produce and finance services and to provide evaluation of alternative policies. This stalwart text will continue to be invaluable reading for those who study public finance, local government finance, urban economics, public policy, and public administration.

Securing high-quality, affordable housing near the workplace poses a complex challenge for communities across urban America, and this book offers the best practices to advocate for the development of mixed-income communities close to employment centers and transportation. The volume is structured in a series of case studies that detail several key aspects of successful workforce housing, including partnership and programming, innovative use of financing and regulatory frameworks, excellence in construction and design, and exemplary community impacts. It also features interviews with project representatives, which provide valuable insight into how to take advantage of difficulties faced and make a project a successful model for replication.

Is money precious and scarce, necessitating iron fiscal discipline? Must the government always balance the books or risk ruin? Or is money, in fact, a flexible tool that can be used to mobilize our collective resources to serve those who need them? In this book, leading Modern Money Theory (MMT) advocate Randy Wray explains that the only real constraints on public policy are physical resources, technological capacity and political will: but never money. He shows how modern sovereign governments spend by keystroking money to bank accounts. While taxes serve other important purposes, they do not - contrary to popular belief - fund spending. If we recognize this, and totally reframe how we think about money and debt, we can marshal our national wealth to make us all richer, eliminate unemployment and "look after our own." We can make money work for us - the US. This book's account shows how MMT can become a new American political and economic orthodoxy, replacing the dominant conservative framework forever. It is essential reading for all progressives.

Insurance Market Integration in the European Union offers an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms of insurance market integration and measures the degrees of this integration. It examines the operation of the EU single financial market and, against this backdrop, the regulation relating to the insurance market. In addition, the book focuses on the specificity and determinants of international insurance market development and the issues with assimilation set against other financial market segments such as money market, credit-deposit and bond and equity. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of insurance market integration on an international scale. The authors propose a unique approach to the subject in the context of the EU and particularly in relation to the European area. They also apply new measures of insurance market integration in the EU in practice through the use of statistical data and implementation of econometric modeling. Further, they investigate how the financial and fiscal crisis has affected the insurance market in EU countries and the impact of European Central Bank monetary policy on the degrees of integration in the European area during and after the financial crisis. This book will find an audience among academics and researchers in the fields of international economics and finance and applied, financial and growth economics.

Connects the literature on public policy and cryptocurrency, examining the governance and democracy implications of the rise in cryptocurrency use Explores cryptocurrency's current and potential impacts on principles such as equity and inclusion, efficiency and effectiveness, accountability, and quality of life Covers a range of public policy and public administration issues, offering readers an understanding of how cryptocurrency intersects with democracy, governance, fiscal and monetary policies, economic growth, corruption, and privacy.

Make a fast, effective impact on the financial success of your business. Setting the optimum price for your products and services that's right for your customers and market, is vital to success. But how do you know what you're charging is doing the best job possible? In this smart, savvy Authority Guide, pricing expert Shaz Nawaz takes you step by step through everything you need to know to build a solid, reliable pricing strategy for your business. Thrive, flourish and open the door to instant increased turnover, the best customers and accelerated growth with the key to profitable pricing.

* Provides an easy-to-access guide to what sustainable investing is and how it can influence investment decisions. * Written by experienced investment professionals, the book covers the full scale of Responsible Investment approaches and asset classes. * The book is based on global best practice and definitions as set by the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which is today the leading institution for responsible investors.

Need assistance in understanding and applying the special considerations required in a single audit? This 2019 Audit Guide is an indispensable resource for auditors performing Yellow Book and Uniform Guidance compliance audits. Based on Government Auditing Standards, 2011 Revision, this new edition provides up-to-date information and expert guidance on single audits and Uniform Guidance compliance audit requirements. It includes example auditor reports for both the reporting required under Government Auditing Standards and the Uniform Guidance compliance audit. Key features include: Understand the complexities of Government Auditing Standards, including the requirements related to auditor independence. Gain an understanding of the requirements for performing a Uniform Guidance compliance audit, including major program determination. Understand the unique audit areas related to a compliance audit of federal awards, including internal control over compliance for major programs. Properly report on the single audit using the illustrative auditor's reports for both the financial statement audit performed under Government Auditing Standards and the compliance audit performed under the Uniform Guidance.

Taliban's return to power in August of 2021 caused everyone to ask why the two decades of institution building in Afghanistan failed. This book investigates the root causes of failed reforms in an important area of reform: trade and credit institutions. It explains why the efforts to reform and regulate the economic institutions in Afghanistan failed and what we can learn from their failure. It draws on more than eighty interviews with Afghan merchants, business leaders, money dealers, and government officials in five major provinces of Afghanistan to identify the barriers to access to credit and to understand the performance of formal institutions (banks) and their informal counterparts. This book finds that Afghan merchants were often unable to benefit from the offerings of formal institutions for three reasons: a highly volatile business climate, uncertain contract enforcement, and an unsupportive property rights system. Several informal institutions have emerged that alleviate some of the credit constraints on Afghan merchants. These informal institutions include risk-sharing trade credit operations, money dealers' short-term working capital loans, Gerawee, and Sar qufli. Although these informal institutions have helped Afghan merchants survive, they are unable to support economic growth. This book argues that countries like Afghanistan should solve their institutional dilemma by adopting an approach which the author calls "Grounded Institutional Reform." Using this approach, a country would formalize existing informal institutions, a development that would vastly increase their effectiveness. While this book focuses on credit and trade in Afghanistan, the analysis of "formalizing the informal" can easily be extended to solve other types of economic problems in similarly situated countries. This book should be of great interest to scholars, policymakers, and development workers in the field of law, finance, and development.

--The first edition is an essential reading for planning students as it is the only text available that focuses on planning law and practice in Northern Ireland. --Updated to address consequences of BREXIT, the impact of COVID-19 on planning procedures, and the emergence of Local Development Plans within the new 2-tier planning system of Northern Ireland

Written by two of the leading figures in responsible investment and fixed income. Uncovers this significant aspect of investment to transform our ability to move to a sustainable world. A very under researched, but crucial, element of responsible investment. Written in a way that will be accessible for practitioners as well as students of responsible investment.

* Provides an easy-to-access guide to what sustainable investing is and how it can influence investment decisions. * Written by experienced investment professionals, the book covers the full scale of Responsible Investment approaches and asset classes. * The book is based on global best practice and definitions as set by the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which is today the leading institution for responsible investors.

The definitive compendium for the Insurance Digital Revolution From slow beginnings in 2014, InsurTech has captured US$7billion in investment since 2010 -- a 10% annual compound growth rate is predicted until at least 2020. Three in four insurance companies believe some part of their business is at risk of disruption and understanding the trends, drivers and emerging technologies behind Insurance's Digital Revolution is a business-critical priority for all growth-minded firms. The InsurTech Book offers essential updates, critical thinking and actionable insight -- globally -- from start-ups, incumbents, investors, tech companies, advisors and other partners in this evolving ecosystem, in one volume. For some, Insurance is either facing an existential threat; for others, it is a sector on the brink of transforming itself. Either way, business models, value chains, customer understanding and engagement, organisational structures and even what Insurance is for, is never going to be the same. Be informed, be part of it. Learn from diverse experiences, mindsets and applications of technologies Discover new ways of defining and grasping growth opportunities Get the inside track from innovators, disruptors and incumbents Be updated on the evolution of InsurTech, why it is happening and how it will evolve Explore visions of the future of Insurance to help shape yours The InsurTech Book is your indispensable guide to a sector in transformation.

Now in its third incarnation, this widely acclaimed and popular text has again been fully updated and revised by the author. There is a bewildering array of models to explain the volatility of exchange rates since the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in the early 1970s. It is therefore invaluable that Hans Visser is able to bring method to this 'model madness' by grouping the various theories according to the time period for which their explanation is relevant, and further subdividing them according to their assumptions as to price flexibility and international financial asset substitutability. A Guide to International Monetary Economics is a systematic overview of exchange rate theories, an analysis of exchange rate systems and a discussion of exchange rate policies including discussion of the obstacles that may confront policymakers while running any particular system. This third edition emphasises recent developments such as the creation and expansion of the euro and the radical solution of dollarisation. The book is a concise treatment of this complex field and does not encumber the reader with a surfeit of potentially distracting institutional details. As with previous editions, the emphasis is on the economic reasoning behind the formulae while introducing students to the mathematics that will enable them to pursue further reading. This book is aimed at postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students in general and international economics and international finance, as well as business management scholars and researchers specialising in finance. Professional economists wishing to bring up to date their knowledge of the subject will also find much within this book of value to them.

As a business owner, you are guaranteed at some point to have to ask yourself, are you content with your level of success or do you want to continue growing? Because whether you are in technology, sales, the restaurant business, or any other type of industry, there is a cap to your single business. But what if you purchased another company and expanded that way? That may seem daunting to you, especially considering where you came from, but when done right, expanding your acquisitions can deliver outstanding rewards.Written by an M&A expert with more than $1 billion in transactions under his belt, Successful Acquisitions fills business leaders in on all they need to know about finding and buying the right companies that most closely already match their business model and are most likely to successfully expand their business toward the growth it is ready for. The book's practical and comprehensive approach integrates all the moving pieces into a logical step-by-step process that covers: * The art and science of researching companies * Building and balancing an acquisition team * Valuation tips that look beyond the obvious * The importance of "the seller's equation" * Developing a negotiation platform * Guidelines for structuring an airtight deal * Bringing the deal to a timely close * A 100-day plan for making integration a success* And more!You don't have to be in the mergers and acquisitions business to be able to successfully expand your company by way of a multimillion-dollar purchase. Successful Acquisitions has done all the homework for you. From building the foundation to growing the relationships to cementing the deal, you'll be well on your way to unimaginable growth in no time!

Investigation reports are written by fraud examiners after completion of internal reviews in client organizations when there was suspicion of financial wrongdoing. Fraud examiners are expected to answer questions regarding what happened, when it happened, how it happened, and why. This book presents a number of case studies of investigation reports by fraud examiners, offering a framework for studying the report as well as insights into convenience of fraud. The case studies, including KPMG and PwC, focus on two important subjects. First, convenience themes are identified for each case. Themes derive from the theory of convenience, where fraud is a result of financial motives, organizational opportunities, and personal willingness for deviant behaviors. Second, review maturity is identified for each case. Review maturity derives from a stages-of-growth model, where the investigation is assigned a level of maturity based on explicit criteria. The book provides useful insights towards approaching fraud examinations to enable better understanding of the rational explanations for corporate fraud. The book is framed from the perspective of private policing, which contextualizes how investigation reports are examined. This book is a valuable resource for scholars and upper-level students researching and studying auditing and investigation work in the corporate and public sectors. Business and management as well as criminal justice scholars and students will learn from the case studies how to frame a white-collar crime incident by application of convenience theory and how to evaluate a completed internal investigation by fraud examiners.

Historically tested long-term strategies that "always" outperform the market

"O'Shaughnessy's conclusion that some strategies do produce consistently strong results while others underperform could shake up the investment business."
--"Barron's"

""What Works on Wall Street" is indisputably a major contribution to empirical research on the behavior of common stocks in the United States. . . . Conceivably, the influence of "What Works on Wall Street" will prove immense."
--"The Financial Analysts' Journal"

"O'Shaughnessy's latest, "What Works on Wall Street," is a serious inquiry into the investment strategies that stand up under long-term scrutiny and is refreshing research for every investor."
--"Stocks and Commodities"

"A bible for investment strategies. . ."
--Seeking Alpha

About the Book:

Recent history has witnessed one of the worst stock market beatings ever. As a result, abysmal returns are being called "the new normal," financial "experts" are ringing the death knell of buy-and-hold, and investors' faith in equities has hit an all-time low. You have two choices. You can abandon the stock market based on what is happening today. Or you can invest today based on what will happen in the future.

Containing all new data, "What Works on Wall Street," Fourth Edition, is the only investing guide that lets you see today's market in its proper context-- as part of the historical ebb and flow of the stock market. And when you see the data, you'll see there is no argument: Stocks work.

Now in its second decade of helping investors succeed with stocks, "What Works on Wall Street" continues to provide the most effective investing strategies, presenting incontrovertible data on what works and what doesn't. Updated with current statistics and brand-new features, "What Works on Wall Street" offers data on almost 90 years of market performance, including: Stocks ranked by market capitalization Price-to-earnings ratios EBITDA to enterprise value Price-to-cash flow, -sales, and -book ratios Dividend, buyback, and shareholder yields One-year earnings-per-share percentage changes

Providing you with unparalleled insights into stock performance going back to 1926, "What Works on Wall Street" is a refreshingly calming, objective view of a subject that is usually wrapped in drama, hyperbole, and opinions that are plain wrong.

This comprehensive guide provides the objective facts and winning strategies you need; all you have to do is make the decision to ignore the so-called market experts and rely on the long-proven approach that has made "What Works on Wall Street" an investing classic.

Written by two of the leading figures in responsible investment and fixed income. Uncovers this significant aspect of investment to transform our ability to move to a sustainable world. A very under researched, but crucial, element of responsible investment. Written in a way that will be accessible for practitioners as well as students of responsible investment.