Thesis (Ph. D.)--United States International University, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-157).

Este trabalho visa identificar possíveis vantagens que as empresas obtêm ao contribuir com campanhas políticas. Para isso, foi utilizada uma extensa base de dados com informações de doações a candidatos aos cargos de deputado, senador e presidente nas eleições de 2006 e 2010. As variáveis de interesse analisadas foram o retorno anormal cumulativo à época da divulgação do resultado das eleições e o retorno sobre o patrimônio líquido no ano posterior a cada eleição. Foram estimadas regressões de dados em painel através de mínimos quadrados ordinários, e incluídos efeitos fixos de ano e setor das empresas. Os resultados indicam que não apenas o mercado antecipa benefícios futuros para as empresas que contribuíram com campanhas – o que se reflete em retornos anormais cumulativos positivos à época da eleição – mas também estas empresas apresentam retornos sobre o patrimônio líquido superiores aos daquelas que não participaram do processo político. Além disso, doações a candidatos vencedores geram retorno superior aos de doações a candidatos perdedores; o que vai ao encontro da hipótese de retribuição de favores. De forma similar, contribuições a candidatos filiados à coligação do presidente eleito também apresentaram impacto superior quando comparadas com doações a candidatos da oposição. / This paper aims to identify potential benefits that companies obtain by contributing to political campaigns. We used an extensive database with information on donations to House, Senate and Presidency candidates in the 2006 and 2010 elections. The variables of interest analyzed were the cumulative abnormal return by the time the results of each election became know and the return on equity in the year following the election. Panel regressions were estimated as ordinary least squares (OLS), and fixed effects of year and industry were included. The results indicate that not only the market anticipates future benefits for companies that contributed to campaigns - which is reflected in positive cumulative abnormal returns at the announcement of the election results - but these companies also have higher returns on equity than those that were not involved in the political process. In addition, donations to winning candidates generate higher returns than donations to losing candidates; which supports the return of favors hypothesis. Similarly, contributions to candidates affiliated to the president’s coalition's also had higher impact when compared to donations to the oposition candidates.

The study was conceptualised against the background that leading migration theories explain return migration based on failure and success alone. The neo-classical economics theory of migration perceives return migration as a by-product of a failed migration experience while the new economics of labour migration perceives return as occurring after successful achievement of migration objectives. This study questions these theoretical positions through an exploration of the factors that deter South Africa-based Zimbabwean skilled migrants from returning home permanently notwithstanding a successful or failed migration experience. Furtive economic factors in Zimbabwe and South Africa that dissuade skilled migrants from returning home permanently are explored. Social factors in Zimbabwe and in South Africa that influence return migration decision making are also examined. Furthermore, the study analysed whether and how Zimbabwean skilled migrants are forced into a permanent settlement in South Africa as a result of what this study calls the ‘diaspora trap’. This ‘diaspora trap’ framework argues that Zimbabwean skilled migrants in South Africa do not return following their experiences of failure and success in South Africa. Central to the absence of return is the social construction of migrants as successful in Zimbabwe. Skilled migrants are deterred from returning due to their failure to meet family and communal expectations of success. In addition, return migration is deferred as a means to hide poverty in South Africa. Moreover, new diaspora family ties weaken attachments with Zimbabwe and contribute to deferred return migration. Skilled migrants are thus entrapped in South Africa by their failure to live up to the success social construct and the inability to mitigate adversities in the host country.

Este trabalho visa identificar possíveis vantagens que as empresas obtêm ao contribuir com campanhas políticas. Para isso, foi utilizada uma extensa base de dados com informações de doações a candidatos aos cargos de deputado, senador e presidente nas eleições de 2006 e 2010. As variáveis de interesse analisadas foram o retorno anormal cumulativo à época da divulgação do resultado das eleições e o retorno sobre o patrimônio líquido no ano posterior a cada eleição. Foram estimadas regressões de dados em painel através de mínimos quadrados ordinários, e incluídos efeitos fixos de ano e setor das empresas. Os resultados indicam que não apenas o mercado antecipa benefícios futuros para as empresas que contribuíram com campanhas – o que se reflete em retornos anormais cumulativos positivos à época da eleição – mas também estas empresas apresentam retornos sobre o patrimônio líquido superiores aos daquelas que não participaram do processo político. Além disso, doações a candidatos vencedores geram retorno superior aos de doações a candidatos perdedores; o que vai ao encontro da hipótese de retribuição de favores. De forma similar, contribuições a candidatos filiados à coligação do presidente eleito também apresentaram impacto superior quando comparadas com doações a candidatos da oposição. / This paper aims to identify potential benefits that companies obtain by contributing to political campaigns. We used an extensive database with information on donations to House, Senate and Presidency candidates in the 2006 and 2010 elections. The variables of interest analyzed were the cumulative abnormal return by the time the results of each election became know and the return on equity in the year following the election. Panel regressions were estimated as ordinary least squares (OLS), and fixed effects of year and industry were included. The results indicate that not only the market anticipates future benefits for companies that contributed to campaigns - which is reflected in positive cumulative abnormal returns at the announcement of the election results - but these companies also have higher returns on equity than those that were not involved in the political process. In addition, donations to winning candidates generate higher returns than donations to losing candidates; which supports the return of favors hypothesis. Similarly, contributions to candidates affiliated to the president’s coalition's also had higher impact when compared to donations to the oposition candidates.

Background: Swedish companies were negatively affected by the financial crisis between 2007 to 2009. Even if companies with a high level of financial leverage were hit harder due to the financial crisis than companies with financial leverage, the level of financial leverage about the same now as it was right before the financial crisis. Even if an increase of cash flows associated to financial leverage increase a company’s business opportunities, there are a lot of research done in the field that claim that the relation between financial leverage and financial performance is negative. Purpose: Since there is evidence that the relation between financial leverage and financial performance differ from different countries across the world, it is important to determine the relation in different countries. There is a research gap when it comes to the relation in Sweden, since the prior research have focused on specific industries or company sizes. By extending prior research in Sweden, companies, investors and creditors could get better understanding for Swedish companies’ relation between financial leverage and financial performance. Method: In the thesis, data from 750 companies listed on Stockholm stock exchange has been examined to determine the relation between financial leverage and financial performance. Totally, 3750 observation from the years 2012 to 2016, have been tested by a multivariate regression. Results: The evidence from the thesis showed that the relation between financial leverage and financial performance depends on which type of measurement for financial leverage and financial performance that is used. There is partly significant evidence that company size affect the relation

Thesis on residential investments into flats in selected towns and cities in the Czech Republic. This thesis provides a critical investment analysis and is a response to the systemic increases in property prices observed in recent years. These increases have fundamentally altered the profitability of rented flats across individual Czech cities and towns. Given that acquired flats are failing to meet profitability expectations, it is now vital to investigate how investment returns differ in selected Czech cities and towns. Based on the results of this thesis, investors may need to revise the location of their residential assets in order to maximise investment returns. The objective of this thesis is to make relevant calculations in order to determine the current return on residential investment into flats in selected Czech cities and towns. The secondary objective is to describe the matters associated with residential investments into flats. The analysis of profitability and term of return is derived from a database, which has been adjusted and evaluated according to appropriate statistical methods.

By means of return-based style analysis (RBSA), heterogeneous style sub-categories were identified within the TARR category of the South African unit trust market to create a framework for sub-categorisation. The study dealt with TARR funds and their place within the investment universe. The literature review emphasised the importance of asset allocation, which supports the use of RBSA to identify asset allocation. The literature review further provided a motivation for the semi-strong form of RBSA applied to the sample data. In the study, RBSA was applied to two groups within the sample data, namely funds that have data points for the full measurement period (Group 1) and funds that have less than 75 data points (Group 2). A four-phase process was applied to the sample data. The findings suggest the following:<ul><li> in general, return-based style analysis applied to each fund identifies the asset allocation for the fund and is valid; but it is emphasised that for specific periods, the explanatory power of the regression model may become questionable; </li><li> the collective results of return-based style analysis applied to the funds can be used to create a framework for sub-categorisation. The framework proposed was the result of nine out of a potential 54 funds. The explanatory power of the regression results was less questionable. The proposed framework was applied to the remaining 45 funds (Group 2), but there were indeed inconsistencies in the application; </li><li> the framework created did not raise any concerns as a result of the Group 1 analysis. However, it was questionable when applied to the Group 2 funds in its entirety; </li><li> sub-categorisation based on only the allocation to the domestic short-term asset class was definitely a criterion that was true irrelevant of which sample group it was applied to. </li></ul> / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Financial Management / unrestricted

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Physiotherapy Johannesburg, 2012 / Introduction: Stroke continues to be a major public health problem for both the developed and developing world despite the various advances in health care. The economic burden of stroke is ever increasing and in light of this, return to work post-stroke is becoming an important area of research for therapists. Thus the main aims of the study were to establish the rate of return to work of patients following stroke and to establish the patients’ perceived factors which influence their return to work after stroke. Method This was a quantitative cross sectional study. A sample of convenience of ninety seven participants were selected from a list of patients obtained from various rehabilitation units and government clinics within the Gauteng province. A self-designed questionnaire was used. A pilot study was conducted to determine the questionnaire’s reliability and validity, and the validity, inter-rater and intra-rater reliability were all found to be satisfactory. The participants were contacted and interviewed at their homes or a location suitable for them using a self-designed questionnaire. The percentage of patients that returned to work was determined and reasons for returning or not returning to work were summarised using frequencies and percentages. A univariate and then multivariate analysis was performed to establish perceived factors which had an influence on return to work Results The study sample had more males than females with an overall mean age of 51years. They were mostly black and between 18 months and 24 months post-stroke. The most common co-morbidities were fatigue and hypertension. There was a 34% return to work rate, with 3% stopping work after a period of time, leaving 31% of the sample working at the time of interview. The most common reasons for returning to work were financial (77%), enjoyment of work (77%) and personal development (73%). For those who did not return to v work the two most common reasons were upper limb dysfunction (61%) and walking difficulties (53%). The main factors that decreased likelihood of return to work included depression and not paying life insurance or monthly car repayments. Conclusion The return to work rate following stroke in this study group is in line with other countries around the world, although it is still relatively low with less than a third of patients with stroke returning to work. Enjoyment of work was shown to be as important a motivating factor for return to work as finances, and physical fallout was the most demotivating factor. Depression was the most likely factor to decrease return to work.

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Since the 2008 crisis, the hedging instruments have gained popularity with financial institutions. This is the case of the total return swap that is used today by major institutions like Goldman Sachs or J.P. Morgan. Murex is a software provider for financial institutions. The company already had a total return swap product, the RTRS (for Risky Total Return Swap), but with the growing demand Murex decided to develop a new product, the BRS (Bond Return Swap). So now they have two bond total return swaps. This master thesis aims to analyze total return swap and highlight the improvement of the BRS. After a theoretical analysis of the total return swap, a test campaign is realized. For different types of bond and different configurations of total return swap, formulas are derived to be compared to the returned values. The results given by the RTRS are good on basic bonds. If the bond is more complex, for instance a bond with credit risk or an amortized bond, the values returned by the RTRS are not reliable if not wrong. On the other hand, the BRS performs well in every situation and positions itself as the best total return swap proposed by Murex. / Sedan finanskrisen 2008 har hedginginstrument blivit allt viktigare för finansinstitut. Detta är fallet med det så kallade Total Return Swaps (TRS) som används idag av stora institutioner såsom Goldman Sachs och J.P. Morgan. Murex är en mjukvaruleverantör som redan hade en TRS produkt, den RTRS (Risky Total Return Swap) . Men med den växande efterfrågan beslutade fretaget att utveckla en ny produkt, den så kallade BRS (Bond Return Swap). Så nu har de två TRS:ar. Denna uppsats syftar till att analysera Total Return Swap och belysa de förbättringar som tillförs av BRS. Efter en teoretisk genomgång av TRS realiseras en serie tester. För olika typer av obligationer och olika konstellationer av TRS härleds formler och jämförs deras värden. Resultaten från RTRS verkar vara bra på basobligationer. Om obligationen är mer komplex, till exempel en obligation med kreditrisk eller en amorterad obligation, är RTRS returnerade värden inte tillförlitliga om inte fel. Å andra sidan presterar BRS bra i alla situationer och positionerar sig som det bästa Total Return Swap som föreslagits av Murex.