Agriculture is of inestimable value to South Africa because it is a major source of job creation and plays a key role in earning foreign exchange. The most significant contribution of agriculture, and in particular maize, is its ability to provide food for the nation. For a number of decades government legislation determined prices, and as such the trade of grains on the futures exchange requires market participants to adapt to a volatile environment. The research focuses on the ability of market participants to effectively mitigate price volatility on the futures exchange through the use of derivative instruments, and the possibility of developing risk management strategies that will outperform the return offered by the market. The study shows that market participants are unable to use derivative instruments in such a way that price volatility is minimised. The findings of the study also indicate that the development of derivative risk management strategies could result in better returns than those offered by the market, mainly by exploiting trends on the futures market. / Financial Accounting / M. Comm. (Business Management)

Agriculture is of inestimable value to South Africa because it is a major source of job creation and plays a key role in earning foreign exchange. The most significant contribution of agriculture, and in particular maize, is its ability to provide food for the nation. For a number of decades government legislation determined prices, and as such the trade of grains on the futures exchange requires market participants to adapt to a volatile environment. The research focuses on the ability of market participants to effectively mitigate price volatility on the futures exchange through the use of derivative instruments, and the possibility of developing risk management strategies that will outperform the return offered by the market. The study shows that market participants are unable to use derivative instruments in such a way that price volatility is minimised. The findings of the study also indicate that the development of derivative risk management strategies could result in better returns than those offered by the market, mainly by exploiting trends on the futures market. / Financial Accounting / M. Comm. (Business Management)

The aim of this diploma thesis is to analyze the impact of the reduction of VAT on selected groceries in Slovakia in 2016. I am comparing the composition of the consumer basket and shopping lists of end-consumers before this legislative amendment and thereafter and consumer preferences, on which products they would like to have reduced VAT rate. Then I am also analysing the impact on the consumer prices of groceries with recured tax rate and on the groceries, which composition is similar, but they are encumbered with standard tax rate. The comparative analysis has shown that the tax reduction is reflected in the final price of approximately 96 %. The theoretical part deals with the characteristics and the system of value added tax, historical development in Slovak law and impacts of the tax rate cut abroad. Conclusion interprets the results of comparative analysis and questionnaire.

A importância de se considerar os volumes na análise dos movimentos de preços de ações pode ser considerada uma prática bastante aceita na área financeira. No entanto, quando se olha para a produção científica realizada neste campo, ainda não é possível encontrar um modelo unificado que inclua os volumes e as variações de preços para fins de análise de preços de ações. Neste trabalho é apresentado um modelo computacional que pode preencher esta lacuna, propondo um novo índice para analisar o preço das ações com base em seus históricos de preços e volumes negociados. O objetivo do modelo é o de estimar as atuais proporções do volume total de papéis negociados no mercado de uma ação (free float) distribuídos de acordo com os seus respectivos preços passados de compra. Para atingir esse objetivo, foi feito uso da modelagem dinâmica financeira aplicada a dados reais da bolsa de valores de São Paulo (Bovespa) e também a dados simulados por meio de um modelo de livro de ordens (order book). O valor do índice varia de acordo com a diferença entre a atual porcentagem do total de papéis existentes no mercado que foram comprados no passado a um preço maior do que o preço atual da ação e a sua respectiva contrapartida, que seria a atual porcentagem de papéis existentes no mercado que foram comprados no passado a um preço menor do que o preço atual da ação. Apesar de o modelo poder ser considerado matematicamente bastante simples, o mesmo foi capaz de melhorar significativamente a performance financeira de agentes operando com dados do mercado real e com dados simulados, o que contribui para demonstrar a sua racionalidade e a sua aplicabilidade. Baseados nos resultados obtidos, e também na lógica bastante intuitiva que está por trás deste modelo, acredita-se que o índice aqui proposto pode ser bastante útil na tarefa de ajudar os investidores a definir intervalos ideais para compra e venda de ações no mercado financeiro. / The importance of considering the volumes to analyze stock prices movements can be considered as a well-accepted practice in the financial area. However, when we look at the scientific production in this field, we still cannot find a unified model that includes volume and price variations for stock prices assessment purposes. In this paper we present a computer model that could fulfill this gap, proposing a new index to evaluate stock prices based on their historical prices and volumes traded. The aim of the model is to estimate the current proportions of the total volume of shares available in the market from a stock distributed according with their respective prices traded in the past. In order to do so, we made use of dynamic financial modeling and applied it to real financial data from the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (Bovespa) and also to simulated data which was generated trough an order book model. The value of our index varies based on the difference between the current proportion of shares traded in the past for a price above the current price of the stock and its respective counterpart, which would be the proportion of shares traded in the past for a price below the current price of the stock. Besides the model can be considered mathematically very simple, it was able to improve significantly the financial performance of agents operating with real market data and with simulated data, which contributes to demonstrate its rationale and its applicability. Based on the results obtained, and also on the very intuitive logic of our model, we believe that the index proposed here can be very useful to help investors on the activity of determining ideal price ranges for buying and selling stocks in the financial market.

A importância de se considerar os volumes na análise dos movimentos de preços de ações pode ser considerada uma prática bastante aceita na área financeira. No entanto, quando se olha para a produção científica realizada neste campo, ainda não é possível encontrar um modelo unificado que inclua os volumes e as variações de preços para fins de análise de preços de ações. Neste trabalho é apresentado um modelo computacional que pode preencher esta lacuna, propondo um novo índice para analisar o preço das ações com base em seus históricos de preços e volumes negociados. O objetivo do modelo é o de estimar as atuais proporções do volume total de papéis negociados no mercado de uma ação (free float) distribuídos de acordo com os seus respectivos preços passados de compra. Para atingir esse objetivo, foi feito uso da modelagem dinâmica financeira aplicada a dados reais da bolsa de valores de São Paulo (Bovespa) e também a dados simulados por meio de um modelo de livro de ordens (order book). O valor do índice varia de acordo com a diferença entre a atual porcentagem do total de papéis existentes no mercado que foram comprados no passado a um preço maior do que o preço atual da ação e a sua respectiva contrapartida, que seria a atual porcentagem de papéis existentes no mercado que foram comprados no passado a um preço menor do que o preço atual da ação. Apesar de o modelo poder ser considerado matematicamente bastante simples, o mesmo foi capaz de melhorar significativamente a performance financeira de agentes operando com dados do mercado real e com dados simulados, o que contribui para demonstrar a sua racionalidade e a sua aplicabilidade. Baseados nos resultados obtidos, e também na lógica bastante intuitiva que está por trás deste modelo, acredita-se que o índice aqui proposto pode ser bastante útil na tarefa de ajudar os investidores a definir intervalos ideais para compra e venda de ações no mercado financeiro. / The importance of considering the volumes to analyze stock prices movements can be considered as a well-accepted practice in the financial area. However, when we look at the scientific production in this field, we still cannot find a unified model that includes volume and price variations for stock prices assessment purposes. In this paper we present a computer model that could fulfill this gap, proposing a new index to evaluate stock prices based on their historical prices and volumes traded. The aim of the model is to estimate the current proportions of the total volume of shares available in the market from a stock distributed according with their respective prices traded in the past. In order to do so, we made use of dynamic financial modeling and applied it to real financial data from the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (Bovespa) and also to simulated data which was generated trough an order book model. The value of our index varies based on the difference between the current proportion of shares traded in the past for a price above the current price of the stock and its respective counterpart, which would be the proportion of shares traded in the past for a price below the current price of the stock. Besides the model can be considered mathematically very simple, it was able to improve significantly the financial performance of agents operating with real market data and with simulated data, which contributes to demonstrate its rationale and its applicability. Based on the results obtained, and also on the very intuitive logic of our model, we believe that the index proposed here can be very useful to help investors on the activity of determining ideal price ranges for buying and selling stocks in the financial market.

This thesis deals with the impact of innovations integrated from the new company position of Quality Control Manager on key hotel indicators - guest evaluations, occupancy rate and average price. First part of the thesis is dedicated to the introduction to the quality in tourism, its measurement and management systems. Next part deals with AVE Hotels hotel chain and its quality management system. Following chapter is dedicated to Aida Hotel and innovations suggested from the new position of Quality Control Manager. The key part of the thesis compares Hotel Aida with the Oficial Classification of Accommodation Facilities before and after innovations integrated by Quality Control Manager and deals with impact of aplied changes on guest reviews, occupancy rate and average price. Final part of the theses contains conclusion, recommendations of the author and comments. The aim of the thesis is to analyze and consider the depth of the contribution of changes of Quality Control Manager on mentioned indicators. For this purpose, the thesis analyses and compares data about guest reviews, occupancy rate and average price before and after integration of the innovations of Quality Control Manager. The thesis can be used to consider the return of investment in quality improvement and in introduction of quality management and control system.