Historically, transportation asset management has focused on roadways and bridges, but more recently, many agencies are looking to extend their programs to ancillary assets such as traffic signs and guardrails. This thesis investigates the state of practice of managing these assets in order to assess the data and system needs for successful program implementation, and further reviews the opportunities for making a business case for formal management procedures based on quantified benefits of managing ancillary assets. The asset classes, selected from a review of asset management literature, include culverts, earth retaining structures, guardrails, mitigation features, pavement markings, sidewalks and curbs, street lights, traffic signals, traffic signs and utilities and manholes, with data as an information asset. Findings from a literature review showed that a number of agencies have made substantial efforts to manage their ancillary transportation assets; however, methods and practices vary. Specific state and municipal agencies identified from the literature review were surveyed for further details on their practices. The survey results show significant knowledge gaps in data collection cost estimates, and cost savings from the implementation of a transportation asset management program for ancillary assets. Finally, this work evaluates the opportunities to quantify the benefits of ancillary transportation asset management, indicating several challenges due to a lack of the data needed. The results obtained highlight the current state of practice, revealing opportunities and challenges for improving the management of ancillary transportation assets.

<p>Pension fund companies manage and invest large amounts of money on behalf of their members. In return for their contributions, members expect a benefit at termination of their contract. Due to the volatile nature of returns that pension funds attain, pension companies started attaching a minimum guaranteed amount to member&rsquo / s benefits. In this mini-thesis we look at the pioneering work of Brennan and Schwartz [10] for pricing these minimum guarantees. The model they developed prices these minimum guarantees using option pricing theory. We also look at the model proposed by Deelstra et al. which prices minimum guarantees in a stochastic financial setting. We conclude this mini-thesis with new contributions where we look at simple alternative ways of pricing minimum guarantees. We conclude this mini-thesis with an approach, related to the work of Brennan and Schwartz [10], whereby the member&rsquo / s benefit is maximised for a given minimum guaranteed amount, which comprises of multi-period guarantees. We formulate a method to find the optimal stream of these multi-period guarantees.</p>

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol inst., 2003. / Härtill 6 uppsatser. ISBN tilldelat efter tryckningen.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / Pension fund companies manage and invest large amounts of money on behalf of their members. In return for their contributions, members expect a benefit at termination of their contract. Due to the volatile nature of returns that pension funds attain, pension companies started attaching a minimum guaranteed amount to member&rsquo;s benefits. In this mini-thesis we look at the pioneering work of Brennan and Schwartz [10] for pricing these minimum guarantees. The model they developed prices these minimum guarantees using option pricing theory. We also look at the model proposed by Deelstra et al. which prices minimum guarantees in a stochastic financial setting. We conclude this mini-thesis with new contributions where we look at simple alternative ways of pricing minimum guarantees. We conclude this mini-thesis with an approach, related to the work of Brennan and Schwartz [10], whereby the member&rsquo;s benefit is maximised for a given minimum guaranteed amount, which comprises of multi-period guarantees. We formulate a method to find the optimal stream of these multi-period guarantees. / South Africa

Public expenditures are a very important part of public finance. These expenditures are one kind of state interventions. In long term we can observe an increasing trend of public expenditures. Very often, these expenditures are spended inefficiently and uneconomically. To be spend efficiently and economically, it should be obvious to evaluate their effectiveness. But the current situation of this problem in the Czech Republic is not ideal and usually effectiveness is not evaluated. Absence of this evaluation is a big problem of system of public finance. This thesis solves the problem of evaluating effectiveness of the public expenditure programs on the real program, called "Flood prevention". This program is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and itś main aim is to increase the protection against flood in the Czech Republic. The first phase of this program was realized in the years 2002-2007 (the second phase has been realized in the years 2007-2012). This thesis is devoted to the first phase and the main aim is to evaluate this program with an available method. One hypothesis was set: That the program "Flood prevention" was effective and all the targets were realized. In this work I tried to find, if this hypothesis is true or fals.

Public projects are still subject of heated discussions, especially with the respect to their efficiency that is usually not sufficient enough. In spite of existence of many ways how to increase their efficiency, it is readily possible to identify one fundamental criterion which is high-quality information for decision-making. It is important to deliver high-quality information to those who make decision in order to reduce wastage of the public funds on not efficient public projects. All substantial information about effects incurred by project's realization can be offered by the Cost-Benefit analysis. The Cost Benefit analysis should be prepared for each significant public project to prevent from realization of ineffective ones. It is essential to process each Cost-Benefit analysis in required qualitative level for making right decision. Purpose of this thesis is appraisal of usefulness of the Cost-Benefit analysis for specific purposes of the public sector and assessment of indexes used in the Analysis. In the thesis will be introduced public projects, related public sector and evaluation of public projects. Subsequently, the Cost-Benefit analysis itself will be presented as well as steps for processing high-quality Cost-Benefit analysis. The emphasis will be focused at discount rate and its determination, since I consider it as the critical issue of the Cost-Benefit analysis. A practical example of the Cost-Benefit analysis will be presented at the end of this thesis.

The aim of this thesis is the evaluation of the effectiveness of the investment project in the public sector. Evaluation is based on C&B analysis, which is primarily intended for evaluating investments and interventions in the public sphere. Its aim is to give all the financial impacts of the project, whether positive or negative in order to evaluate the benefits arising from the implementation in relation to financial investments made in the project. The criterion for the success of these projects is not profit, but social benefits arising from them. The higher these benefits are, the greater is the efficiency of investment. The thesis is divided into three parts (excluding introduction and conclusion). The first section explains the important concepts that readers bring to the evaluation of investment efficiency in the public sector. In the second part contains the theoretical basis from which comes out the practical part. In her is then applied method of CBA and determined the final results.

This diploma thesis compares the profits and costs of the prohibition adopted in the Czech Republic during September 2012. The prohibition that lasted two weeks was a reaction of the Czech government on series of intoxication due to the proof of toxic methanol. The thesis detects, based on the comparison of the value of saved lives and costs that the prohibition cause, the effectivity of the government interference on the market oriented economy. The profits of the prohibition are defined as a value of saved lives of people, who would die because of the intoxication if the prohibition would not be adopted. The value of the human life is defined by DALY (disability-adjusted life years), the willingness to pay for prolongation of own life and the amount of potential juridical refunds. The costs of the prohibition are formulated as a value of unsold goods and services. Diploma thesis considers also impact of prohibition on tax collection. We can state that, based on the cost-benefit analysis, the adopted prohibition was economically effective.

The topic of this dissertation thesis is collection, analysis and evaluation of information about investment decisions making within public administration bodies. The investment decision making is examined in relation to allocation of public funds on investment activities and projects. The main goal of this thesis is to analyze and evaluate the current status of the investment decision making within the public sector. Subsequently the goal is to offer new or updated knowledge related to these issues, and bring recommendations to improve the investment decision making of public administration bodies. At first, there are described current knowledge in the field of investment decision making. This is followed by an analysis of assessment methods used for evaluation and selection of investment projects. The work is completed by recommendations for investment decisions making in the form of a normative model. The model should increase benefits of public investment expenses for society. There are used data obtained through a questionnaire survey of 430 subsidized firms, 169 state organizational units and state funds and 130 cities, boroughs and counties. Another important source of information was secondary data of selected ministries and agencies, legislation and literature.

This thesis is focused on the revitalization of brownfield implemented through public producrement and selected in the city of Brno. The theoretical part includes basic concepts that explain the issue of brownfields, public procurement, and more specifically the assessment of their economic efficiency. The practical part is focused on the specific case of brownfield revitalization through public procurement including its economic assessment. The use of econimic analysis, namely Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA), will be utilized to assess the effectiveness, and socio-economic impacts will also be determined. The purpose of the second part is to determine whether the revitalization thus made more economically advantageous for the city of Brno.