This thesis consists of two volumes. Part One is entitled: The analogy as a decision model: a study of management team members in two consulting firms (1995:31L, ISSN: 0280-8242, ISRN: HLU-TH-L-1995/31-L--SE). Part Two deals additionally with the question addressed in Part One and provides the overall analysis and conclusions. In Part One, the problem is outlined as a tendency to approach unstructured situations using analytical models. It is proposed that unstructured, simple, situations often are handled using analogy. The purpose concerns the analogy as a decision model. Two case studies are made of small organizations. Data are collected using interviews, the MBTI and a questonnaire. The results indicate that analogy is used as a decision model in unstructured, simple, situations. In Part Two, two case studies of small firms are made. The methods include interviews and participant observation. The results support the findings from Part One. There is a communicative use of analogy, to develop consensus and commitment. Analogy is used to exercise influence and to experiment with problems. Analogy is a device for loose coupling. An organizational stakeholder may assume the role of "carrier of analogy". Related factors in the firms include the organizational cohesion and identity. / Godkänd; 1998; 20061123 (haneit)

Decision making is often characterized as the trading-off between means and ends, facilitating a "rational choice". One central argument of this thesis is that the rational actor metaphor is over-emphasized in management theory. Due to the extensive use of this metaphor, problems that do not lend themselves to computation are treated as a residual category composed of judgment, intuition or rules of thumb. As a result of the concentration on well-structured problems, there is a tendency to approach unstructured problems analytically. Management science techniques have therefore had a negligible impact on decision making concerning unstructured problems. In much of the theory concerning decision making, the subjective differences among decision makers are overlooked. The individual characteristics of decision makers give birth to differences in handling problematic situations, and research suggests that decision makers prefer decision models that fit those characteristics. The overriding purpose of this study is to generate knowledge as to experience as a basis for decision making. The analogy as a decision model refers to decision making based on information transfer from a previous problematic situation to a new problematic situation. The specific purposes are to identify categories of problematic situations where the analogy is used as a decision model, describe and analyze the use of the analogy as a decision model in the context of those problematic situations, and to describe and analyze the relation between decision-makers' characateristics and their use of the analogy as a decision model. The empirical evidence consists of two small "case studies" of management team members. Data was collected via in-depth interviews, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and a short questionnaire on individual characteristics. It was found that the analogy as a decision model is used in unstructured and simple problematic situations. Past experience from similar or related problematic situations facilitates the making of decisions with little use of official or written information. In some unstructured and simple situations, the analogy is supplemented with other decison models. Our results suggest that the relationships between decision makers, problematic situations and decision models are complex. Some indications suggest that the characteristics of the problematic situation may have a stronger impact on the actors' use of decision models, than their individual characteristics. One important result of this study is the observation of a divergence between decision models-in-words and decision models-in-use. This would imply a tendency on behalf of decision makers to interpret their actions in a way that suggest a formal, rational decision-making approach, although this is not reflected in their actual behavior. / Godkänd; 1995; 20090323 (anders_n)

Thesis (M.S.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in Food and Business Economics." Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-70).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Economics, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on May 11, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-08, Section: A, page: 3253. Advisers: Michael Baye; Michael Rauh.

Thesis (M.S.)--Rutgers University, 2007. / "Graduate Program in Food and Business Economics." Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-87).

Thesis (M.S.)--Rutgers University, 2008. / "Graduate Program in Food and Business Economics." Includes bibliographical references (p. 41-44).

Thesis (M.S.)--Rutgers University, 2008. / "Graduate Program in Food and Business Economics." Includes bibliographical references (p. 43-45).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-06, Section: A, page: 2587. Adviser: Scott H. Irwin. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-101) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Business, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Jul 12, 2010). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-12, Section: A, page: 4791. Adviser: Michael R. Baye.

Assignment (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Rapid development of asset pricing models, asset return prediction models, information technologies, and the integration and globalisation of world economic markets, require the investor to have a fundamental understanding of the role of asset allocation (diversification) and the various strategies available in achieving investor's risk and return objectives. Assets are allocated across different asset classes in an attempt to optimise the combination of investment returns and investment risk. In this way your investment will not be subject to the volatility of anyone asset class alone. It is important to note that the movements of one class of assets (stocks, bonds or cash) may be somewhat offset by the non-correlated movement of a different class of assets. The intent of asset allocation is not necessarily to increase return as much as it is to fmd the accepted rate of return, while simultaneously reducing risk or maintaining it at a predefined level. This study explores the underlying theories concerning the relative importance of asset allocation in determining portfolio performance, and the three primary asset allocation strategies available. It also discusses relevant theory of how the predictability of asset returns and the investment horizon of a portfolio can have an impact on which asset allocation strategy to utilize in achieving the necessary risk and return objectives of the investor. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die toenemende ontwikkeling van bate prys modelle, modelle wat die opbrengs van bates vooruitskat, informasie tegnologie, asook die integrasie en globalisering van internasionale ekonomiese markte, vereis dat die investeerder 'n omvangryke kennis moet beskik oor die rol van bate allokasie (diversifisering) en die verskillende strategië beskikbaar tot die bereiking van investeerder risiko en opbrengs doelwitte. Bates word geallokeer tussen verskillende bate kategorieë (aandele, effekte of kontant) in die poging om die kombinasie tussen belegging opbrengste en belegging risiko te optimaliseer. Sodoende word die belegging nie blootgestel aan die onbestendigheid van slegs een bate kategorie nie. Daar moet gelet word dat die beweging van een kategorie van bates (aandele, effekte of kontant) teengewerk kan word deur die nie-korrelerende beweging van 'n ander kategorie van bates. Die voorneming van bate allokasie is nie noodwendig die toename van opbrengste nie. Daar word gestreef na die bereiking van 'n aanvaarbare opbrengskoers, terwyl risiko verminder word of volhou word op 'n voorafbepaalde vlak. Hierdie studie ondersoek die onderliggende teorieë rakende die relatiewe belangrikheid van bate allokasie om portefuelje opbrengste te kan bepaal, asook die drie primêre bate allokasie strategieë beskikbaar. Relevante teorie word bespreek, betreffende die vooruitskatting van bate opbrengste en die horison van 'n portefuelje, asook die impak wat beide het op die keuse van 'n geskikte bate allokasie strategie, om sodoende aan die nodige risiko en opbrengs doelwitte van die investeerder te kan voldoen.