Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study project focuses on the use of real options valuation in a tactical financing setting. The objective is to identify real option values in financial restructuring situations. These options are generated by the use of hybrid financial instruments such as warrants, preferred stocks and convertibles. In the analysis, it will be demonstrated that the binomial approach, a method commonly used in real options analysis, can be applied to draw a monetary value from specific financial transactions (e.g., leverage buyouts). When used optimally, the binomial approach provides a forceful insight into the dynamics of the transaction. The study recognises the possible impact of capital structure decisions in the analysis, but understates it to avoid complexity. The real options perspective encourages a conscious search for monetary benefits and thus improves the decision-making of managers involved in financial restructuring operations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierde werkstuk fokus op die gebruik van rieëIe opsie teorie om taktiese finansieringsbesluitneming te evalueer. Opsies word gegenereer deur die gebruik van hibridiese finansiele instrumente soos bestuursopsie-orders, voorkeuraandele en omskepbare instrumente. In hierdie studie word 'n oorsig oor die teorie soos dit in literatuur verskyn gegee, asook voorbeelde van finansiele herstrukturering om die waarde van die toepassing daarvan te illustreer. In hierdie studie word erkenning gegee aan die moontlike impak wat kapitaalstruktuur-besluitneming op die ontleding mag hê. Die impak hiervan word egter weens die kompleksiteit daarvan ignoreer. Nieteenstaande hierdie beperking, word besluitneming rakende finansiele herstrukturering verbeter deur die perspektief wat deur die rieëIe opsie-benadering verkry word, soos in hierdie werkstuk uitgewys word.

Thesis (MDF (Development Finance))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are regarded as core drivers of private sector development in many countries. By their nature, SMEs encounter enormous problems, ranging from usage of appropriate technology, access to raw materials, lack of skills, etc. However, access to finance is frequently cited as the most prominent problem facing the SMEs. Access to finance is defined as the easiness to access credit from financial institutions and the costs associated with accessing credit from such institutions. This study focuses on credit guarantee schemes as one of financial instruments commonly used to encourage banks to provide credit to small businesses and first time borrowers. Specifically, we review the performance of the two schemes initiated by the Government of Lesotho through assistance of the donor community. The first scheme (Comprehensive Export Finance Scheme) was administered by the Central Bank of Lesotho through Lesotho National Development Cooperation between 1988 and 1996. The second scheme (Facility for small-scale financing scheme) was funded by United Nation Capital Development Fund, United Nations Development Programme and Lesotho Government. The latter was operated by Basotho Enterprise Development Corporation (BEDCO), Women in Business and Lesotho Council of Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) between 1992 and 1997. We analyse the performance of these schemes in relation to their diversification and outreach objectives. We also compare these schemes in terms of the design features and operational issues as per global best practices. Further, some of the factors that affected effectiveness of the two schemes under consideration and the overall financial intermediation process in Lesotho are outlined. One of the findings of this study is that generally the two schemes failed to achieve the intended objectives as a result of a number of problems. Apart from the deficiencies of the scheme itself, problems in the business and financial sector affected the performance of these schemes. A striking common feature of these schemes is that they concentrated in few sectors. We also observed a general negligence by the banks in relation to screening and monitoring as a result of low risk exposure. In retaliation of poor due diligence by the banks, and a resultant high default rate by borrowers, guarantors repudiated claims and this led to the eventual erosion of the credibility of the schemes, and ultimate deterioration of guarantor lender relationships. From the findings, we have concluded that the schemes should be designed and be operated according to global best practices. For example, risk exposure should be shared in such a way that all the three parties, that is guarantor, lenders and borrowers, are exposed to some degree of risk. At the same time, where defaults occur, we recommend a speedy processing of claims by the guarantor, and that loan loss recovery activities are continued even when claims have been paid. We also make some recommendation in respect of the financial sector and business sector respectively. For the financial sector the recommendations include the establishment of credit bureaus and a National Identification System so that financial institutions can isolate good clients and price products accordingly. In respect of the business sector, key recommendations include the improvement of basic infrastructure, decentralisation of key support services to the districts, linking smaller entrepreneurs with large foreign firms, and increasing vocational and technical training in Lesotho. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kleinsake word in baie lande as die vernaamste dryfkrag van groei in die privaatsektor beskou. Vanwee hulle aard ondervind kleinsake egter 'n wye reeks probleme, wat strek van die benutting van gepaste tegnologiee en die toegang tot natuurlike hulpbronne tot die beskikbaarheid van die regte vaardighede. Toegang tot finansiering word dikwels as die mees belangrike probleem van klein sake beskou. Dit word gesien as die toeganklikheid van finansiele instellings vir krediet aan kleinsake en die koste van sodanige finansiering. Hierdie studie plaas die klem op kredietwaarborgskemas as een van die finansiele instsrumente om banke aan te moedig om krediet aan kleinsake en sakebeginners toe te staan. Binne die konteks van Lesotho kyk ons na twee sodanige skemas, geinisieer deur die regering van Lesotho, in samewerking met buitelandse donateurs. Die eerste skema (die "Comprehensive Export Finance Scheme") is gedurende die jare 1988 en 1996 deur die Central Bank of Lesotho geadministreer, in samewerking met die Lesotho National Development Corporation. Die tweede skema (die "Faculty for Small-Scale financing") is geborg deur die UN Capital Development Fund, die UNDP en die regering van Lesotho. Dit is geadministreer deur die Basotho Enterprise Development Corporation (BEDCO), "Women in Business" en die Lesotho Council of NGOs en was aktief gedurende die jare 1992 en 1997. Die studie ontleed die werking van kredietwetskemas met die oog veral op hul dekkingswydte en trefkrag. Daar word ook gekyk na die aard en operasionele besonderhede van die skemas, teen die agtergrond van wereldwye praktyke. Ten derde word gekyk hoe die skemas ingepas het by die breer finansiele proses van Lesotho. Die studie toon dat albei skemas, vanwee 'n hele reeks faktore, in hul oogmerke gefaal het. Afgesien van 'n reeks tekortkominge van die twee skemas self het probleme in die sakemilieu en die finansiele sektor hul werking nadelig beinvloed. Een van die tekortkominge van die skemas was 'n te eng fokus op slegs enkele sektore. Daar was ook 'n gebrek aan deeglike voorondersoeke en monitereing, o.a. as gevolg van 'n lae risikoblootstelling aan die kant van die banke. Een van die gevolge van die beperkte aandag van banke en die hoe mislukkingskoers van kleinsake was 'n toenemende onbereidwilligheid van die skemas om eise te erken. Dit weer het die geloofwaardigheid van die skemas in gevaar gestel en verhoudings tussen die uitleners (banke) en waarborgvoorsieners vertroebel. Die ondersoeke kom tot die slotsom dat die skemas volgens die beginsels van internasionale skemas van die soort hersien behoort te word. Dit sluit in die behoorlike deling van risikos (tussen lener, uitlener en waarborgverskaffer). Dit behoort ook 'n spoediger afhandeling van eise in te sluit. Die studie maak ook enkele voorstelle gerig op die wyer finansiele en sakesektor van Lesotho, soos bv. die noodsaaklikheid van "kredietburo's" en 'n nasionale identifikasiestelsel. Op 'n nog wyer vlak word verwys na die belangrikheid van 'n beter kommunikasie-infrastsruktuur, die desentralisasie van ondersteuningsdienste, nouer skakeling tussen klein sake en groter ondernemings asook beter tegniese- en sakeopleiding.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The budgeting process is an integral part of the annual business cycle of most organisations. The budget consists of numerous uncertain inputs, which are frequently used to produce a single EBIT figure. This implies that there is a risk of not achieving the budget that is not quantified and apparent from the prepared budget. In this report, the differences between the budgets of two business units of Exxaro Resources were analysed to gain a better understanding of the information hidden beyond the figures quoted on the surface. The budgets of Exxaro KZN Sands, a heavy minerals producer, and Zincor, a zinc refinery, were analysed to compare the respective risk approach of each. Simplified deterministic models were first constructed that contained the most important budget risk drivers. These were validated with comparisons to the official budgets. Historical actual data from 2006 and 2007 was then obtained from the business archives for the risk drivers. Probability distributions were then generated that fit the distributions of the historical data. These risk distributions were then used as input variables in a Monte Carlo simulation, performed in Crystal Ball. The EBIT for each business was thus simulated as a probability distribution. The simulation showed that the two business units applied very different approaches to budget risk. The actual budgeted EBIT of Exxaro KZN Sands of a loss of R167 579 945 had a more than 99% chance of being exceeded, showing a very conservative, worst case approach to budgeting. Zincor had only a 29% probability of exceeding their budgeted EBIT of R202 783 091, and incorporated a much larger risk of not achieving EBIT into the budget. The budgets of both business units were not suitable for the most important functions of budgeting, namely target setting, strategic planning and valuation of the business. It is recommended that Exxaro implements a procedure to standardise the risk approach to budgeting in the organisation. The budget process must firstly have guidelines to indicate how risk drivers’ values should be chosen for the official budget. Recommendations regarding average values, best three months or any other methodology will ensure that different business units follow a comparable approach. Secondly, Monte Carlo simulation must be performed on simplified business models. The KPI trees currently being used for continuous improvement provide a base model for this purpose. The Monte Carlo simulation will provide a more sophisticated and quantified analysis of risk, and give a further indication of the inherent variability of a specific business unit. Lastly, scrutiny of the Monte Carlo can indicate the biggest drivers of risk. Measures can then be implemented to better understand, or reduce, the variability of the main risk drivers. This will lead to more accurate budgeting, and a better understanding of the inherent budget risk. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die begrotingsproses is ‘n integrale deel van die jaarlikse besigheidsiklus van meeste organisasies. Die begroting bestaan uit etlike onseker insette, maar word meestal gebruik om ‘n enkele syfer vir inkomste te bereken. Dit beteken dat daar ‘n risiko is dat die begroting nie behaal gaan word nie, wat nie duidelik na vore tree in die begroting nie. In hierdie verslag word die verskille tussen die begrotings van twee besigheidseenhede van Exxaro Resources geannaliseer om insig te verkry rakende die inligting versteek agter die ooglopende getalle. Die begrotings van Exxaro KZN Sands, ‘n swaar minerale produsent, en Zincor, ‘n zink rafinadery, is geannaliseer om die onderskye risikobenaderings te vergelyk. Die eerste stap was om vereenvoudigde deterministiese modelle te bou wat die belangrikste begrotingsrisikodrywers bevat het. Die modelle is gevalideer deur die winste te vergelyk met die amptelike besigheidsbegrotings. Historiese data van 2006 en 2007 is versamel van die risikodrywers. Verdelings van waarskynlikheid is toe gekies wat die historiese data beskryf het. Die verdelings is gebruik as inset veranderlikes in ‘n Monte Carlo simulasie, gedoen in Crystal Ball. Die wins van elke besigheid is dan as ‘n waarskynlikheidsverdeling gegenereer. Die simulasie het aangetoon dat die twee besighede uiteenlopende benaderings tot begrotingsrisiko het. Die begrote verlies van R167 579 945 van Exxaro KZN Sands het ‘n hoër as 99% kans gehad om behaal te word. Dit dui op ‘n uiters konserwatiewe benadering, met die mees pessimistiese waardes vir risiko drywers in die begroting. Zincor het sleg ‘n 29% waarskynlikheid gewys om die begrote wins van R202 783 091 te behaal, en het aansienlik meer risiko in die begroting ingebou. Beide die benaderings was nie geskik vir meeste van die funksies waarvoor begrotings gebruik word nie, naamlik doelwitstelling, strategiese beplanning en waardasie van die besigheid. Dit word aanbeveel dat Exxaro ‘n prosedure implementeer om die risikobenadering te standariseer. Die begrotingsproses moet eerstens riglyne hê rakende die benadering tot risikodrywers. Daar moet aanbeveel word of gemiddelde waardes, beste drie maande of ‘n ander benadering gevolg moet word, om seker te maak dat verskillende besigheidseenhede dit vergelykbaar uitvoer. Tweedens moet Monte Carlo simulasie gedoen word op vereenvoudigde besigheids modelle. Die KPI bome wat tans vir deurlopende verbetering gebruik word is ‘n ideale basis vir die proses. Die Monte Carlo simulasie bied ‘n meer kwantifiseerbare benadering tot risiko analise, en dui ook aan wat die verwagte afwyking in ‘n besigheid se inkomste is. Laastens gee die Monte Carlo simulasie ‘n aanduiding oor wat die groot risikodrywers in die besigheid is. Stappe kan dan geimplimenteer word om die risikos te bestuur. Die resultaat sal meer akurate begrotings wees, asook meer insig in die inherente risiko in die begroting.

Managers are coming under increasing pressure from a wide array of stakeholders to improve the environmental performance of their firms while still achieving financial performance objectives. One of the most researched questions in the business and the natural environment (B&NE) literature is whether it pays to be green. Despite more than three decades of research, scholars have been unable to clearly answer this question. The purpose of this dissertation was to attempt to identify the antecedents that lead to increased, firm-level environmental performance and the conditions in which firms are then able to profit from enhanced environmental performance. First, I assessed three intra-organizational factors of top management teams (i.e. female representation, concern for non-financial stakeholders, and risk-seeking propensity) that theory indicated are associated with increased corporate environmental performance (CEP). Theory also leads us to believe that top management teams with these attributes should perform better in dynamic settings, so I tested to see if industry dynamism moderates these relationships. Second, I then examined industry-level forces that theory indicates would moderate the relationship between CEP and corporate financial performance (CFP). These moderating forces include industry profitability, industry dynamism, and the degree of industry environmental regulation. Hypotheses were tested using panel data obtained from the KLD, Compustat, and Environmental Protection Agency databases for the years 2000 to 2011. The sample consists of firms comprising the Standard and Poor’s 500 and was analyzed using fixed-effect regression and moderating variables were analyzed using the Johnson-Neyman technique.

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 124-125. / by Victorio Lemoyne Hoskins. / M.C.P.

Thesis. 1978. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Economics. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND DEWEY. / Includes bibliographical references. / Ph.D.

Submitted by Elba Lopes (elba.lopes@fecap.br) on 2018-05-23T19:00:57Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Clainton Jos?? Jockims de Avelar.pdf: 383778 bytes, checksum: 7dfa60270f5a8a5b6902775d2bec8118 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-23T19:00:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Clainton Jos?? Jockims de Avelar.pdf: 383778 bytes, checksum: 7dfa60270f5a8a5b6902775d2bec8118 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-14 / The preponderant theory of Stakeholder Management proposes the existence of positive associations between fairness (fairness approach) with stakeholders and business performance. Nevertheless, there is recent literature that proposes that not all stakeholders would care about mutually fair relationships and that such audiences would have heterogeneous motivations. In this context, there would be reciprocators and self-referents. According to this theory, companies would be more successful if they adapted their approaches to the specific behavior of the different stakeholders. Using the indicator of the percentage variation of a company's revenue with its client stakeholders over a period of two years, the objective of this article was to test if the form of treatment employed between company and client stakeholders has an influence on financial performance. The data collection took place in a large retail company and occurred through questionnaires where the type of treatment was classified in the relationship between the company and the client stakeholder. The valid sample total for the study was 421 stakeholders. After identifying the form of treatment employed in the relationship between company and stakeholder, the respective financial performance of the revenue between the years 2015 and 2016 was determined. From the survey and respective analysis of the statistical models of the sample of 421 stakeholders, it was not possible to establish a conclusive position on the theory of heterogeneity of treatments in Stakeholder Management. This research, however, generates a meaningful empirical contribution by examining the recently published theoretical proposition and also generates benefits to the business practice, since it brings operational results that suggest alternatives on how a company can manage its relations with client stakeholders. / A teoria preponderante sobre Gest??o de Stakeholders prop??e a exist??ncia de associa????es positivas entre os relacionamentos justos (fairness approach) com stakeholders e o desempenho empresarial. N??o obstante, h?? literatura recente que prop??e que nem todos os stakeholders se importariam com rela????es mutuamente justas e que tais p??blicos teriam motiva????es heterog??neas. Neste contexto, existiriam os stakeholders rec??procos (reciprocators) e os autocentrados (self-regarding). De acordo com essa teoria, as empresas seriam mais bem-sucedidas se adequassem suas abordagens ao comportamento espec??fico dos diferentes stakeholders. Utilizando o indicador da varia????o percentual da receita de uma empresa com os seus stakeholders clientes, num per??odo de dois anos, o objetivo do presente artigo foi testar se a forma de tratamento empregado entre empresa e os stakeholders clientes tem influ??ncia no desempenho financeiro. A coleta de dados se deu em uma empresa varejista de grande porte e ocorreu por meio de question??rios onde se classificou a tipologia de tratamento na rela????o entre a empresa e o stakeholder cliente. O total da amostra v??lida para o estudo foi de 421 stakeholders clientes. Ap??s a identifica????o da forma de tratamento empregado na rela????o entre empresa e stakeholder cliente foi apurado o respectivo desempenho financeiro da receita entre os anos de 2015 e 2016. A partir da realiza????o da survey e respectiva an??lise dos modelos estat??sticos da amostra de 421 stakeholders clientes n??o foi poss??vel estabelecer uma posi????o conclusiva acerca da teoria da heterogeneidade de tratamentos na Gest??o de Stakeholders. Esta pesquisa, contudo, gera contribui????o emp??rica significativa, ao examinar proposi????o te??rica recentemente publicada e, tamb??m, gera benef??cios ?? pr??tica empresarial, uma vez que traz resultados operacionais que sugerem alternativas sobre como uma empresa pode gerenciar suas rela????es com stakeholders clientes.

Moral Hazard and the Agency Costs thereof have long been accepted arguments in venture finance theory and have therefore long been accepted shortcomings in the venture capitalist / entrepreneur relationship. In psychological experiments ??? including economic ??? it has been shown that human beings prefer to act in a reciprocal manner that reduces any inequity in a relationship. Humans who expect to receive an unfair and inequitable position in a relationship, will take steps to rectify that position. Specifically, if a venture capitalist expects the entrepreneur to unfairly extract private benefits from the investee company post investment by the venture capitalist, then he or she will impose costly controls and monitoring mechanisms in place to prevent that. All relationships that impose controls and monitoring mechanisms are inefficient, as opposed to Advising the investee which draws upon the skills of the venture capitalist and is generally efficient. The venture capital industry is comprised of intelligent and professional people who can recognise inefficiency easily. Indeed, this is how they make poorly managed companies into profitable trade sales or IPO???s. The online survey completed for this thesis poses questions that attempt to show that venture capitalists and entrepreneurs are not locked in an antagonistic relationship where each merely acts in a self interested way. This thesis concludes that venture capitalists and entrepreneurs do work in a reciprocal relationship recognising the substantial efficiency gains to be made by doing so.

This thesis explores the managerial benefits derived by small business entities as a result of complying with their tax obligations. This is the first study on managerial benefits that considers all federal taxes in the Australian context. While the managerial benefits of tax compliance were first identified by Sandford in the 1980s, there is only limited evidence to date about their perception by business taxpayers and no evidence at all about their actual occurrence. The work undertaken by Sandford together with the findings of empirical research on accounting in small businesses, provide the framework for the development of research hypotheses. With the purpose of testing these hypotheses, the research examines concurrently a sample of small businesses located in a regional area of Australia, and a sample of similar entities located in an external territory of Australia exempt from federal taxes and with minimal tax compliance obligations. The thesis adopts a mixed research method which combines a survey and a case study component from which a number of convergent results emerge. Results show that bookkeeping requirements imposed by tax compliance compel small businesses to upgrade their accounting systems, typically in the form of computerisation. The increased sophistication of the accounting system following this upgrade allows small businesses to derive managerial benefits in the form of a better knowledge of their financial affairs. The study also demonstrates that when small businesses seek the assistance of an accountant to comply with their tax compliance obligations, managerial benefits may be derived in the form of informal business advice and other services that come as a spin-off from tax compliance work. The findings of the research also indicate that a majority of small businesses value positively the accounting information generated as a result of tax imposed record keeping requirements, however further studies are required to establish the extent to which the additional information has a positive effect on decision making. Finally, the study identifies various possible approaches to quantify managerial benefits including a method based on the costs of alternative resources, and a valuation based on what owner-managers would be prepared to pay for the information.

M. Tech. Comparative Local Development / Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) play a critical role in the economic development. Indeed, SMMEs have been recognised as major sources of poverty reduction, employment creation and incomes. It is therefore not surprising that policy makers and researchers, particularly in developing countries have acknowledged SMMEs as an important topic in development policy. Despite their belated discovery by policy makers and their contribution to the economy, their growth remains constrained by a number of key constraints including access to finance. Access to finance has a significant impact on the development or failure of SMMEs. That is to say, finance has increasingly been recognised as a major obstacle in the development of SMMEs. Without finance, SMMEs may not able to develop and sustain their businesses through innovation, hiring of additional staff and the addition of more facilities. The SMMEs sector is known to be very diverse. Indeed, Studies point that there is no single definition of SMMEs, they are defined differently in different contexts and most of SMMEs in Africa operate in the informal sector. This situation has challenged policy makers, making difficult the development of one size fits all policies. The objective in this study is to examine the problem of finance in SMME development and promotion in Africa and more particularly in Gabon and South Africa. The study examined the existing literature on SMMEs in general and more particularly the problem of access to finance in SMME development. The study highlights that SMME's access to finance is constrained by factors such as a lack of information, high interest rates, financial sector policy distortion, the high risk of SMME operations, blacklisting of SMME owners and a lack of government support awareness. In addressing this problem, a number of policies have been developed and include the market developing policies, the market enabling policies and the market harnessing policies.