Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Research in this thesis investigates the following issue; dynamics of international financial integration; international portfolio equity investment patterns; Australian investors’ equity investment position in the global economy; and finally geographical and home bias related to equity investment. Research in this thesis employs a new International Monetary Fund’s (IMF’s) Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey (CPIS) dataset to examine bilateral equity investment in the international and Australian context. This dataset is being employed for the first time in the Australian context. Research in this thesis provides insights into the broad trends on cross country holdings and indicates that the growth in goods trade and stock market capitalisation are the main determinants of the growth in the scale of international balance sheets. This thesis develops a model that links bilateral equity holdings to bilateral trade in goods and services. This thesis finds that the bilateral equity investment is strongly correlated with the underlying patterns of trade in goods and services. Research in this thesis states that the bilateral equity investments take place between countries with similar characteristics, including coordinated business cycles and correlated stock market returns, against the predictions of standard diversification Research in this thesis provides answers to some of the following questions; why does the pattern of Australia’s capital flows not match that of its trade flows; which bilateral factors are responsible for explaining Australia’s portfolio equity investment holdings; are cultural, informational factors important in explaining Australia’s portfolio allocations; How do regulatory and legal variables affect equity portfolio holdings. Research in this thesis investigates geographical bias by developing an empirical model from a consumption based asset pricing model that includes both, information and transaction costs. Research in this thesis documents that investors exhibit a preference for geographically close, same language and same culture countries. This thesis states that Australian investors’ are willing to hold equity portfolios in countries where the judicial system is recognised as efficient and appears to uphold enforcement of the rule of law, and countries which have well developed accounting standards. Research in this thesis also investigate home bias puzzle in the international and Australian context. This thesis indicates that the share of destination countries’ stock market that is invested in the host country, capital controls, trade links, risk adjusted returns and transaction costs have impact on the home bias puzzle. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In today???s highly competitive business environment, client perceived value has become increasingly important to practitioners and business researchers as it is believed to be central to client decision-making, satisfaction and client retention. However, there are few insights as to what constitutes client perceived value and what are its antecedents, especially in the context of international, professional business-to-business (B2B) services. This study thus addressed two key questions: (i) what are the antecedents of client perceived value in an international, professional B2B service setting?; and (ii) how do these determinants influence client perceived performance and value under different contingency conditions (e.g., perceptions of country-oforigin (COO) and client experience)? The research was undertaken in two phases: Phase 1 included a literature review covering services marketing, international marketing, resource-based theory, contingency theory as well as an exploratory research amongst eight dyadic case studies. The objectives were to identify the key variables that contribute to client perceived performance and value; to fine tune the key constructs adopted from the literature; and to verify the linkage between the resource-based view (RBV) of a firm and client perceived value. By drawing on the theories mentioned above, and the results from the exploratory research, a conceptual model and a series of hypotheses were developed. The data used to test the model in Phase 2 was collected from 218 client firms in both Malaysia and Thailand. The data was collected through a mail survey with a net response rate of 32.9%, and was analysed via structural equation modelling, regression analysis and subgroup analysis. The results show that the key antecedents of perceived performance which in turn drives client value, included technical skills, customer orientation, innovation and firm reputation. The findings also suggest that COO moderates the relationships between these antecedents and perceived performance, while client experience moderates the association between perceived performance and value. The results provide a better understanding of value perceived by the B2B clients in an international setting. The academic contributions of this thesis are: the linkage of RBV and the services paradigm in an international context; the understanding of client perceived value and its antecedents; and the establishment of metric equivalence of measures employed across two countries (Malaysia and Thailand). Finally, the managerial contributions include guidance for exporting firms in terms of resource allocation to achieve competitive advantage; utilising the COO effect in promotion; and managing client value perceptions in international markets.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on December 12, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Johns Hopkins University, 1996. / Advisers: Andrew Cherlin, Christopher Chase-Dunn. Includes bibliographical references.

<p>&quot / This thesis explores the link between Fairtrade labelling and worker empowerment in the cases of LFFT and Stellar Organics in terms of: the reasons for becoming certified and commercial benefits expected from the Fairtrade labelling / the intergration of the Faitrade requirements into the structures and management of employee equity share shemes / the enabling or disabling factors for Fairtrade certification to contribute to the socio-economic development and empowerment of the workers. This thesis describes the two cases in detail according to these links and concludes that Fairtrade labelling has not significantly changed the trade relationships with large retailers for these two Fairtrade producers even though it has provided additional market access. The link between the Fairtrade requirements and the legal and administrativestructures of employee equity share schemes is complex and open to interpretation. Finally, the possibility for Fairtrade certification to contribute to the socio-economic development and empowerment of workers is dependent on changes in management and communicationbetween white farm owners and bleck workers which confronts deeply held paternalist beliefs...&quot / </p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2000. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-118). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Diss.-- ESCP-EAP Europäische Wirtschaftshochscule, 2008. / Inlcudes bibliographical references and index.

Thesis--Copenhagen. / Errata slip inserted. Includes bibliographical references (p. [238]-246).