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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
411

The impact of the global financial crisis on the diamond supply chain : Namibia as a case study

Tjitemisa, Naftaline Meth 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Revenue derived from the sales of diamonds contributes significantly towards economic growth, with a GDP share of about 10 per cent. A significant decline in diamond revenue will therefore affect economic growth and contributes negatively to the socio-economic upliftment of the Namibian nation. A case in point was the effects of the global financial crisis on the diamond industry. This study aims to analyse the impact of the global financial crisis on the diamond industry supply chain in the Namibian context. The supply chain analysis involves the studying of the whole chain from the mining of the ore into the chain to the delivering of the rough diamond to the cutting and polishing factories. The main sectors involved in the supply chain are the supply sector which is involved in the extracting of the ore from open-cast, underground, alluvial and sea-bed mines, processing the ore into rough diamonds ready for sorting. The processing sector is involved with maximising the value by undertaking valuations and sorting, which determine the price that is paid for the stones and the presentation sorting which is the process whereby diamonds are prepared for sale in line with clients’ polished requirements. The demand sector is involved in the sales and marketing of the rough diamonds. The following areas have been focused on to analyse the sectors: 1. The market competitiveness, using Porter’s 5-force analysis. 2. A SWOT analysis to determine internal and external environments of the respective sectors. 3. Trend reviews of the activity in each sector for the years 2000–2009. 4. The causes and the responses to the impact of the global financial crisis on each of the sectors. The aim of the analysis is to create a deeper insight into the forces and the impact these forces are having on the rough diamond supply chain. The research revealed that the 2007–2009 global financial crisis had a negative impact on the levels of diamond production in Namibia and also on the economic growth and the living standards of a number of retrenched workers. The study further reveals that despite the negative effects of the global financial crisis, there are positive signs of economic recovery and employment creation.
412

Goodwillnedskrivningar före och efter finanskrisen : en jämförande studie mellan industribranschen och IT- och telekombranschen / Goodwill impairments before and after the financial crisis – a comparative study between the industrial sector and the IT and telecommunications sector

Balorda, Milica, Lee, Cecilia January 2016 (has links)
I och med införandet av IFRS år 2005 måste noterade koncernföretag numera årligen nedskrivningspröva goodwill istället för att göra avskrivningar, vilket tidigare varit tillåtet. De antaganden som ligger till grund för nedskrivningsprövningen baseras på företagsledningars uppskattningar av framtiden, vilket kan leda till subjektiva bedömningar. När IFRS infördes befann sig Sverige i en högkonjunktur, fram tills år 2008 då den globala finanskrisen uppstod och därav efterföljande lågkonjunktur. Då tidigare studier har visat att en finanskris kan leda till att företag behöver göra nedskrivningar på både finansiella och icke-finansiella tillgångar, vill författarna undersöka om finanskrisen 2008 påverkade företagens nedskrivningar av goodwill. Eftersom det finns skillnader mellan industribranschen och IT- och telekombranschen när det gäller redovisning av goodwill är det intressant att jämföra dessa branscher med varandra.Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur den senaste finanskrisen år 2008 påverkade företagens nedskrivningar av goodwill och antagandena vid nedskrivningsprövning, samt i vilken omfattning företag upplyste om nedskrivningarna före och efter finanskrisen för att se om det finns några signifikanta skillnader mellan industribranschen och IT- och telekombranschen. De företag som har ingått i undersökningen är företag som är noterade på Stockholmsbörsen. Genom en kvantitativ studie har författarna valt att granska årsredovisningar från 15 företag inom industribranschen och 15 företag inom IT- och telekombranschen för åren 2006, 2007, 2009 och 2010. Författarna har som forskningsmetod valt att använda sig av en kvantitativ innehållanalys samt utfört statistiska beräkningar. De parametrar som undersökts är upplysningar om goodwill, totala nedskrivningar, diskonteringsräntor, tillväxttakt och kassagenererande enheter.Det var endast en av studiens hypoteser som stämde och det var att diskonteringsräntorna före jämfört med efter finanskrisen skiljde sig signifikant mellan de två undersökta branscherna. En annan skillnad som var signifikant var industriföretagens totala nedskrivningar före och efter finanskrisen, där den branschens totala nedskrivningar ökade mellan de undersökta perioderna. Den genomsnittliga diskonteringsräntan inom IT- och telekombranschen ökade mellan de undersökta perioderna, vilket också konstaterades vara signifikant. Vidare visade studien att industribranschen redovisade mer omfattande upplysningar om goodwillnedskrivningar efter finanskrisen jämfört med perioden innan, till skillnad från IT-och telekombranschen som redovisade upplysningar om goodwillnedskrivningar i mindre omfattning efter finanskrisen. / IFRS 3 has had a big impact on how listed companies treat the recognition of goodwill. The underlying assumptions of the impairment tests are based on management’s estimates of the future, which could lead to subjective evaluations. When IFRS was introduced in 2005 Sweden was in a boom period, up until 2008 when the global financial crisis emerged and hence subsequent recession. A financial crisis may lead to the needs to make write-downs on both financial and non-financial assets. Therefore the authors want to examine in what way the financial crisis in 2008 affected companies' goodwill impairments. Since there are differences between the industrial sector and the IT and telecommunications sector in terms of accounting for goodwill, it is interesting to compare these sectors to examine if there are any significant differences.The purpose of the study is to examine how the recent financial crisis in 2008 affected companies' impairments of goodwill and assumptions in impairment testing, as well as the extent to which businesses disclosed about the impairment losses before and after the financial crisis to see if there are any significant differences between the industrial sector and the IT and telecommunications sector. The companies that are included in the study are companies that are listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. With a quantitative method, the authors have chosen to examine the annual reports of 15 companies in the industrial sector and 15 companies in the IT and telecommunications sector from the years 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010. The authors have chosen as methods for the research a quantitative content analysis and performed statistical calculations. The parameters studied include disclosure on goodwill, total impairment losses, discount rates, growth rates and cash-generating units.It was only one of the study’s hypotheses that was correct. This hypothesis dealt with the discount rates before and after the financial crisis, were the study showed a significant difference between the IT and telecommunications sector and the industrial sector before the financial crisis compared to the period after the financial crisis. Another difference that was significant was the industrial sectors total impairment losses before and after the financial crisis, were the sector’s total impairment losses increased between the examined periods. The average discount rate in the IT and telecommunications sector increased between the examined periods and this difference was also considered to be significant. Furthermore, the study showed that the industrial sector had more extensive disclosure on goodwill impairments after the financial crisis compared with the previous period, unlike the IT and telecommunications sector that disclosed about goodwill impairments to a lesser extent after the financial crisis.This thesis is written in Swedish.
413

Addressing the Post-Keynesian Critique: Exchange Rate Determination with an Extended Mundell-Fleming Model

Ahmed, Najeer 01 January 2016 (has links)
The assertion that financial flows are the primary drivers of exchange rates may be considered as financial markets become increasingly large and sophisticated. However, the Post-Keynesian critique leaves little room for the real economy to impact exchange rates. This paper aims to extend the Mundell-Fleming model to address the Post-Keynesian critique of mainstream models, by incorporating wealth effects, expectations, and Taylor-rule interest targeting. Discussion of significant financial events affecting the USDJPY exchange rate finds that wealth effects are significant considerations, and that the real economy cannot be discounted completely. Empirical results find that the real interest rate is a significant factor in exchange rate determination, tying into the discussion over the relationship between savings and consumption.
414

The influence of the global financial crisis and other challenges for South Africa's non-governmental Organisations and the prospects for deepening democracy

Masiko, Nomathamsanqa 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The point of departure for this study was the wide-ranging furore in media publications regarding the pervasive decline in donor funding for civil society organisations in South Africa, as influenced by the recent global financial crisis, and the subsequent shutting down of a number of civil society organisations. The decision to embark on this study has its roots in the fact that civil society is an important feature in a democracy with regards to government responsiveness, accountability as well as citizen participation in democratic governance. In South Africa, particularly, this is important in light of the country’s fledgling democracy, and even more so, when considering the ruling party’s overwhelming political power resulting in a dominant party system. The aim of this study was to find out what accounts for the plummet in donor funding, and the overriding question guiding this study was: Has the global financial crisis influenced civil society in South Africa? The broader question asked was: What are the challenges facing civil society organisations in South Africa? This study aims to assist in the evaluation of the potential role that civil society has played and continues to play in South Africa’s young democracy and what the implications would be for democracy if civil society organisations were hampered in these roles and continued to close offices. This study is explorative in nature and relied on qualitative data obtained from in-depth interviews conducted with two prominent South African non-governmental organisations; namely the Institute for Democracy and the Treatment Action Campaign. A key informant was selected and interviewed from each organisation. The findings of the interviews were operationalised through the lenses of Andrew Heywood’s (2007) conceptual theoretical framework, which puts forward five resources that civil society organisations need in order to exert their influence. While acknowledging the importance of all five resources, this study pays particular attention to financial resources received through international donor funding, for without financial resources it is difficult for an organisation to survive. The findings of the interviews and the conclusions drawn underscored four realities: firstly that the decrease in funding is not limited to the organisations examined in this study, but civil society as a whole. The second reality rests on the fact that the global financial crisis has indeed influenced the Institute for Democracy and the Treatment Action Campaign in ways that are a cause for a concern, not only for the survival of the organisation, but also for the durability of South Africa’s young and at times fragile democracy. The third reality points to other challenges that have influenced donor funding, such as South Africa’s middle income status, a shift in donor orientation and focus and donor-specific problems. The fourth reality that was pointed out thrust this study into the conclusion that financial resources are the essential life-blood of civil society organisations. In light of the role that civil society plays in a democracy, the findings in this study point to a concerning trend in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die aanvangspunt van hierdie studie is die omvangrykende mediadekking aangaande die wydverspreide afname in donateursbefondsing vir burgerlike samelewingorganisasies in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie afname is beïnvloed deur die onlangse globale finansiële krisis en het tot gevolg die ontbinding van ʼn aantal burgerlike samelewingorganisasies. Die besluit om met hierdie studie te begin het sy oorsprong in die feit dat die burgerlike samelewing ʼn belangrike kenmerk van demokrasie is veral met betrekking tot regeringsresponsiwiteit, aanspreeklikheid sowel as die deelname van burgers aan ʼn demokratiese regering. In Suid-Afrika is dit belangrik, veral met die oog op die land se jong demokrasie en nog meer wanneer die heersende party se oorweldigende politiese mag in ag geneem word en dat dit tot ʼn dominante partystelsel lei. Die doel van hierdie studie is om vas te stel wat die oorsaak van die daling in skenkersfondse is. Die rigtinggewende vraag vir die studie was: het die wêreldwye finansiële krisis die burgerlike samelewing in Suid-Afrika beïnvloed? Die studie beoog om by te dra tot die evaluasie van die potensiële rol wat burgerlike samelewing in Suid-Afrika se jong demokrasie gespeel het, en steeds speel, en wat die implikasies vir demokrasie sou wees indien burgerlike samelewingorganisasies se rol bemoeilik word en verplig word om nog meer van hulle kantore te sluit. Die studie is ondersoekend van aard en het staatgemaak op kwalitatiewe data wat verkry is deur in-diepte onderhoude met twee vooraanstaande Suid-Afrikaanse nie-regeringsorganisasies te voer naamlik die Instituut vir Demokrasie en die ‘Treatment Action Campaign’. ’n Gesaghebbende segsman uit elke organisasie is gekies vir die onderhoude. Die bevindings is geoperasionaliseer deur die lense van Andrew Heywood (2007) se konseptuele teoretiese raamwerk wat aanvoer dat daar vyf hulpbronne is wat burgerlike organisasies nodig het om hulle invloed te laat geld. Terwyl die waarde van al vyf hulpbronne erken word, skenk hierdie studie in die besonder aandag aan die finansiële hulpbronne wat van internasionale skenkersfondse ontvang word omdat burgerlike organisasies beswaarlik daarsonder kan oorleef. Die bevindinge van die onderhoude en die gevolgtrekkings wat gemaak is beaam vier realiteite: eerstens dat die daling in befondsing nie beperk is tot die organisasies wat aan die studie deelgeneem het nie, maar burgerlike samelewing as ʼn geheel. Die tweede realiteit berus by die feit dat die globale finansiële krisis inderdaad die Instituut van Demokrasie en die ‘Treatment Action Campaign’ op kommerwekkende maniere beïnvloed het, nie net in terme van die organisasies se oorlewing nie, maar ook in terme van die behoud van Suid-Afrika se jong en soms brose demokrasie. Die derde realiteit dui op ander uitdagings wat skenkersfondse beïnvloed het soos Suid-Afrika se middel inkomstestatus, ʼn fokusverskuiwing van skenkingsgeoriënteerdheid tot skenker-spesifieke probleme. Die vierde realiteit wat uitgewys is dwing die studie om tot die gevolgtrekking te kom dat finansiële hulpbronne ʼn noodsaaklikheid vir die behoud van burgerlike gemeenskapsorganisasies is. In die lig van die rol wat burgerlike gemeenskap in demokrasie speel, is die bevindings van die studie kommerwekkend.
415

Weathering the storm : a survey of microfinance in the midst of global crises

Carlman, Joel D. 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MDF (Development Finance))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of the global financial, economic, and food price crises on microfinance institutions (MFIs), and on the microfinance industry in general as well as to illuminate microfinance‘s way forward in the medium-term (2-3 year) future. The research report took the form of an international survey representing the responses of 59 MFIs in 39 countries. It is unique in its focus on microfinance practitioners from MFIs of all sizes and profit orientations, and that it only sought responses from the six developing regions of the world—Latin American and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and East Asia and the Pacific. This report identifies 23 impacts of the crises and groups them into four classifications—client impacts, liquidity and profitability impacts, MFI growth and development impacts, and political and reputational impacts. This study demonstrates that the crises have affected MFIs around the world profoundly, and that MFIs have faced a resilient hierarchy of impact groups. Across MFI regions, sizes, ages, product offerings, registration status classifications, and affiliations, the four impact groups were shown to maintain the same order of severity, with client impacts being the category of biggest concern of MFI respondents. Also severe were liquidity and profitability impacts. The least severe categories of impacts were found to be MFI growth and development impacts and political and reputational impacts, respectively. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis of microfinance practitioner responses, this report establishes an overall ranking of the 23 impacts the global crises are having on the industry. The analysis has further revealed that Sub-Saharan Africa reported the highest impacts of the crises out of all the regions surveyed. The size of an MFI affects its resilience against the crises, with small MFIs being more severely affected than large MFIs. Age was found to have an inverse relationship with MFI impact ratings, and there were very few significant differences between for- and non-profit MFIs. This research report has demonstrated that the benefits afforded to MFIs by accepting deposits may have been over-promoted by industry observers during the early stages of the crises, as no apparent benefits have emerged from responses to this survey. The report concludes with a summary of respondent indications about the way forward for the microfinance industry.
416

How well did leading indicators forecast the South African house price deflation caused by the recent global sub-prime crisis

Laing, Fredl 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The use of leading indicators provides a valuable method to predict changes in macro-economic variables. However, the accuracy of the various models using leading indicators is a topic of constant debate. This study aimed to identify whether leading indicator models predicting residential house price changes performed as well during the recent global financial crisis (fourth quarter 2007 to second quarter 2012) as during the period directly before the crisis. Several potential drivers of the South African property market were identified with the help of previous studies on this topic. Following that, a quantitative analysis was done and single leading indicator models were built using regression analysis to evaluate the importance of each independent variable. This information was used to create a composite leading index for the South African housing market. The accuracy of these models were then compared to predict the changes in house prices during the period preceding the recent global economic crisis.It was found that the ability of these leading indicator models to predict house price changes during the recent global economic crisis decreased significantly.
417

金融危機之國際比較研究

林進煌 Unknown Date (has links)
金融危機的發生不但使受創國經濟活動萎縮,也影響世界經濟的成長,其發生的原因固然不盡相同,但毫無例外的,均與經濟結構的失衡以及金融政策或管理的失當有關。在過去的歷史中,金融危機在不同的國家、不同的時間一再地發生,金融危機不僅使個人及社會財富損失,而且造成社會及經濟問題,同時亦提高政治的不穩定性。本文旨在探討1992年歐洲貨幣制度(EMS)的匯率機制(ERM)危機、1994年墨西哥金融危機、1997年亞洲金融危機、及1998年俄羅斯金融危機等四大金融危機。首先就金融危機的定義、徵兆、及類型,加以文獻檢視並分別說明。其次,就金融危機形成原因的予以探討,說明金融危機成因的理論模型,其演變可分成第一代、第二代、及第三代金融危機模型。此外,對於資訊不對稱在金融市場所形成逆選擇與道德風險的問題,及與金融危機的關係,亦一併敘述。 經檢視以上四大金融危機發生的背景、成因、類型,及各次金融危機發生之前的徵兆與現象;探討各次金融危機發生後,各國的因應對策;比較各次金融危機的差異與相同之處;並分析國際貨幣基金 (IMF) 在各次金融危機中所扮演的角色;以及由各國處理金融危機的歷史經驗中,獲得結論如下: ERM金融危機加速區域金融合作的推展,墨西哥及俄羅斯政府未能信守承諾加速金融危機的爆發,國際大規模資金反轉流出及擴散效應,引爆亞洲金融危機,政府的干預及國際的援助促使亞洲金融危機早日解除;健全的實質經濟結構優於貨幣制度的考量,妥善導引國際間資本的移動勝於加強管制,金融危機的發生促使受創國加速金融改革,強化國際最後奧援者的機制有其必要性。為預防金融危機的發生,我們的建議為:循序推動金融自由化,健全法規體制,建立完善的金融監理及預警制度,妥善導引及管理外資,積極參與國際及區域金融機制,尊重中央銀行對匯率的操作策略,及積極培養優秀金融人才。 關鍵詞: 金融危機、資訊不對稱、匯率 / Financial crises results in the inability of financial markets to function efficiently, which leads to a sharp contraction in economic activity. They have not only affected the economic development of the countries in some region but also had deep negative consequences all over the world. They have occurred throughout history resulting in the loss of national and international public and personal wealth, creating politically uncertainty and shaking the foundations of the national, regional and international economic and social order. This paper attempts to explore focus mainly on four major financial crises in the 1990s: the crisis of “Exchange Rate Mechanism” of European Monetary System in 1992, the “Mexican Financial Crisis” in 1994, the “Asian Financial Crisis” in 1997, and the “Russian Financial Crisis” in 1998. Firstly reference is to explicate separately the definition, symptom and types of financial crisis, with to documentation. Secondly research causes of the financial crisis, and the contributing factor mode can be categorized in first-, second-, and third-, generation models. Further more it is to interpret the problems of adverse selection and moral hazard affected by asymmetric information, and the connection with the crisis. Through surveying background and causes of four financial crises and the symptom and phenomenon prior to the crisis, the paper concludes by drawing lessons from the crises experience to policymaking in emerging market countries. Therefore it brings to the conclusion as follows: government’s intervention and international assistance helped end the financial crises; healthy and essential economic structure is superior to consideration of currency system; properly guide the movement of international capitals is more important than tightening control; occurrence of financial crisis urges injured nations to speed up financial reform; and it is necessary to strengthen the mechanism for an international lender of last resort. According to the study findings, the policy suggestions for avoiding the financial crises are: to promote financial liberalization gradually; establish a healthy regulating system; build up a good supervising and early warning system; properly guide and manage foreign capitals; participate actively in international and regional financial structure; respect central bank’s operational strategy toward the exchange rate; and actively train great financial talents. Keywords: Financial Crisis, Asymmetric Information, Exchange Rate
418

Sutarties pakeitimo dėl iš esmės pasikeitusių sutarties vykdymo aplinkybių galimybės ir Lietuvos teismų praktika / Probability to adjust the contract terms regarding to changed circumstances and the analysis of lithuanian courts practice

Grižaitė, Vaiva 26 June 2014 (has links)
Magistro darbo tema – Sutarties pakeitimo dėl iš esmės pasikeitusių sutarties vykdymo apinkybių galimybės ir Lietuvos teismų praktika. Darbe analizuojamos galimybės pateisinti sutarties nevykdymą dėl pasikeitusių aplinkybių įtakos remiantis skirtingose teisės sistemose įtvirtintu reglamentavimu. Tyrime analizei pasirinktos tų valstybių nacionalinės teisės sistemos, kuriose įtvirtintas reglamentavimo modelis buvo pavyzdžiu kitoms valstybėms. Darbe analizuojamos Prancūzijos, Vokietijos, Anglijos ir Jungtinių Amerikos Valstijų teisėje įtvirtintos sutarties vykdymo pasikeitus aplinkybėms instituto reglamentavimo variacijos. Taip pat darbe analizuojami skirtinguose tarptautiniuose teisės aktuose įtvirtinti pasikeitusių aplinkybių instituto reglamentavimo modeliai, analizei buvo pasirinkti šie tarptautiniai teisės aktai: Vienos konvencija Dėl tarptautinių sutarčių teisės, UNIDROIT Tarptautinių komercinių sutarčių principai, Europos sutarčių teisės principai ir Jungtinių tautų konvencija Dėl tarptautinio prekių pirkimo – pardavimo sutarčių. Ketvirtąjame darbo skyriuje yra analizuojamos sutarties vykdymo pasikeitus aplikybėms instituto taikymo sąlygos, atskleidžiamas jų turinys ir išskiriami reikalavimų tenkinimo vertinimo kriterijai. Prieinama išvados, kad esminiu gali būti pripažintas tik toks sutarties vykdymo suvaržymas, kuris ne tik iš esmės padidina sutarties įvykdymo kainą arba sumažina gaunamą įvykdymą, bet ir itin komplikuoja suvaržymą patiriančios šalies galimybes toliau... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Thesis of the paper – Probability to adjust the contract terms regarding to changed circumstances and the analysis of Lithuanian courts practice. The paper analyzes the justification for the failure to perform on the basis of changed circumstances. The study selected for analysis the national legal systems, which maintained regulatory model has been followed by other countries. The paper examines French, German, British and United States law of contract and the variety of regulatory variations regarding changed circumstances. It also analyzes the regulatory models of hardship established in different international legal instruments. For the analysis were selected following international instruments: the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts, the Principles of European Contract Law and United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. The fourth chapter analyzes the requirements for the situation in order to claim hardship. This chapter revealed the content of requirements and identifies the assessment criteria for declaring the fulfilment of the conditions. Analysis leads to the conclusion, that the substantial restriction of the contract can be recognized only in cases, which not only substantially increases the price of the performance or reduce the resulting performance, but also substantially complicates and burdens the possibilities of affected contractor to continue performing... [to full text]
419

Two Essays on Oil Futures Markets

Adeinat, Iman 20 May 2011 (has links)
The first chapter of this dissertation estimates the relative contributions of two major exchanges on crude oil futures to the price discovery process-- Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), using trade-by-trade data in 2008. The study also empirically analyzes the effects of trading characteristics on the information share of these two markets. Trading characteristics examined in the study include trading volume, trade size, and trading costs. On average, CME is characterized by greater volume and trade size but also slightly greater bid-ask spread. CME leads the process of price discovery and this leadership is caused by relative trade size and volatility before the financial crisis of 2008; however post-crisis period this leadership is caused by trading volume. Moreover, this study presents evidence that, in times of large uncertainty in the market, the market maker charges a greater bid-ask spread for the more informative market. The second chapter examines the influence of expected oil price volatility, the behavior of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the US Dollar exchange rate volatility on the backwardation of crude oil futures during the period from January 1986 to December 2008. The results indicate that oil futures are strongly and weakly backwardated 57% and 69% of the time, respectively. The regression analysis of weak backwardation shows that oil volatility, OPEC overproduction (difference between quota and the actual production), and the volatility of the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen have a positive significant effect on oil backwardation, while OPEC production quota imposed on its members has a negative significant effect on oil backwardation. However the volatility of US Dollar against the British Pound has no significant effect on oil backwardation. The regression analysis of strong backwardation produces qualitatively the same results except that volatility has no effect. In a sub-period analysis, evidence also indicates that trading volume of oil funds and backwardation are negatively related, suggesting that oil funds increase the demand of futures relative to that of spot.
420

Banking and Microfinance Performance: Market Power, Efficiency, Performance, Outreach and Sustainability Perspectives

Mustapha, Nazar S 19 May 2017 (has links)
This dissertation consists of two empirical papers that explore recent phenomena in Banking and Microfinance Performance. Chapter 1, “Market Power and Bank Performance in MENA Countries,” examines the determinants of market power in 12 Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), specifically within six Gulf Cooperation Countries and six non-Gulf countries. We examine the dynamics of bank competition in MENA countries, provide an up-to-date assessment of market power, investigate the factors impacting bank competition, and explore the evolution of market power during the financial crisis. Our results show an overall increase in market power following the GFC for both regions. We find that bank size, capitalization, and diversification affect market power differently in the pre-crisis and post-crisis years. Larger banks enjoy cost advantages and the diversification impact on market power has decreased in the post-crisis years and the impact of capitalization on market power increased during the GFC. Overall, banks with higher capitalization can better weather the crisis. Chapter 2, “The impact of firm-level characteristic and county-specific attributes on the performance and efficiency of the Microfinance institutions,” estimates the impact of country-specific macro-variables and firm-specific attributes on the financial performance and the efficiency of microfinance institutions (MFIs). We use a large international up-to-date database consisting of over 10,000 firm-years for MFIs over 89 countries during the period 2008-2015. Several interesting findings emerge: a) regulation and outreach are negatively correlated. b) There is a negative and highly statistically significant correlation between the percentage of female borrowers and loan size, which is evidence of “mission drift”. c) An increase in the percentage of female board member has positive and statistically significant effect on MFIs profitability and ROA; which emphasizes the importance of female participation in leading position in MFIs.

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