Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study project, the performance and fund flows to open-end collective investment schemes available in South Africa that are advertised in the Personal Finance newspaper and Financial Mail magazine, are examined. The sample consists of 34 open-ended unit trust funds from 4 different asset managers. Two main objectives are addressed: the first main objective is to test whether collective investment schemes advertisements are used to signal superior management skills by examining the performance of the funds prior to placing the advertisement and measuring the performance in the post-advertising period. The second main objective is to test whether advertising is used to attract more fund flows to the funds. The results indicate that the fund managers advertised their funds at a time when the funds were under-performing, showing no significant superior performance. In the one-year period following the advertisement their performance was marginally better than the bench marked performance. The results indicate that superior fund management skills exist and that timing of the placement of the advertisement is important. The fund flow analysis shows that advertised funds attract significantly more money in comparison to the funds in a control group with similar characteristics. Once again the results could be attributed to superior fund management skills or the timing of the marketing department. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studieprojek word die prestasie en fondsvloei van kollektiewe beleggingskemas wat in Suid-Afrika beskikbaar is en in Personal Finance koerant en Financial Mail tydskrif geadverteer word, ondersoek. Die steekproef bestaan uit 34 kollektiewe beleggingsfondse van vier verskillende batebestuurders. Twee hoofdoelwitte word bespreek: die eerste hoofdoelwit is om te toets of kollektiewe beleggingsfondse advertensies gebruik om superieure bestuursvaardighede aan te dui, deur die prestasie van die fonds voor die advertensieplasing en die prestasie in die post-advertensie periode te ondersoek. Die tweede hoofdoelwit is om te toets of advertensies gebruik word om fonds invloeie na die fonds aan te trek. Die resultate dui aan dat die fondsbestuurders hul fondse adverteer op 'n tydstip wanneer die fonds onderpresteer, wat nie enige betekenisvolle superieure prestasie voorstel nie. In die een-jaar periode na die advertensieplasing, was hul prestasie marginaal beter as die verwysingspunt (standaard) prestasie. Die resultate dui aan dat superieure bestuursvaardighede wel bestaan en dat die tydsberekening van die advertensieplasing belangrik is. Die fondsvloei analise wys dat geadverteerde fondse betekenisvol meer geld inbring in vergelyking met die fondse in 'n kontrole groep met gelyksoortige karaktertrekke. Weereens kan die resultate toegeskryf word aan superieure bestuursvaardighede of die tydsberekening van die plasing van die advertensie.

The primary purpose of this dissertation is to develop the arguments for reporting directly on a company's cash flows in its published financial statements. Specifically, the Free Cash Flow (FCF) model of economist Joel Stern is analyzed and critiqued as a basis for a revised reporting scheme.