Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This study aims to look at the definition of the group of alternative investments commonly known as ‘hedge funds’, in order to better understand why regulatory bodies the world over are vehemently working on introducing new legislation and guidelines as a means of maintaining market security and integrity in order to ensure adequate investor protection. This study posits that the two most viable options available to regulatory bodies to ensure effective implementation of these changes are (i) to either further restrict access to hedge funds and thereby curb their ‘retailization’ and/or (ii) to introduce rigorous levels of disclosure on the part of hedge funds and their intermediaries. It is the objective of this study to establish that for either of these options to be attained, tangible improvement in both the quantity and quality of information disclosure from hedge funds and their intermediaries about their positions, strategies and exposures in a manner that would enable them to continue to provide the market efficiency-enhancing services that they currently offer. After introducing all the key issues that have motivated this resolve, the study looks at the current regulatory environment and the challenges facing regulators such as the varying degrees of banking freedom offered by different states and jurisdictions. Proposed changes to current legislation are also considered across several jurisdictions. The results from the local market field study set the platform for recommendations to be investigated in future studies in order to provide guidelines for the supervision of the hedge fund industry.