Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute to China's economic growth and help maintain social stability. However, SME business leaders have cited access to finance as an obstacle of SMEs' survival and success. The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify main strategies SME entrepreneurs and business leaders used to attract venture capital (VC) investments to achieve financial sustainability and business expansion. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 23 entrepreneurs and leaders from 4 SMEs in China and an analysis of organizational artifacts. The resource-based view theory served as the primary conceptual framework. The data analysis process entailed using coding techniques to identify keywords, narrative segments, and concepts. Member checking ensured the credibility and trustworthiness of the data interpretation and analysis. The process led to 4 themes including developing a unique and pioneering business model, assembling a management team with industry experience, indicating use of raised capital in investing in technology, and engaging with superior principal endorsements during the fund-raising efforts. The implication for positive social change included the potential to enhance the capability of SME entrepreneurs and business leaders to obtain VC funding to support their businesses, which can increase economic development and improve the social stability of local communities in China. The findings from the study may contribute to the development of the SME sector in China and benefit their owners, business leaders, employees, future entrepreneurs, the local community, as well as economy of China.

[pt] Esse trabalho procura verificar como se comportaram os fundos de Previdência Renda Fixa no Brasil, no período de 2003 a 2014. A amostra utilizada nesta pesquisa corresponde a 382 fundos, que representam aproximadamente 99 por cento do total de recursos investidos em fundos de previdência de renda fixa. O intuito da pesquisa foi (i) analisar o comportamento dos fundos da categoria e observar se possuem capacidade satisfatória de desempenho, (ii) ampliar tal análise para um grupo segregado de fundos selecionados pela característica de isenção de cobrança de taxas, nomeados como Fundos Master, (iii) avaliar se existe diferença de gestão entre gestores nacionais e estrangeiros e, (iv) investigar a possibilidade de criação de um índice benchmark para o setor, com o intuito de facilitar a avaliação por parte do investidor ao longo do investimento. Os resultados indicaram, através do estudo do Índice de Sharpe Histórico, que os fundos de Previdência Renda Fixa, no período analisado, não conseguiram atingir um resultado satisfatório. Entretanto, o grupo de Fundos Master conseguiu uma performance superior aos da categoria, obtendo também um excesso de retorno com significância estatística de 5 por cento. Em relação ao comparativo entre gestores nacionais e estrangeiros, não se pode afirmar que existe diferença significativa entre eles. Os resultados ainda concluíram que o coeficiente relativo ao CDI é extremamente relevante, demonstrando o seu uso como único benchmark. / [en] This dissertation analyses the performance of the Brazilian Fixed Income Pension funds, from 2003 to 2014. The sample used in this study corresponds to 382 funds, representing approximately 99 percent of total assets in fixed income pension funds industry. The aim of the study was (i) to analyze the behavior of such category of funds and observe if they have satisfactory performance capacity, (ii) extend this analysis to a segregated group of selected funds by the characteristic of charging fees exemption, named Master Funds (iii) assess whether there are differences in management between brazilian and foreign managers, and (iv) investigate the possibility of creating a benchmark index for the sector in order to facilitate the assessment by the investor during the investment decision. The results indicated, considering Historical Sharpe ratio, that the Fixed Income Pension funds failed to achieve a satisfactory result. However, the Master Fund group achieved a superior performance to the category, also getting an excess return with statistical significance of 5 percent. Regarding the comparison between domestic and foreign managers, we cannot say that there is significant difference between them. The results also found that the relative ratio to CDI is highly relevant, demonstrating its use as a unique benchmark.

[pt] Esse trabalho investiga o comportamento dos investidores na seleção de fundos de investimento em ações. A base analisada é formada pelos fundos de ações disponíveis no mercado brasileiro entre 2005 e 2018. Nesse período, há uma expansão do mercado, medido tanto em termos do patrimônio total sob gestão quanto em termos de fundos disponíveis, acompanhada por uma redução gradual das taxas de administração médias praticadas. Em linha com a literatura existente, os dados sugerem que os fluxos de captação dos fundos são sensíve à performance passada. Os dados sugerem também que a captação dos fundos geridos por empresas que atuam exclusivamente na atividade de gestão de fundos é inferior à de fundos geridos por instituições financeiras que atuam também em outras atividades financeiras. / [en] This dissertation investigates the behavior of investors when selecting equity mutual funds. The database is comprised of available equity mutual funds in the Brazilian market between 2005 and 2018. During this period, there was a market expansion, measured in terms of total assets under management as well as number of available funds, as well as a gradual decrease in average fees. In agreement with existing literature, the data suggests that inflows are correlated with past performance. The data also suggests that inflows into funds managed by firms that offer fund management services only is lower than inflows into funds managed by firms that offer a broader array of financial services.

[pt] Este estudo objetiva mostrar, mediante ao grande número de oferta de fundos de investimentos, a dificuldade do investidor em escolher um bom fundo, mesmo com o argumento largamente utilizado de que fundos de taxas de administração alta, por terem gestão ativa, entregam melhores resultados. Para isso, ordenou-se a totalidade dos fundos, ou seja, mais de 2.000 fundos de investimentos das classes de renda fixa, ações e multimercados em quadrantes de alta e baixa taxa de administração versus alto e baixo desempenho por diferentes intervalos. Os resultados reforçam o quão é difícil a escolha e ter taxa de administração alta não infere em resultados melhores. / [en] This study aims to show, through the large number of investment funds, how difficult is to choose a good fund, even with the widely used argument that funds with high management fees deliver better results, due to their active management. For this, all the funds, it means more than 2,000 investment funds of among fixed income, stock funds and multimarket funds were displayed in quadrants defined as high and low management fees versus high and low performance. The results reinforce how difficult the choice is and having a high administration rate does not infer better results.

[pt] Este estudo objetiva investigar se existe uma relação entre posições agregadas de fundos de investimento brasileiros e o desempenho passado, presente e futuro das ações. Utilizando dados mensais das carteiras de 30.416 fundos entre 2006 e 2018 e dados de mercado de 84 ações, diversas regressões com dados em painel foram feitas para testar a correlação entre retornos totais das ações e o nível e a mudança de posições compradas e vendidas. Além disso, os dados foram utilizados para testar uma estratégia long-short de investimento segundo a qual as ações que ocupam posições altas nos fundos são compradas e as ações com baixas posições são vendidas. / [en] This study aims to investigate whether there is a relationship between aggregate Brazilian mutual fund positions and past, concurrent, and future stock performance. Using monthly fund portfolio data for 30.416 funds between 2006 and 2018 and market data for 84 stocks, several panel data regressions were ran to test the correlation between stock total returns and both the level and change in mutual fund aggregate long and short positions. In addition, the data was used in testing a long-short investing strategy in which stocks with high fund ownership indicators are purchased and stocks with low fund ownership indicators are sold.

Investment Company with Variable Capital (SICAV) The thesis elaborates on the Czech regulation of the investment company with variable capital ("SICAV"). It is divided into six chapters. In chapter one, the theory of collective investments and its practice in the Czech Republic is described, along with data of the use of SICAVs. Next, the legislation concerning SICAVs, and reasons for its introduction, are summarised. Chapter three includes the definition of Czech SICAV and its features as an investment fund and join-stock company. In chapter four, the variability of its capital is discussed in broader context of the Czech law system, which is based on a different conceptual approach, and also the capital requirements of SICAVs are mentioned. Chapter five concerns with the obligatory division of assets of Czech SICAVs, leading to the last chapter describing the founders' and investment shares, and rights of shareholders tied to them. The primary aim of the thesis, in context of an absence of any thorough publications on Czech SICAVs, is to provide a comprehensive description of the distinctive character of Czech SICAVs, and on this basis to point out the parts of legislation that are not set appropriately. In these cases, a specific interpretation of problematic parts of regulation is suggested, and in case...

The thesis is focused on economic capital management of top-ranked world banks. A basic theoretical framework is summarised at the beginning. The theoretical framework is then utilised in the main - empirical part. Since economic capital is not a figure commonly reported in any available database, we have created our own database based on annual reports of top fifty world banks of the year 2008. Based on this database we provide an extensive empirical study focused on years 2007-2010. Even though one third of the banks disclose economic capital only, thanks to our approach combining both quantitative and qualitative analysis we were able to study the topic in detail. Within quantitative part the development of economic capital and its allocation is studied, the differences between regulatory and economic capital in time is measured, a relationship between quality of economic capital disclosure and rating is searched for and relationship between the value of economic capital and changes in profits during financial crisis is studied. The qualitative part consists of case studies of fourteen banks. It is focused on special and unique features of economic capital management of individual financial institutions.

Die fondsgebundene Umsetzung einer Long/Short-Strategie stößt schnell an ihre Grenzen, wenn die Regulierungserfordernisse der UCITS IV-Richtlinie 2009/65/EG als rechtlicher Rahmen für den Investmentfonds maßgeblich sind. Die betreffenden Regelungen verlangen einerseits eine diversifizierte Ausrichtung des Portfolios und beschränken das Universum an investierbaren Vermögenswerten auf finanzielle und liquide Produkte. Andererseits führen sie zu einer wesentlichen Begrenzung der zulässigen Anlagetechniken. Die Möglichkeiten zur Hebelinvestition sind streng limitiert und das Durchführen von Leerverkäufen wird vollständig ausgeschlossen. Der Anknüpfungspunkt, die Performance einer Short-Position dennoch in den Fonds zu integrieren, ist die Abkehr von der direkten und physischen Umsetzung hin zu einer indirekten und synthetischen Einbindung, wie sie durch den Einsatz von Derivaten möglich ist. Um die Auswirkungen der Derivate auf das Risiko- und Renditeprofil der Investmentfonds überschaubar und kontrollierbar zu halten, wird die Intensität des Derivatehandels durch das Festsetzen von Risikolimits auf ein vertretbares Maß beschränkt. Die Wahl eines konkreten Derivats beeinflusst die technische Umsetzung der synthetischen Positionsbildung und bestimmt deren assoziierte Vorgaben im Kontext des Risikomanagements. Insofern Derivate bei der Strategieausrichtung des UCITS-Fonds ausgeschlossen werden, lassen sich Short-Positionen lediglich gegenüber aggregierten Exposures in Form einer Dachfondskonstruktion berücksichtigen. Das Ausarbeiten kapitalrechtlicher Vorgaben und das darauf basierende Ableiten von praxisrelevanten Investitionsansätzen, zur Abbildung der Short-Positionen innerhalb einer fondsgebundenen Long/Short-Strategie, stehen im Fokus.

Venture capital é espécie de empreendimento que vincula dois agentes econômicos, empreendedor e investidor, visando ao desenvolvimento de uma ideia inovadora para posterior comercialização no mercado. O empreendedor é detentor de conhecimento sobre a ideia e o investidor possui os recursos para desenvolver o projeto. O negócio se diferencia dos demais pelo alto grau de incerteza e risco do empreendimento e requer o uso de tipos contratuais adequados para sua limitação. O projeto se inicia com a etapa de contratação, na qual as partes negociam a divisão de riscos e retorno do negócio, seguindo-se a etapa de monitoramento do desenvolvimento das atividades. Ao final ocorre o desinvestimento, com a saída do investidor e venda do negócio. Do ponto de vista da Economia, utilizamos a Teoria dos Jogos e apresentamos os problemas informacionais, riscos e incertezas do negócio, e os incentivos para organizar a cooperação entre as partes. Do ponto de vista de Finanças, debatemos a decisão de financiamento do negócio e as alternativas para diversificação dos riscos do investimento, isto é, a possibilidade de limitação dos riscos pela adoção de estratégias de contenção, que aumentam o interesse em contratar o negócio. Do ponto de vista do Direito, avaliamos qual a estrutura contratual ideal para organizar esse tipo de empreendimento. Analisamos as principais formas usadas para organização do negócio, em especial as sociedades limitadas e as sociedades anônimas fechadas. Avaliamos o suporte normativo aplicável, com destaque para a possibilidade de limitação dos riscos do projeto pela aplicação das normas de Direito Societário a esses empreendimentos. Os principais riscos aplicáveis são os riscos de contratação do negócio, os riscos de alocação do poder de decisão entre os sócios e os riscos de interrupção prematura do projeto. Devido à natureza e características do negócio de venture capital, concluímos que esse tipo de projeto é mais bem organizado como um contrato plurilateral e que não há tipo contratual ideal para alinhar os interesses. Dos tipos existentes, a sociedade anônima fechada é o mais adequado, mas incapaz de limitar todos os riscos do negócio. A conclusão é confirmada, parcialmente, pelas evidências empíricas apresentadas. / Venture capital is a business that links two economic agents, entrepreneur and investor, aiming to develop an innovative idea for future sale on the market. The entrepreneur holds knowledge about the idea and the investor has the resources to develop the project. It is distinguished from others by the high degree of uncertainty and risk of the project and requires the use of appropriate contract types for its restriction. The project begins with the contracting stage, in which the parties negotiate the division of risks and return business, followed by the monitoring of the development of the business activities. At the end occurs the divestment, in which the finished business is sold by the investor. From the point of view of Economics, we use Game Theory to present the informational problems, business risks and uncertainties, and the incentives to organize the cooperation between the parties. From the standpoint of Finance, we discuss the decision to finance the business, and alternatives for risk diversification, that is, the possibility of limiting the risks by adopting containment strategies that may increase the interest in contracting. From the point of view of Law, we evaluate the ideal contractual structure for organizing this kind of project. We analyze the main existing contract types, in particular, the limited liability companies and the closed corporations. We present our concerns about the normative support applicable to that type of business, emphasizing the Corporate Law problems. We evaluate the normative support applicable, emphasizing the possibility of limiting the project risks by applying the Corporate Law rules to such ventures. The main risks are the risks applicable to the contracting phase, the risk of incorrect allocation of decision rights between the partners and the risk of premature termination of the project. Due to the nature and characteristics of the venture capital business, we conclude that this type of design is best organized as a plurilateral agreement and that there is no contract type that can be considered ideal to align the interests. Considering all the existing types, the private corporation contract is the most appropriate form, but also unable to limit all the business risks. The conclusion is partially supported by the empirical evidence presented.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2018-02-23T13:15:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Josué Hoff da Costa_.pdf: 2762650 bytes, checksum: ceaef71f405ba91604a461f2d733a7dd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-23T13:15:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Josué Hoff da Costa_.pdf: 2762650 bytes, checksum: ceaef71f405ba91604a461f2d733a7dd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-10 / Nenhuma / Pretendeu-se elucidar se a garantia do Juízo da execução, promovida por meios alternativos como fundos mobiliários, para o caso específico de investidor qualificado, em detrimento do meio preferencialmente admitido pelo Judiciário, notadamente o depósito pecuniário em conta vinculada ao processo, enseja alocação Pareto-eficiente, sopesando a concorrência de custo de oportunidade. Procurou-se atingir o objeto visado, a partir de estudo de caso, analisando a receptividade do Judiciário à nomeação de fundo de investimento mobiliário destinado à garantia do Juízo da execução, considerando amostragem dos processos judiciais envolvidos. Também foram consideradas todas as decisões proferidas pelo Superior Tribunal de Justiça e do Tribunal de Justiça do Rio Grande do Sul, cuidando sobre a admissibilidade de fundo mobiliário para o escopo escolhido (jurimetria). Verificou-se que o ativo adotado como paradigma foi admitido na maioria dos casos confrontados, especialmente quando não houve insurgência do Credor, diferentemente do que ocorreu quando o tema foi levado a julgamento em segundo grau de jurisdição. O fundo mobiliário utilizado por investidor institucional para garantia do Juízo se demonstrou Pareto-eficiente em relação ao depósito pecuniário (que gerou alocação subótima), tanto para o Devedor, como para o Credor, mormente considerando a segurança e liquidez do ativo. A despeito disso, nos casos em que o Judiciário foi efetivamente provocado (quando houve contrariedade do Credor), preferiu a adoção do meio pecuniário tradicional, malgrado o custo de oportunidade envolvido, o que se demonstrou ter se ocasionado por path dependence, ao invés de problema de agência, não evidenciado de modo categórico. Nos casos em que o Judiciário foi confrontando, não houve pronunciamento sobre a eficiência alocativa. Tanto o precedente oriundo do Tema n° 913 do STJ, como a sistematicidade do ordenamento jurídico pátrio admitem a adoção do meio alternativo mais eficiente, sobretudo em se tratando de investidor institucional. / It was intended to elucidate whether the execution court's guarantee, promoted by alternative means such as securities funds, in the specific case of a qualified investor, to the detriment of the means preferably admitted by the Judiciary, not shared or pecuniary deposit in account linked to the process, Pareto-efficient and inconsiderate the existence of opportunity cost. The object sought was analyzed, based on a case study, analyzing a receptivity of the judiciary about of the security investment fund intended to guarantee execution court, considering a sample of the judicial processes involved. All decisions rendered by the Superior Court of Justice and the Court of Justice of Rio Grande do Sul were considered too, taking into account the admissibility of the furniture fund for the chosen scope (jurimetrics). It was found that the asset adopted as a paradigm was admitted in most of the cases confronted, especially when it is not a creditor insurgency, unlike what occurred when the subject was tried in the second degree of jurisdiction. The security fund used by institutional investors for the guarantee of the execution court proved Pareto-efficient in relation to the pecuniary deposit, for both the Debtor and the Creditor, considering the safety and liquidity of the asset. In spite of this, in cases where the Judiciary was effectively provoked (when there was an objection from the creditor), it preferred the adoption of the traditional pecuniary means, despite the opportunity cost involved, which has been shown to be caused by path dependence, rather than agent problem, not categorically evidenced. In cases where the judiciary was confronting, there was no pronouncement on allocative efficiency. Both the precedent coming from Topic number 913 of the STJ and the systematicity of the legal order of the country admit the adoption of the most efficient alternative means, especially in the case of institutional investors.