先前研究指出，財報資訊使用者難以使用確定福利計畫制退休金的資訊，其原因可以歸因於退休金會計的複雜性。在後SFAS 158 時期，由於先前僅揭露的退休金負債已認列於資產負債表上，使得退休金資訊的價值攸關性有所提升。然而有研究指出，額外攸關的資訊依然僅在附註揭露中表達，使得XBRL在能否進一步提升該價值攸關上有可以著墨的空間。本研究探討美國SEC XBRL 強制適用是否能提升確定福利計畫制退休金資訊的價值攸關，以及 XBRL財報的特性是否會影響該價值攸關。實證結果發現，美國SEC XBRL 強制適用提升了提撥狀況的價值攸關。另外，實證結果也發現，GAAP 分類標準概念的數量和提撥狀況的價值攸關有負向的關係；延伸分類標準概念的數量和提撥狀況的價值攸關有正向的關係。本研究亦指出，SEC XBRL 強制適用對於提撥狀況價值攸關的提升，及XBRL財報特性對提撥狀況價值攸關的影響，會因為不同階段之 XBRL 採用者而有不同的效果。 / Studies show that the information of defined benefit due its complexity, users may not have the competence to process it. In the post-SFAS-158 period, the previously disclosed liabilities of defined benefit now recognize in the balance sheet. Prior studies have already shown an improvement in value relevance. However, studies suggest the relevant information still presents in footnotes. It leaves a place for XBRL for further improving. In this study, I investigate whether SEC XBRL mandatory adoption improves the value relevance of defined benefit information, also whether the characteristics of XBRL file affect the value relevance of defined benefit. The empirical results show SEC XBRL mandatory adoption improves the value relevance of funded status. Also, the number of GAAP Taxonomy concepts is negatively associated with the value relevance of funded status. Moreover, the number of extension concepts is positively associated with the value relevance of funded status. The additional results show the improvements by XBRL adoption and the influence of the number of GAAP Taxonomy concepts and extension concepts are sensitive to different phases of the adopters.

Thesis (MPA (Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African (SA) government is experiencing problems with regard to its service delivery mandate in public institutions. These problems have resulted from a number of factors, such as SA’s history of unequal distribution of resources; the introduction of remedial legislations and programmes when the new government took office in 1994; incorrect implementation of these legislations and programmes with the accompanying departure of skilled managers accompanied by the influx of new and inexperienced managers. Deliberate interventions were introduced to address this service delivery problem however, many public institutions remain unsuccessful in fulfilling their mandate to service delivery. In this study, the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) is used as a case study to learn more about the effect of corporate governance in addressing service delivery problems in public institutions. As a government entity, the GEPF experienced some service delivery problems with regard to its mandate. Like any other public entity in SA, the GEPF is governed by all legislative provisions governing public entities and is equally affected by challenges such as scarcity of resources (financial; equipment and skills). The objectives of the study is to identify major principles and techniques related to corporatisation as an approach to management practice; to identify major challenges encountered by GEPF prior to corporatisation; and to analyse the deployment of corporate arrangements in the conduct of the GEPF in relation to these techniques and principles. The basis of this research is a thorough literature study and interviews with managers of the GEPF. The major finding of this study is that the GEPF has entrusted basic duties and responsibilities affecting its mandate to employer institutions (EIs). These basic yet sensitive functions have been left arbitrarily to EIs, hence the GEPF is unable to execute its duties in its benefits administration in line with its vision. Other findings include internal processes are incorrectly applied, thus hampering effective and efficient benefits administration; there is lack of, or limited use of a performance management system; there is an inability to deal with predictable problems; and the organisation of resources does not support the vision of the GEPF. Achievements in terms of the corporatisation process to improve performance were noted. The enrolment of the services of consultants to assist the GEPF to improve its performance led to the following: approval of the organisational structure that supports the GEPF’s vision; empowerment of managers in terms of skills capacity; conversion of contract workers to permanent; and taking an aggressive approach to performance and risk management. It is therefore concluded that although challenges still exist, the GEPF has embarked on a systematic process to rid itself of the challenges it faces. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse Owerheidsektor ervaar tans probleme ten opsigte van sy diensleweringsmandaat. Die probleme met swak dienslewering kan toegeskryf word aan faktore soos Suid-Afrika se geskiedenis van wat betref die onbillike verdeling van hulpbronne, die daarstel van ʼn nuwe regering in 1994 wat gelei het tot regstellende wetgewing en programme, die onoordeelkundige implementering van hierdie nuwe wetgewing en programme, en die gepaardgaande verlies van bekwame bestuurders en die aanstelling van nuwe en onervare bestuurders. Ten spyte van doelbewuste ingrypings om die diensleweringprobleem aan te spreek, bly owerheidsinstellings steeds in gebreke om aan hul diensleweringsmandaat te voldoen. Die Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) is as ʼn gevallestudie gebruik om die effek van korporatiewe bestuur op die hantering van diensleweringsprobleme in owerheidsinstellings te bepaal. Die GEPF as ʼn owerheidsinstelling ervaar ook probleme wat sy mandaat van dienslewering betref. In vergelyking met ander owerheidsinstellings ervaar die GEPF soortgelyke uitdagings ten opsigte van hulpbronverdeling (op finansiële vlak, en wat toerusting en vaardighede betref). Die doelwit van die studie is om die hoofbeginsels en -tegnieke verbonde aan korporatisering as ʼn bestuursbeleid te identifiseer, om die hoofuitdagings vir die GEPF voor intervensie op ʼn objektiewe en onbetrokke wyse te identifiseer, en om die tegnieke en beginsels aangewend sedert die implementering van die intervensie te analiseer. Hierdie studie is op ʼn deeglike literatuurstudie en die voer van onderhoude met bestuurslede van die GEPF geskoei. Die vernaamste bevinding van die studie is dat die GEPF sy basiese verpligtinge en verantwoordelikhede rakende sy mandaat aan die werkgewersinstellings toevertrou. Die basiese, dog sensitiewe funksies wat arbitrêr aan die werkgewer oorgelaat word, kniehalter die GEPF om sy administratiewe pligte volgens sy visie uit te voer. Ander bevindings sluit in dat interne prosesse op ʼn ondoeltreffende manier toegepas word, wat dan doeltreffende administrasie kortwiek. Dit sluit in die gebrek of beperkte gebruik van ʼn prestasiebestuurstelsel, die onbevoegdheid om ooglopende probleme te identifiseer en beperkte hulpbronne, wat nie die visie ondersteun nie. Die aanwending van korporatiewe prosesse om dienslewering te verbeter blyk suksesvol te wees. Die aanstelling van konsultante om behulpsaam te wees met dienslewering het gelei tot die goedkeuring van ʼn organisatoriese struktuur wat die visie van die GEPF ondersteun, die bemagtiging van bestuurders omdat hul vaardigheid verbeter is, die aanstelling van kontrakwerkers in permanente poste en ʼn aggressiewe benadering tot prestasie- en risikobestuur. Die gevolgtrekking is dat alhoewel daar nog uitdagings bestaan, die GEPF ʼn sistematiese proses onderneem het om die uitdagings te oorkom.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: On 1 July 2011 the revised version of Regulation 28, which governs the South African pension fund industry with regard to investments, took effect. The new version allows for pension funds to invest up to 25 percent compared to 20 percent, in the previous version, of its total investment in foreign assets. The aim of this study is to determine whether it would be optimal for a South African pension fund to invest the full 25 percent of its portfolio in foreign assets. Seven different optimization models are evaluated in this study to determine the optimal asset mix. The optimization models were selected through an extensive literature study in order to address key optimization issues, e.g. which risk measure to use, whether parametric or non parametric optimization should be used and if the Mean Variance model for optimization defined by Markowitz, which has been the benchmark with regard to asset allocation, is the best model to determine the long term asset allocation strategies. The results obtained from the different models were used to recommend the optimal long term asset allocation for a South African pension fund and also compared to determine which optimization model proved to be the most efficient. The study found that when using only the past ten years of data to construct the portfolios, it would have been optimal to invest in only South African asset classes with statistical differences with regard to returns in some cases. Using the past 20-years of data to construct the optimal portfolios provided mixed results, while the 30-year period were more in favour of an international portfolio with the full 25% invested in foreign asset classes. A comparison of the different models provided a clear winner with regard to a probability of out performance. The Historical Resampled Mean Variance optimization provided the highest probability of out performing the benchmark. From the study it also became evident that a 20-year data period is the optimal period when considering the historical data that should be used to construct the optimal portfolio. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Op 1 Julie 2011 het die hersiene Regulasie 28, wat die investering van Suid-Afrikaanse pensioenfondse reguleer, in werking getree. Hierdie hersiene weergawe stel pensioenfondse in staat om 25% van hulle fondse in buitelandse bateklasse te belê in plaas van 20%, soos in die vorige weergawe. Hierdie studie stel vas of dit werklik voordelig sal wees vir ‘n SA pensioenfonds om die volle 25% in buitelandse bateklasse te belê. Sewe verskillende optimeringsmodelle is gebruik om die optimale portefeulje te probeer skep. Die optimeringsmodelle is gekies na ’n uitgebreide literatuurstudie sodat van die sleutelkwessies met betrekking tot optimering aangespreek kon word. Die kwessies waarna verwys word sluit in, watter risikomaat behoort gebruik te word in die optimeringsproses, of ‘n parametriese of nie-parametriese model gebruik moet word en of die “Mean-Variance” model wat deur Markowitz in 1952 gedefinieer is en al vir baie jare as maatstaf vir portefeulje optimering dien, nog steeds die beste model is om te gebruik. Die uiteindelike resultate, verkry van die verskillende optimeringsmodelle, is gevolglik gebruik om die optimale langtermyn bate-allokasie vir ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse pensioenfonds op te stel. Die verskillende optimeringsmodelle is ook met mekaar vergelyk om te bepaal of daar ‘n model is wat beter is as die res. Vanuit die resultate was dit duidelik dat ’n portfeulje wat slegs uit Suid-Afrikaanse bates bestaan beter sal presteer as slegs die laaste 10-jaar se data gebruik word om die portefeulje op stel. Hierdie resultate is ook in meeste van die gevalle bevestig deur middel van hipotese toetse. Deur gebruik te maak van die afgelope 20-jaar se data om die portefeuljes op te stel, het gemengde resultate gelewer, terwyl die afgelope 30-jaar se data in meeste van die gevalle ’n internasionaal gediversifiseerde portefeulje as die beter portefeulje uitgewys het. In ’n vergelyking van die verskillende optimeringsmodelle is die “Historical Resampled Mean Variance” model duidelik as die beter model uitgewys. Hierdie model het die hoogste waarskynlikheid behaal om die vasgstelde maatstafportefeuljes uit te presteer. Die resultate het ook gedui op die 20-jaar periode as die beste data periode om te gebruik as die optimale portfeulje opgestel word.

The Old Age Pension (OAP) program for elderly South Africans puts a significant cash transfer in the hands of many poor households. This dissertation investigates its impact on labor force participation and consumption of selected household items. In the first half of the dissertation, we take advantage of a policy reform that lowered men's OAP eligibility age from 65 to 60 for men to match that of women for estimation identification. Using the General Household Survey data, we first demonstrate that both men and women respond to the eligibility age by dropping from labor force participation at the eligibility age, as expected. Using a difference-in-difference-in-difference estimator, we estimate that at the median predicted wage, age eligibility reduces men's probability of labor force participation by approximately 6.14 percentage points. Previous studies show that not only is the OAP take-up rate high among the age-eligible, but its value is sufficiently high to generally make it a significant component of total household income for the majority of pensioners and their households. Other studies add that it is a dominant source of income in older households, such that it is often the sole source of income in these households, especially those in rural areas. In the second half of the dissertation, therefore, we examine the impact of age-eligibility status on a number of selected household outcomes, such as food security, sanitation, source of drinking water, and ownership of consumer durable goods. We also examine the extent to which gender influences its impact on household outcomes. We find positive effects on a select number of outcomes; however, we note this is more associated with females' age-eligibility status, but not that of males.

臺閔地區65歲以上的老年人口於民國82年底占總人口之7.1%，達到聯合國所界定之「高齡化」水準，至民國94年底老年人口大幅增加為占總人口之9.74%，人口老化的趨勢使得退休後的生活保障更顯重要;年長者生活保障的主要來源是退休金，而我國已於民國94年7月1日由確定給付制轉變為確定提撥制(DC制)。基於醫學的快速成長，以及生活環境水準亦顯著提昇，採用現有的生命表預測未來死亡率可能會有極大的誤差，故本文參考許鳴遠(2006)的Reduction Factor模型，預測台灣未來的高齡人口死亡率，進而推計未來的各年齡人口數，再將改善的死亡率應用在確定提撥制的退休基金，並參考MacDonald and Cairns (2007)，假設退休基金投資在五種不同的投資標的，分別考慮20歲的個人與不同時間點20~55歲的各年齡人口，在不同限制函數下找尋確定提撥制退休基金的最適投資策略，並比較不同限制函數對依賴比造成的影響。

公務人員退撫基金雖非一般企業，但這並不表示公務人員退撫基金可以不必對「資金提供者」負責或懈怠獲致「應有報酬」之責任；公務人員退撫基金為執行特定公共任務之組織，其能否發揮制度設計所預期的功能，將直接影響公務人員退撫基金的營運績效。本研究之主要目的為探討治理變數對基金績效的影響效果。實證結果發現監理委員會的組成結構中，唯有軍公教、學者專家的係數估計值顯著異於零，其他的治理變數對基金績效的影響皆不具有顯著影響效果，另外，股價指數與資產配置對於基金績效存在顯著的作用，股價指數以及資產配置在銀行存款與短期票券，具有正的影響效果，至於配置在有價證券，可能由於受到政治的干預護盤以及對於股票市場的投資監督不佳，所以造成其負向影響效果。 由於治理變數大多對基金績效無顯著影響效果，可能肇因於退撫基金無健全的課責制度，可以考慮減少政府機關代表的數量與其角色，考量委員的代表性與專業性。此外，股市投資為影響報酬與風險最為顯著的投資工具，股價指數與有價證券的資產配置皆對基金績效有顯著的影響效果，對於股票市場的投資需要更加的小心。由於退撫基金由政府管理，欠缺彈性，其投資運用易受到官僚體系與政治因素的影響，未來退撫基金也可以朝行政法人組織來做改革。隨著基金累積金額的日漸龐大，監理委員會功能的發揮與否，與投資運用績效息息相關，將攸關未來退休者的給付與參與者的費率，如何有效發揮監理委員會的功能，是值得關注的議題。

台灣和世界一樣，人口持續老化，此外台灣在2011年是世界出生率最低的國家，同時在政府財政不斷赤字下，更使政府對公立教師所辦理的第一層社會保險退休年金、第二層對公教所辦理的退休職業年金，陷入前所未見的財務困難，各種精算報告明顯指出，未來十到二十年間，公教退休基金破產，指日可待，因此公教人員退休金制度等的改革浪潮，風起雲湧。 老年人退休金的主要需求來自於：一、一般日常生活需用的費用；二、因為身體退化關係，可能產生的醫療或長期照顧的費用；三、優渥生活品質額外產生的費用。一般民眾包括老師在計算退休金需求時，大多設想到第一項，最多還會設想到第三項。少有人設想到第二項，因為造成退休金需求低估。本研究在個案研究上，對一、二、三項都有著墨。 本研究探討公立中學教師的退休金規劃中，探討商業年金保險對其幫助。主要分為二類族群，一種是擁有退休撫卹制度舊制與新制混合的待退教師；另一種是純粹擁有新制的教師。首先就退休時所需的生活費用與探討政府能給予的退休年金改革前的狀況與改革後的狀況，加上本身自行理財的資產計算退休不足度。再依不同族群，給予商業年金保險的資產配置比例的建議，並討論其規劃前與規劃後的效益差別，進而闡述商業年金保險可保障長壽風險的不可取代性。 本研究做出以下結論：一、若想要規避長壽風險，那就需要年金保險、二、未來政府公教退休年金改革方向，給付只會更少，不會更多；三、商業年金保險和其他資產可以互補或替代；四、開放公保年金化，對新制教師有利月領退休金，降低長壽風險有利。

中國大陸於1997年向全國推廣個人帳戶制和社會統籌制相結合的養老保險制度。該個人帳戶制度缺乏互濟性，運行效果不彰，又復有空帳運轉、基金挪用等問題。本文利用文獻分析法，欲探究中國大陸養老保險個人帳戶法制之形成過程。養老保險個人帳戶制的改革是國有企業改革、市場經濟體制改革、世界銀行、新自由主義思潮和媒體宣傳、學界背書等因素共同作用的結果。累積式個人帳戶制度一定程度達到了減輕國有企業責任和國家財政負擔、處理通貨膨脹和累積資本的目的，卻缺乏共濟性，無法因應通貨膨脹風險，暴露國民於老年經濟風險之中。未來中國大陸養老保險之改革應回復保障老年經濟安全之主要目標，將個人帳戶制從基本養老保險層次分離，健全社會保險法制，方符合社會保險之理念，保障公民社會安全權。 / It’s in 1997 that mainland of China decides to promote the pension insurance system which has been combined between the individual retirement account and PAYG nationwide. There are some problems existing in such an IRA system such as the lacks of the mutuality, the unsatisfying operation effect, and the operation of the empty account as well as fund misappropriation. With the adoption of the literature analysis method, this paper aims to explore the formation process of mainland China IRA legal system of pension insurance. The reform of IRA system of pension insurance serves as the result of the joint action of numerous factors such as state-owned enterprise reform, market economy system reform, World Bank and neo-liberalism and media propaganda as well as academic endorsement. To some extent, the cumulative IRA has reached the goal of alleviating the responsibility of state-owned enterprises and the financial burden of the State, as well as dealing with inflation and accumulating capital. However, its lacks of the mutuality and inability to deal with the inflation risk will expose the citizens to the risk of the old economy. Therefore, in the future, the reform of pension insurance in mainland China should insist the main goal of guaranteeing the old-age economic security so as to not only separate IRA from basic pension insurance, but also perfect the social insurance legal system, and in such way it will conform to the concept of social insurance and guarantee the citizen's right to social security.

My thesis will focus on optimal investment decisions, especially those that are planned for longer investment horizon. I will review the literature, showing that changes in investment opportunities can alter the risk-return tradeoff over time and that asset return predictability has an important effect on the variance and correlation structure of returns on bonds, stocks and T bills across investment horizons. The main attention will be given to pension funds, which are institutional investors with relatively long investment horizon. I will find the term structure of risk-return tradeoff in the empirical part of this paper. Later on I will add some variables into the model and investigate whether it can improve the results. Finally the optimal investment strategies will be constructed for various levels of risk tolerance and the results will be compared with strategies of Czech pension funds. I am going to use data from Thomson Reuters Datastream, Wharton Research Data Services and additionally from some other sources.

World population is ageing and in Europe the situation is especially alarming. In the next two decades the ratio of people over 65 years of age is expected to double. This threatens long-term sustainability of welfare systems. The debate about future developments has been going on since the turn of the century. Based on this debate the European Union defined improving the inclusion of people over 50 as the main solution to this problem. The means to achieving this goal have been identified at the level of the labour market, disease prevention and lifelong learning. The specific instruments are: 1) increasing the participation of older workers in the labour market by increasing retirement age, introducing penalties for early retirement, promoting retraining of older and increasing retraining efficiency, 2) restructuring of pension systems and provision of social services and 3) strengthening participation of older people in society, applying the principles of active aging at all levels of social life and increasing the quality and variety of lifelong learning opportunities. This paper analyses the situation of persons over 50 years of age in the Czech Republic in terms of their position in the labour market, participation in social life and quality of life in the context of the strategic concept of...