The following dissertation contains two unique empirical studies that contribute to the overall literature in the field of Financial Economics in the areas of mutual fund investing and financial intermediation and regulation. The first Chapter, entitled “The Impact of Macroeconomic Stress on the U.S. Financial Sector”, examines the relative impact of macroeconomic stress on financial and non-financial U.S. firms. Empirical results show that macroeconomic shocks appear to have a larger impact on financial firms. Additionally, the sensitivity of financial firms to macroeconomic events can be traced to the influence of non-depository institutions, or “shadow banks”, like finance and investment companies, which are less regulated than depository institutions. The results coincide with several trends in the financial sector including increased competition, complexity and interconnectedness and highlight the need for governance mechanisms that account for the risks associated with these factors. The second chapter, entitled “Partial Adjustment Towards Equilibrium Mutual Fund Allocations: Evidence from U.S.-based Equity Mutual Funds”, examines the relative efficiency of equity mutual funds in terms of speed of portfolio adjustment by applying a partial adjustment model. Empirical results show that mutual fund managers are able and willing to quickly adjust their portfolios when results have been sub-optimal, implying that the cost of persistent poor performance is perceived as being high. Managers can offset about 106 percent of the deviation within one period. Additionally, results show that funds that typically engage in the costly production of specialized information, like emerging market and sector funds have more efficient speeds of portfolio adjustment than more passive funds, like market index funds. The results imply that actively managed funds may have efficiency advantages that have been previously ignored in the empirical literature.

O presente estudo tem como propósito fazer uma análise empírica da estrutura dos custos de ajustamento do emprego em indústrias no Brasil, a partir de dados microeconômicos de empresas industriais do Rio Grande do Sul. O estudo é motivado pelas grandes mudanças no emprego industrial nos anos 90 e 2000 e o fato estilizado de grande heterogeneidade na flutuação do emprego revelado na literatura de fluxos de emprego. Inicialmente, identifica-se a existência de diferentes estruturas teóricas para custos de ajustamento do emprego, que podem ser agrupadas em custos convexos e nãoconvexos e funções quadráticas (simétricas) e não lineares. Uma revisão da literatura empírica revela que poucos estudos no mundo e nenhum usando dados brasileiros consideram a possibilidade de custos não quadráticos e/ou convexos. A identificação da estrutura de custos de ajustamento divide-se em metodologias empíricas complementares. Primeiro, uma metodologia semi-paramétrica de flutuação do emprego industrial empregando modelos de sobrevivência e matrizes de transição, de modo inovador no Brasil, para diferenciar se os custos são convexos ou não. Segundo, dentro de um modelo paramétrico de demanda por emprego usual, permitindo comparações com a literatura, a estimação de forma funcional da função de demanda com custos de ajustamento quadrático e linear. Os resultados mostram que o modelo dinâmico com custos de ajustamento quadrático pode se útil para dar uma idéia da dinâmica do ajuste do emprego, porém não é o modelo mais adequado. Isso fica evidente a partir do momento em que os resultados do modelo geral, o qual contempla os custos de ajustamento quadrático e fixo, demonstram a necessidade de incorporar ambos os custos. Ao mesmo tempo, os modelos semi-paramétrico sugerem que os custos de ajustamento não-convexos têm mais apoio nos dados. / The aim of this study is, from microeconomic data from industrial companies of Rio Grande do Sul, to perform an empirical analysis of the employment adjustment costs in industries in Brazil. This study is motivated by the changes in industrial employment in the last and present decades and by the stylized fact of heterogeneity in job flows revealed in jog flow literature. Initially, is showed the existence of different theoretical structures to explain employment adjustment costs, which can be classified as convex and non-convex costs and quadratic (symmetrical) and non-linear functions. An empirical literature review reveals that few studies in the world, none of them using brazilian data, consider the possibility of non-quadratic and/or non-convex costs. The identification of the structure of adjustment costs is split in complementary empirical methodologies. First, an industrial job flow semi-parametrical methodology that uses survival models and transition matrixes, innovative in Brazil, to state if the costs are convex or not. Second, in the context of a usual employment demand parametric model, allowing comparisons with the literature, the estimation of the quadratic and linear adjustment costs’ demand function’s functional form. Results show that the dynamic model with quadratic adjustment can be useful to give a clue about the job adjustment dynamic, but that it’s not the most adequate one. This stays clear from the moment in which the results of the general model, which considers the lumpy and quadratic adjustment costs, show the need of incorporating both of these costs. At the same time, the semi-parametric models suggest that the non-convex adjustment costs have more data appeal.

O presente estudo tem como propósito fazer uma análise empírica da estrutura dos custos de ajustamento do emprego em indústrias no Brasil, a partir de dados microeconômicos de empresas industriais do Rio Grande do Sul. O estudo é motivado pelas grandes mudanças no emprego industrial nos anos 90 e 2000 e o fato estilizado de grande heterogeneidade na flutuação do emprego revelado na literatura de fluxos de emprego. Inicialmente, identifica-se a existência de diferentes estruturas teóricas para custos de ajustamento do emprego, que podem ser agrupadas em custos convexos e nãoconvexos e funções quadráticas (simétricas) e não lineares. Uma revisão da literatura empírica revela que poucos estudos no mundo e nenhum usando dados brasileiros consideram a possibilidade de custos não quadráticos e/ou convexos. A identificação da estrutura de custos de ajustamento divide-se em metodologias empíricas complementares. Primeiro, uma metodologia semi-paramétrica de flutuação do emprego industrial empregando modelos de sobrevivência e matrizes de transição, de modo inovador no Brasil, para diferenciar se os custos são convexos ou não. Segundo, dentro de um modelo paramétrico de demanda por emprego usual, permitindo comparações com a literatura, a estimação de forma funcional da função de demanda com custos de ajustamento quadrático e linear. Os resultados mostram que o modelo dinâmico com custos de ajustamento quadrático pode se útil para dar uma idéia da dinâmica do ajuste do emprego, porém não é o modelo mais adequado. Isso fica evidente a partir do momento em que os resultados do modelo geral, o qual contempla os custos de ajustamento quadrático e fixo, demonstram a necessidade de incorporar ambos os custos. Ao mesmo tempo, os modelos semi-paramétrico sugerem que os custos de ajustamento não-convexos têm mais apoio nos dados. / The aim of this study is, from microeconomic data from industrial companies of Rio Grande do Sul, to perform an empirical analysis of the employment adjustment costs in industries in Brazil. This study is motivated by the changes in industrial employment in the last and present decades and by the stylized fact of heterogeneity in job flows revealed in jog flow literature. Initially, is showed the existence of different theoretical structures to explain employment adjustment costs, which can be classified as convex and non-convex costs and quadratic (symmetrical) and non-linear functions. An empirical literature review reveals that few studies in the world, none of them using brazilian data, consider the possibility of non-quadratic and/or non-convex costs. The identification of the structure of adjustment costs is split in complementary empirical methodologies. First, an industrial job flow semi-parametrical methodology that uses survival models and transition matrixes, innovative in Brazil, to state if the costs are convex or not. Second, in the context of a usual employment demand parametric model, allowing comparisons with the literature, the estimation of the quadratic and linear adjustment costs’ demand function’s functional form. Results show that the dynamic model with quadratic adjustment can be useful to give a clue about the job adjustment dynamic, but that it’s not the most adequate one. This stays clear from the moment in which the results of the general model, which considers the lumpy and quadratic adjustment costs, show the need of incorporating both of these costs. At the same time, the semi-parametric models suggest that the non-convex adjustment costs have more data appeal.

O presente estudo tem como propósito fazer uma análise empírica da estrutura dos custos de ajustamento do emprego em indústrias no Brasil, a partir de dados microeconômicos de empresas industriais do Rio Grande do Sul. O estudo é motivado pelas grandes mudanças no emprego industrial nos anos 90 e 2000 e o fato estilizado de grande heterogeneidade na flutuação do emprego revelado na literatura de fluxos de emprego. Inicialmente, identifica-se a existência de diferentes estruturas teóricas para custos de ajustamento do emprego, que podem ser agrupadas em custos convexos e nãoconvexos e funções quadráticas (simétricas) e não lineares. Uma revisão da literatura empírica revela que poucos estudos no mundo e nenhum usando dados brasileiros consideram a possibilidade de custos não quadráticos e/ou convexos. A identificação da estrutura de custos de ajustamento divide-se em metodologias empíricas complementares. Primeiro, uma metodologia semi-paramétrica de flutuação do emprego industrial empregando modelos de sobrevivência e matrizes de transição, de modo inovador no Brasil, para diferenciar se os custos são convexos ou não. Segundo, dentro de um modelo paramétrico de demanda por emprego usual, permitindo comparações com a literatura, a estimação de forma funcional da função de demanda com custos de ajustamento quadrático e linear. Os resultados mostram que o modelo dinâmico com custos de ajustamento quadrático pode se útil para dar uma idéia da dinâmica do ajuste do emprego, porém não é o modelo mais adequado. Isso fica evidente a partir do momento em que os resultados do modelo geral, o qual contempla os custos de ajustamento quadrático e fixo, demonstram a necessidade de incorporar ambos os custos. Ao mesmo tempo, os modelos semi-paramétrico sugerem que os custos de ajustamento não-convexos têm mais apoio nos dados. / The aim of this study is, from microeconomic data from industrial companies of Rio Grande do Sul, to perform an empirical analysis of the employment adjustment costs in industries in Brazil. This study is motivated by the changes in industrial employment in the last and present decades and by the stylized fact of heterogeneity in job flows revealed in jog flow literature. Initially, is showed the existence of different theoretical structures to explain employment adjustment costs, which can be classified as convex and non-convex costs and quadratic (symmetrical) and non-linear functions. An empirical literature review reveals that few studies in the world, none of them using brazilian data, consider the possibility of non-quadratic and/or non-convex costs. The identification of the structure of adjustment costs is split in complementary empirical methodologies. First, an industrial job flow semi-parametrical methodology that uses survival models and transition matrixes, innovative in Brazil, to state if the costs are convex or not. Second, in the context of a usual employment demand parametric model, allowing comparisons with the literature, the estimation of the quadratic and linear adjustment costs’ demand function’s functional form. Results show that the dynamic model with quadratic adjustment can be useful to give a clue about the job adjustment dynamic, but that it’s not the most adequate one. This stays clear from the moment in which the results of the general model, which considers the lumpy and quadratic adjustment costs, show the need of incorporating both of these costs. At the same time, the semi-parametric models suggest that the non-convex adjustment costs have more data appeal.

估價平滑相關研究大多採取Quan and Quigley（1991）提出的理性行為解釋估價師的部分調整行為。然而財務行為學認為行為人通常具有非理性的行為，因此本研究以保守性心理偏誤解釋部分調整行為，探討非理性心理對於估價師之影響。為了捕捉估價師個體的行為資訊，本研究以台灣不動產投資信託的重估價結果作為研究資料，檢視估價師對市場新資訊和過去估值的處理行為。本研究首先應用部分調整模型進行實證分析，結果發現台灣估價師確實具有部分調整行為，相對較低估市場價值資訊的權重，而此類保守性偏誤即為總體估價平滑效果的展現。此外進一步以Tobit Model進行市場價值資訊權重的影響因素分析，結果發現市場資訊的權重會受到心理效果而改變，當估價方法價值差異率越大時，估價師會降低市場資訊的權重，展現了對模糊事件的趨避傾向。捷思法可以幫助估價師提升效率，但過度依賴捷思法亦有可能引發錯誤和偏差；本研究發現模糊趨避效果顯示估價師更重視市場資訊的可信度，似較符合估價證據之要求，故非理性心理偏誤對估價師言非全為負面影響。 / Previous appraisal smoothing studies were based on the appraiser rational behavior assumptions which developed by Quan and Quigley (1991) and found that appraisers do insufficiently react to market fluctuate. However, this paper starts with behavioral finance theory to investigate the partial adjustment behavior of Taiwan appraisers, using the reappraisals of Taiwan Real Estate Investment Trust (T-REITs) to show each appraiser’s behavioral intention at disaggregate level which could be diversified away at aggregate level. This study tests the partial adjustment model to observe the weights of new market information and previous estimates of the same property reappraisal. The results show that Taiwan appraisers more rely on the previous estimates, namely the conservatism bias, which will induce the appraisal smoothing at aggregate level. Further, the Tobit Model is employed to test the influence factors of appraisers’ weight on new market information, and the results show weights on new market information will be affected by appraisers’ heuristics. There is a negative effect to weights on new market information which stands for the ambiguity aversion of appraisers. It shows appraiser do concern about the reliability of market evidence which is much accord with the appraisal normative model.

近幾年針對資本結構的研究發現,在比較先進國家的企業確實有逐步調整回自己的最適資本結構的動作。本論文進一步將研究擴大到開發中國家，發現研究中的32個國家，不論是已開發或是發開中國家的企業，確實都有維持最適資本結構的動作。當資本結構偏離時，企業會逐步地調整回其最適值，然而每個國家調整回最適資本結構的調整速度則存在著差異性。本論文進一步利用國家間法律、會計、制度以及規範面的差異下去分析，發現國家發展程度以及會計制度是影響調整回最適資本結構的速度快慢的重要因子。此外，本論文亦探討融資順位理論及擇時理論的影響，發現加入融資順位理論因子後，調整速度會有相當程度的減緩，而減緩的幅度，則與國家發展程度、法律保護、公司稅率以及會計制度有顯著的關連性。 / Recent empirical literature provides evidences that firms in most developed countries do partially adjust toward their target capital structure. In this paper, we show that no only firms in developed countries, but also those in emerging countries gradually move back to their long-run equilibrium when they are away from it. But the adjustment speeds vary from country to country. We study the determinants of adjustment speeds around the world by focusing on differences in laws and regulations across countries. Our evidences show that firms in countries with common-law tradition, stronger shareholder right, or more completed accounting standards tend to move back to their optimal leverage quicker. Furthermore, we add two variables related to other two main capital structures (pecking order and market timing) in our analysis to capture their effects. Both theories add some information in explaining capital structure, but the impacts differ when applying different leverage measures. When we define leverage ratio as long-term debts dividend by net assets, we observe that pecking order factor lowers the adjustment speed a lot. And the magnitude of decrease on adjustment speed is significantly correlated with market condition, law enforcement, corporate tax rate and accounting standard. More developed countries and countries with stronger law enforcement, higher corporate tax rate, or more completed accounting standards tend to have less reduction on adjustment speed when including pecking order factor, because they have less information asymmetries.

Submitted by Cristiane Oliveira (cristiane.oliveira@fgv.br) on 2011-06-03T15:35:44Z No. of bitstreams: 1 66080100257.pdf: 200849 bytes, checksum: ae84097637204a6b31a102a876915f87 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vera Lúcia Mourão(vera.mourao@fgv.br) on 2011-06-03T16:51:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 66080100257.pdf: 200849 bytes, checksum: ae84097637204a6b31a102a876915f87 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vera Lúcia Mourão(vera.mourao@fgv.br) on 2011-06-03T17:02:51Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 66080100257.pdf: 200849 bytes, checksum: ae84097637204a6b31a102a876915f87 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2011-06-03T17:08:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 66080100257.pdf: 200849 bytes, checksum: ae84097637204a6b31a102a876915f87 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-01-27 / We develop partial adjustment and duration models to test the relevance of country idiosyncrasies in determining the capital structure of publicly-traded Brazilian, Chilean and Mexican firms. Our data panel, ranging from the 4th quarter of 1996 to the 2nd quarter of 2010, consists of 4403 firm-quarter observations pertaining to 139 firms. Our findings suggest that capital structure dynamics vary by country and that local idiosyncrasies are key determinants of firms’ leverage levels. Additionally, trade off behavior cannot be clearly detected among Brazilian, Chilean and Mexican firms, suggesting that alternative theories steer the financing decision processes of Latin American managers. / Desenvolvemos modelos de ajuste parcial e de duration para testar a relevância de fatores específicos de países na determinação da estrutura de capital de empresas listadas nas bolsas de valores brasileira, chilena e mexicana. Utilizamos dados em painel, em um período que se estende do quarto trimestre de 1996 ao segundo trimestre de 2010, abrangendo 4403 observações relacionadas a 139 empresas diferentes. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a dinâmica da estrutura de capital varia por país e que idiossincrasias locais são determinantes-chave dos níveis de alavancagem das empresas. Não detectamos comportamento explicado pela Teoria de Trade Off entre as empresas brasileiras, chilenas e mexicanas, o que indica que teorias alternativas possam comandar os processos de decisão de financiamento dos gestores latino americanos.