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This thesis provides more precise characterisation of patterns, causes and consequences of takeover activity in Australia over three decades spanning from 1972 to 2004. The first contribution of the thesis is to characterise the time series behaviour of takeover activity. It is found that linear models do not adequately capture the structure of merger activity; a non-linear two-state Markov switching model works better. A key contribution of the thesis is, therefore, to propose an approach of combining a State-Space model with the Markov switching regime model in describing takeover activity. Experimental results based on our approach show an improvement over other existing approaches. We find four waves, one in the 1980s, two in the 1990s, and one in the 2000s, with an expected duration of each wave state of approximately two years. The second contribution is an investigation of the extent to which financial and macro-economic factors predict takeover activity after controlling for the probability of takeover waves. A main finding is that while stock market boom periods are empirically associated with takeover waves, the underlying driver is interest rate level. A low interest rate environment is associated with higher aggregate takeover activity. This relationship is consistent with Shleifer and Vishny (1992)'s liquidity argument that takeover waves are symptoms of lower cost of capital. Replicating the analysis to the biggest takeover market in the world, the US, reveals a remarkable consistency of results. In short, the Australian findings are not idiosyncratic. Finally, the implications for target and bidder firm shareholders are explored via investigation of takeover bid premiums and long-term abnormal returns separately between the wave and non-wave periods. This represents the third contribution to the literature of takeover waves. Findings reveal that target shareholders earn abnormally positive returns in takeover bids and bid premiums are slightly lower in the wave periods. Analysis of the returns to bidding firm shareholders suggests that the lower premiums earned by target shareholders in the wave periods may simply reflect lower total economic gains, at the margin, to takeovers made in the wave periods. It is found that bidding firms earn normal post-takeover returns (relative to a portfolio of firms matched in size and survival) if their bids are made in the non-wave periods. However, bidders who announce their takeover bids during the wave periods exhibit significant under-performance. For mergers that took place within waves, there is no difference in bid premiums and nor is there a difference in the long-run returns of bidders involved in the first half and second half of the waves. We find that none of theories of merger waves (managerial, mis-valuation and neoclassical) can fully account for the Australian takeover waves and their effects. Instead, our results suggest that a combination of these theories may provide better explanation. Given that normal returns are observed for acquiring firms, taken as a whole, we are more likely to uphold the neoclassical argument for merger activity. However, the evidence is not entirely consistent with neo-classical rational models, the under-performance effect during the wave states is consistent with the herding behaviour by firms.

The thesis is focused on the development of health insurance benefits under the social security system in the Czech Republic. Aiming to secure people for future social events, which may be predictable (age) or unpredictable (disability, funeral, sickness, widowhood, etc.) and prevent poverty or the worst consequences. This thesis briefly describes the system of social security. More specifically focuses on health insurance, health insurance benefits and their development. It also contains the characteristics of the selected business entity and cost analysis of selected companies of employing workers and their absence from work, which is associated with the payment of sickness benefits. Finally, it presents the identification of direct and indirect costs associated with health insurance benefits and their impact on the profit of the selected business entity. The conclusion describes the effect of the payment of health insurance benefits for profit companies, including negative and positive impacts.

This Master's thesis deals with analysis of the Czech business liability insurance market, while using a predefined client for preparation of insurance proposals. It then performs an analysis of fulfilling the requirements through control of insurance terms and conditions. Furthermore, the thesis compares the information required by individual insurance companies for the insurance calculations and examines the factors on which the client decides among the proposed insurances. In the course of the thesis is mapped the work of insurance broker, whose activity corresponds to the individual tasks performed by the thesis.

Title: Modelling Dependent Lives Author: Eva Pavčová Department: Department of Probability and Mathematical Statistics Supervisor: RNDr. Lucie Mazurová, Ph.D., Department of Probability and Mathematical Statistics Abstract: In this thesis, we model the dependence between the remaining lifetimes of a husband and wife using a specific Markov model. We examined the impact of the dependence on the net single premium using the specific Markov model that captures the long-term dependence between lifetimes of the two considered lives. Using this model we have calculated 10-year joint-life annuity due and 10-year last-survivor annuity due considering the age rage (37, 80) in case of dependence and also independence of the two considered lives. The calculations were based on the dataset related to the Czech population in 2015. The impact of the dependence between the remaining lifetimes of the husband and wife was found to be not significant. Keywords: positive quadrant depedence, multiple life insurance premiums, depen- dent lifetimes, joint-life annuity, last-survivor annuity, joint-life and last-survivor models

The subject of the thesis is the market value of the company KRPA PAPER, a.s. as of December 31st, 2014. The aim of the thesis is an aplication of teoretical knowledge in a particular example. The purpose is to determine the net market value of the company. The thesis is divided into chapters which represent the typical phases of the valuation of a company. At the beginning of each chapter there is a brief description of its purpose in a business valuation. In the introduction part the basic aspects of the valuation are described. The financial and strategic analysis, the value drivers, the financial plan and the valuation chapters follow. For the valuation itself the DCF Entity method is used. The discount on the entity level is applied.

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In this project, the problem concerns predicting insurance premiums and particularly vehicle insurance premiums. These predictions were made with the help of Bayesian Neural Networks (BNNs), a type of Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The central concept of BNNs is that the parameters of the network follow distributions, which is beneficial. The modeling was done with the help of TensorFlow's Probability API, where a few models were built and tested on the data provided. The results conclude the possibility of predicting insurance premiums. However, the output distributions in this report were too wide to use. More data, both in volume and in the number of features, and better-structured data are needed. With better data, there is potential in building BNN and other machine learning (ML) models that could be useful for production purposes. / Detta projekt grundar sig i möjligheten till att predikera försäkringspremier, mer specifikt fordonsförsäkringspremier. Prediktioner har gjorts med hjälp av Bayesianska neurala nätverk, vilket är en typ av artificiella neurala nätverk. Det huvudsakliga konceptet med Bayesianska neurala nätverk är att parametrarna i nätverket följer distributioner vilket har vissa fördelar och inte är fallet för vanliga artificiella neurala nätverk. Ett antal modeller har konstruerats med hjälp av TensorFlow Probability API:t som tränats och testats på given data. Resultatet visar att det finns potential att prediktera premier med hjälp av de egenskapspunkter\footnote[2]{\say{Features} på engelska} som finns tillgängliga, men att resultaten inte är tillräckligt bra för att kunna användas i produktion. Med mer data, både till mängd och egenskapspunkter samt bättre strukturerad data finns potential att skapa bättre modeller av intresse för produktion.

It is in the area of the regulation of a company's share capital and distributions to shareholders that the inherent conflict between creditors and shareholders, and the fragile balance among shareholders internally, intersect. The share capital of a company underlies its corporate structure and represents not only its initial own funds from which creditors can be paid, but also the relative equity interests of the shareholders. The balance between shareholders can be disturbed by capital reorganisations through increase, reduction or variation of share capital or through disproportionate contributions by, or distributions to, shareholders. Share repurchases are particularly risky in this regard. Creditor interests are affected when their prior right to payment is endangered by distributions to shareholders. This study analyses the South African Law relating to share capital and distributions against the background of a comparative study of the laws of England, New Zealand, Delaware and California, as well as the provisions of the American Model Business Corporations Act. Two main approaches to creditor protection are evident. The capital maintenance doctrine, which is followed in England and Delaware, protects creditors by emphasising the notional share capital of the company as a limit on distributions. In contrast, the solvency and liquidity approach focuses on the net assets of the company and on its ability to pay its debts. New Zealand, California and the Model Business Corporations Act represent this approach. Regulatory responses to shareholder protection range from insistence on compliance with procedural requirements to minimal statutory intervention in the internal affairs of companies, instead relying on general principles of fairness and good faith. There is little correlation between a particular system's approach to creditor protection on the one hand, and to shareholder protection on the other. England, New Zealand and South Africa prescribe specific formalities, while the American approach is more relaxed. South Africa is a hybrid system. Its transition from capital maintenance to solvency and liquidity has been incomplete and its protection of equity interests is relatively unsophisticated. A number of recommendations are made for an effective and coherent approach that will safeguard the interests of creditors and shareholders alike. / School: Law / LL.D.

Medical negligence is a growing concern within South Africa.1 The medical environment has great potential for conflict, because even the best trained physicians can commit errors that result in medical disabilities and sometimes in death.2 The conflicts that follow from these errors are mostly fuelled by emotions and they can become very expensive and time-consuming to settle using the litigation process.3 There is a growing recognition that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) systems in healthcare may alleviate some of the financial and psychological burdens on doctors and patients involved in medical negligence disputes. Mediation is a method of ADR that is flexible and it permits the parties to the dispute to have control over the resolution. A typical medical negligence dispute is driven by intensely emotional factors on the part of injured patients. Victims are not merely seeking financial compensation but they are also looking to understand the circumstances that brought on the event at hand. They want closure. A huge issue with regard to medical negligence litigation is the manner in which the claims are resolved. Litigation provides injured patients and caregivers with a traditional platform for addressing medical negligence claims. However, due to many reasons, this system seems not to be adequate for dealing with disputes arising from alleged medical negligence. Mediation offers a promising solution to the problems surrounding redress of medical negligence disputes. / Jurisprudence / LL. M.