Individuals, endowments, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds constantly face portfolio management decisions ultimately affecting the lives of billions. This dissertation addresses two crucial challenges in the context of portfolio management which are to identify the optimal portfolio at any given point in time and to transition the portfolio accordingly. The first essay considers the dynamic consumption/portfolio allocation problem and develops solution techniques allowing us to identify the optimal portfolio allocation (between a risky and risk-free asset) and consumption level over time. Deciding how much to consume, versus how much to save is a question affecting nearly everyone. This essay develops two perturbation methods that yield approximate closed-form solutions to dynamic portfolio allocation/consumption problems under general preferences and a time-varying investment opportunity set. These solution methods are illustrated with examples involving time-varying expected returns, volatility, and interest rates. The second essay examines this monolithic "risky asset" more closely, developing a robust diversification method to define the optimal allocation of assets within the risky portfolio component. This diversification method relies solely on the covariance structure of the investment opportunity set which can be much more precisely estimated than expected returns. Using this new approach leads to an alternative to the mean-variance efficient set of portfolios as traditionally implemented. The resulting optimally diversified portfolio equalizes the correlation between each asset and the overall portfolio. This approach provides individuals and institutions with a robust and stable asset allocation rule which avoids the typical over-concentrations associated with substantial losses during market downturns. The third essay analyzes the question of how to optimally transition a portfolio from one set of allocations to another in the face of transaction costs (which are quantity-sensitive) and a penalty (utility) function for not holding the target portfolio. This improves on existing models by allowing for portfolio mandates that may not be mean-variance efficient, e.g., if they are sub-portfolios and do not represent the total wealth of an investor, or if political or reputational concerns lead to restricting investments. This essay identifies a formula for the optimal rebalancing path and shows that there are several general factors influencing this path.

The primary intent of this paper is to analyze managerial/administrative support for the Equal Employment Opportunity Program in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The analysis involves the examination of three problem areas in the Equal Employment Opportunity Program. The problem areas are identified as a lack of resources, a lack of personnel, and a lack of enthusiasm among employees for the program. The evaluation of these problem areas gives insight to the support obtained from management. Recommendations for improving these problem areas follow the analysis.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine and analyze the organizational design of the Democratic Party of Georgia. An attempt has been made to discuss the organizational problems of the party focusing specifically on coordination and communication problems. The study presents a historical view of political parties and also focuses on the organizational design of the earlier political parties. The concepts of span of control and authority relationships have been examined in the context of the structure of the Democratic Party of Georgia. The researcher has suggested an organizational design that attempts to foster efficiency and promote the coordination and communication of the activities of the Democratic Party of Georgia. This study’s focus is primarily an exploratory and descriptive analysis of the Democratic Party of Georgia. In the process of conducting the study the researcher utilized several methods. These methods included: 1) a review of the related social science; 2) a survey of people who have had practical experiences with the problems; and 3) an analysis of “insight-stimulating” person in the Democratic Party of Georgia.

The primary intent of this paper is to discuss the efforts of U.S. Representative Harold Ford, to address certain problems confronting members of his constituency. These efforts involve the introduction of legislation as well as dealing with a federal agency in order to assist the constituents. These efforts on the part of Congressman Ford are very significant for several reasons: The intervention on behalf of the elderly residents represented an attempt to address the needs of one of the most neglected segments of the American population —the elderly. The Health Care Legislation introduced by the Congressman is more comprehensive than what exists at the moment; and the National Gas Pricing Amendments Act attempted to challenge the dominant role of the oligarchic oil companies in determining the price of natural gas. The main sources of information were Congressional Research Service Reports, and Inter-office Memoranda from Congressman Ford’s Washington office. Also a wide variety of secondary information, periodicals and books was used.

The primary purpose of this paper is to examine some of the critical issues inherent in the administration of employee assistance programs (EAPs). The focus is on these critical issues in an attempt to analyze those problems confronting the administration of EAPs. This study is significant because of the widespread concern over increasing losses in employee productivity within organizations. In an effort to correct this situation, EAPs have been implemented by various organizations both in the private as well as public sectors. Although EAPs are largely successful, critical problems continue to challenge the administration of such programs, Moreover, in order to define successful strategies to deal with troubled employees, management must consider certain critical issues associated with employee assistance programs (EAPs). These issues include the following: 1. Problem areas that exist in a particular employee population 2. The significance of the impact of those problems upon the organization 3. Approaches to be considered in addressing problem areas 4. Compliance with federal and state confidentiality laws and regulations The major findings of this study reveal that in order for an EAP to be effective, the organization must examine its own individual needs and shape its EAP to those needs. At the same time, it is essential for the organization to strive for the flexibility necessary to adapt the organization’s structure to the changing needs of its workforce. Furthermore, these conditions must be continually met in order for employee assistance programs (EAPs) to remain successful. This process of integrating EAP functions with organizational goals is achieved through strategic planning. This study relies mainly on information obtained fran a variety of secondary sources which includes books, scholarly journals, periodicals and urpublished materials.

The purpose of this study is to focus on the problem of communication within the Office of Grant, Planning, Management and Support in the Depart ment of Community and Human Development - City of Atlanta. To have an adequate flow of communication in any organization, clearly defined goals and objectives must be understood by the members of that organization. This is a participant-observer study which is based upon a six month internship within the Office of Grant, Planning, Management and Support. Much of the information used in this study was obtained through informal communication with line and staff persons in the Office of Grant, Planning, Management and Support. Recommendations are given on how an adequate flow of communication could enhance and improve the operations within the Office of Grant, Planning, Management and Support as well as raise the morale of the employees in that office.

The primary intent of this degree paper is to discuss the functions of the Brooke-Hancock-Jeffersofl (BHJ) Metropolitan Regional Planning Commission, a regional commission in the Upper Ohio Valley, and the effects of decreased funding onthis organization’s ability to provide services to area governments. An attempt has also been made to present alternative solutions of reducing staff and personnel without threatening the exist ence of the organization itself. Private and public organiza tions’ solutions are presented along with those of the writer. Regional planning commissions have played key roles in com municating regional needs to state and federal agencies and offices; initiating or suggesting programs or policies to area governments which would address local problems; and facilitat ing the use of available public funds for local projects. These types of organizations have been instrumental in getting county and municipal governments to work together on issues and prob lems that transcend state, county and local boundaries. How ever, the point of this discussion is how such organizations deal with a decline in funds which would affect the delivery of the aforementioned services. The BHJ Metropolitan Regional Planning Commission is pre sented as an organization that faced the problem, derived and initiated a method of cutting back services and personnel, and retained a high quality and quantity of services rendered. The main sources of information were notes made during the internship experience, books that provided insights on the types of regional planning commissions and the definition of cutback management, and the BHJ Regional Development Plan. Personal interviews were also conducted with practitioners in the field of cutback management.

No description available.

This study was undertaken to examine the Supervisor's span of control in the 1981 Summer Youth Employment Program's worksite monitoring unit. In conducting the study, interviews were administered to the worksite monitoring interns of the unit, the worksite monitoring supervisor and the coordinator of Program Development of the 1981 Summer Youth Employment Program. The interviewers discovered a number of problems. The study found that there 'vas indeed a problem with the worksite monitoring supervisor's span of control, and it did not lend itself to effective management. This paper suggests a number of recommendations to reduce certain factors which contributed to problems with the worksite monitoring supervisor's span of control, and how to increase productivity in the worksite monitoring unit of the summer program.

The major goal of this degree paper is to assess evaluate the effects of incorporating a computer based-word processing system in Field Support of the Internal Revenue Service. An attempt has been made to focus on the stated goals and objectives of this technological advancement. The purpose of Field Support is to provide technical and clerical assistance to Revenue Officers in the Atlanta District. A centralized unit was agreed upon to serve the professional needs and assist the Revenue Officers in their collection of delinquent or unassessed taxes. This study is significant because of the fact that automation involves serious controversy. Some view it as an attempt to modernize an organization's operations and effect cost-saving measures, while others view automation as an attempt to reduce staff and excerbated informal relationships within the organization. A major finding of the study is that with the installation of the automated system into Field Support, there was increased quality of work, increased effectiveness in accomplishment of work, and increased efficiency. The main sources of information were journals, books and reports which included Public Administration Review and unpublished surveys and statistics of Field Support.