<p> This study was undertaken to examine the perceptions of social responsibility as enacted by the micro-financial institution Caja Popular Tamazula, in Jalisco Mexico. The objective was development of insight regarding perceptions held by cooperative members regarding the impact and practices of the microfinance institution within this developing region of Mexico. This survey examined awareness of and satisfaction with the practices of corporate social responsibility exhibited by the micro-financial institution. Research assistants gathered responses from two participant groups: employees (Internal) and local residents (External). The data were compared to examine the manner the institution communicates its endeavors with cooperative members. Generally, satisfaction with the institution was reported. However, limited awareness of the specific social responsibility practices was noted. The findings identified the efforts of the MFI that were perceived by cooperative members as supportive and beneficial for the development of a flourishing community. Actions for future consideration and policy development were proposed. Alternative research approaches should be considered to elicit details from cooperative members regarding perceptions and relational dynamics of the micro-financial institution within this community.</p>

<p> In an industry characterized by oligopolistic market structures there are generally firms that have enough market power as to influence the pricing and output decisions of all participants, forcing others to follow the strategies decided by the dominant firm(s) with very little opportunity to do otherwise (Besanko et al 2010, Tirole 1990). When a dominant firm is at the same time part of a larger corporation, and due to the financial support it is likely to have from its parent, it has the capacity to support an above-average, constant long-term investment strategy as a logical reaction to protect (or minimize) the loss of market share, and the rest of the participants in the industry are expected to also make an attempt to increase their investments, permanently affecting their long-term capital structure strategy (Chevalier 1995). This dissertation&rsquo;s contribution to the literature in the field consists on presenting an empirical analysis of the capital structure decisions of the non-dominant firms in the Self-Service Discount Stores Industry (SSDSI) that result from the rapid expansion of Wal-Mart in the Mexican market, as well as an empirical analysis of the investment decisions in radiofrequencies of the incumbents firms in the capital structure of the other firms in the Mobile sector in Mexico.</p><p> Keywords (Industrial organization, Economics of Strategy, market structure, oligopolistic competition, capital structure, conditioned investment, market concentration, supermarket sector, spectrum auctions). </p>

<p> This research seeks to document if differences in perceptions of small business creditworthiness and lending practices of credit union and commercial lenders exist. This study applied a quantitative method to answer five questions: (1)How do small business owners perceive commercial lenders? (2)How do small business owners perceive credit union lenders? (3)How do commercial banks perceive small businesses? (4)How do credit unions perceive small businesses? (5)What are the differences in the perceptions of small businesses, commercial banks, and credit unions? The study used a quantitative survey instrument to gather data and the data was compared and contrasted among groups (Fitzgerald &amp; Rumrill, 2004). The chi-squared test of differences in probabilities and the goodness of fit test were applied (Figure 2A) to determine if there were differences in probabilities between answers.</p><p> The results of this study are significant to small business and banking leaders by helping to define how lenders&rsquo; and small businesses&rsquo; perceptions affect the differences in loan delinquency rates between commercial lenders and credit unions lenders and by offering new insight into how loan delinquency rates can be reduced. The results also pointed to inherent perceptions of small business owners and lenders that might contribute to the root causes of loan defaults and delinquencies. The results provided information upon which small business owners and financial institution loan officers might act in order to understand how to better manage loans and to reduce the rate of loan delinquency.</p>

<p>The three essays focus on important facets of R&amp;D such as the impact of competition, regulation and the difficulties in measuring R&amp;D and the dollars to be allocated to R&amp;D by a firm. In the first essay, we investigate Aghion etal. (2005), model on the relationship between R&amp;D and competition. We identify limitations in previous empirical tests of the model. Further, R&amp;D appropriability plays no role in the model although literature assigns it a significant role. Our comprehensive tests reveal that the model does not fully explain the R&amp;D-competition relationship, and the results depend on the competition measure used. We investigate the role R&amp;D appropriability and confirm its significance. Hence the model needs refinements. This study enhances our knowledge of the role competition and R&amp;D appropriability play in enhancing R&amp;D and helps formulate policies that promote R&amp;D. </p><p> In the second essay, we analyze the changes in pharmaceutical firms' stock prices following the recall of Vioxx, Merck's blockbuster drug, apropos three theories based on government regulation, product liability, and firms' reputations. We conduct an event study of estimated abnormal share returns using a Fama-French 3 factor model under seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) estimation. Our investigations support government regulation theory and suggest that R&amp;D-intensive firms suffer maximum adverse returns. Adverse returns reflect anticipated regulatory changes in approvals for new drugs. Drug recall harms the industry and future availability of new drugs. Stable and fair drug approvals policy can help the industry flourish. </p><p> The third essay critically examines measurement of R&amp;D. R&amp;D capital and cited patents are used in the literature to measure R&amp;D intensity and investigate market returns for R&amp;D. The results are ambiguous. Previous literature suggests that patents are distinct from R&amp;D expenditure, and R&amp;D is influenced by competition. We suggest eight new measures based on the interplay between R&amp;D and competition. We empirically test these measures on pharmaceutical and computer software industries which have the highest R&amp;D intensities of all industries. The new measures are more significant than R&amp;D capital and offer further insights on R&amp;D in these industries. These measures help in capital allocation for R&amp;D at firm level which maximizes stock returns. </p>

<p> The study analyzed survey data and investment returns from 477 angel investment ventures to evaluate factors related to financial rates of return. Principal components analysis, linear regression, and nonparametric methods were used to reduce and analyze the data. The findings indicated that only the angel investor&rsquo;s perception of market risk was related to the rates of return on their investment, and that the rates of return to the angel investors was superior to alternative investments in common market indexes. Logistic regression was used to construct a model that increased predicted angel investment break even by 50% over chance.</p>

<p> Participants in real-estate transactions involving the purchase of single-family homes consider a variety of factors when establishing a price. These factors include crime, interest rates, income, unemployment, quality of schools, and many other factors. The current quantitative, correlational and multiple regression analysis study examined the empirical relationships among price, crime, interest rates, income, unemployment, and schools in Prince George&rsquo;s County, Maryland, by examining the contribution of each independent variable to the dependent variable price. Findings indicated that income and unemployment have no significant relationship to price and do not contribute significantly to price of single-family homes. Interest rates, total crime, and school average SAT scores have a significant relationship with price and contribute individually and collectively to the final sales price of single-family homes in Prince George&rsquo;s County, Maryland. These findings support further research into the relationship and contribution of other independent variables to the price established for single-family homes. The study results have potential implications for the real-estate industry, private-sector leaders, and government officials to improve their leadership effectiveness in managing this aspect of the economy. </p>

<p> This mixed methods study was to examine coaches who provided coaching for leaders to improve employee career development, defined as the individual's involvement and satisfaction with the organization in achieving his or her goals (Harter, Schmidt, &amp; Haynes, 2002). The purpose is to determine if these coaches are able to be evaluated through assessments to determine who is more effective in coaching leaders in the financial services industry, and to determine the overall effectiveness in working with leaders to determine a non-traditional return on investment that an organization can use to measure coaching. One way to measure a coaching outcome is by goal achievement (Spence, 2007). The individual will be able to determine if measureable progress is being made toward goal achievement, which allows for earlier assessment of whether or not coaching is successful. This study was implemented to find out earlier if the coaching is working and to develop a more systemic way to assist high potential executives rather than leaving it up to each individual coach. The research creates a survey instrument and pilots its use in a financial services organization to evaluate the effectiveness of the questionnaire set created to conduct this study.</p>

<p> This dissertation consists of three essays studying the role of accounting data in predicting distributions of stock returns. In the first essay, I explore the ability of accruals to predict future price (earnings) crashes and jumps, representing extreme negative and positive observations in the distribution of firm-level weekly returns (changes in quarterly ROA). I find that high (low) accruals predict a higher probability of price and earnings crashes (jumps) than medium accruals. In the second essay, I re-examine the ability of asset turnover growth, which reflects growth in both assets and sales, to predict future stock returns. While the prevailing view is that this relation is due to the spread between sales and asset growth, my results suggest it is driven mainly by the asset growth component. I do, however, find that this spread is positively related to future returns for a subsample of firms that did not make significant acquisitions or divestitures. In the third essay, I re-examine the puzzling negative correlation between aggregate stock returns and aggregate earnings at the quarterly level. I find that the negative aggregate returns-earnings correlation is unstable and the negative correlation for the period of 1976-2000 is mainly caused by the negative correlation between aggregate earnings and discount rate news.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-02, Section: A, page: 0661. Adviser: Scott H. Irwin. Includes bibliographical references. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, Berkeley, 2005. / (UnM)AAI3190806. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-10, Section: A, page: 3707. Chair: Brett M. Trueman.