published_or_final_version / Economics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

A variety of both parametric and nonparametric test statistics have been employed in the finance literature for the purpose of conducting hypothesis tests in event studies. This thesis begins by formally deriving the result that these statistics may not follow their conventionally assumed distribution in finite samples and in some cases even asymptotically. Thus, standard event study test statistics can exhibit a statistically significant bias to size in practice, a result which I document extensively. The bias typically arises due to commonly observed stock return traits, including non-normality, which violate basic assumptions underlying the event study test statistics. In this thesis, I develop an unbiased and powerful alternative: conventional test statistics are normalized in a straightforward manner, then their distribution is estimated using the bootstrap. This bootstrap approach allows researchers to conduct powerful and unbiased event study inference. I adopt the approach in an event study which makes use of a unique data set of failed-bank acquirers in the United States. By employing the bootstrap approach, instead of more conventional and potentially misleading event study techniques, I overturn the past finding of significant gains to failed-bank acquirers. This casts doubt on the common belief that the federal deposit insurance agency's failed-bank auction procedures over-subsidize the acquisition of failed banks.

No description available.

The impacts which computerisation might have on the psychology and physiology of users have exercised the minds of scholars for many years. There has also been growing concern in trade unionism about the same subject and this has forced some governments to be involved in the debate. This study was conducted, not as an attempt to join a debate, rather it was an attempt to shed light on that debate through an investigation of computer workstations in an African developing country. It started by tracing the evolving nature of the issues which surround work-related diseases and how over a period of time an attempt was made to link computers with these diseases. The debate which erupted over this link has been inconclusive. Having been familiar with this debate in the developed world, the questions of health and safety of computer users in the developing countries became a major concern. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the ergonomic issues involved in the process of computerisation in the developing world. However, because computerisation process is a broad venture comprising many elements and phases, the study was devoted to computer workstation designs. Also, because of natural limitations it was impossible to investigate each African country in turn. Consequently, Nigeria was chosen as an example of these developing countries. To conduct such a study, there must be real evidence of computerisation in the chosen country. Thus, efforts were mäde to look for that aspect of the Nigerian economy which has made the most advancement in implementing computing. As in other developed countries, the banking sector in Nigeria has shown commitment to computer application. Hence, a decision was made to select it as the basis for an ergonomic research. The rate of computerisation in the Nigerian banks has been sufficiently rapid that by 1990, some banks were already experimenting with Automated Teller Machine (cash point systems). The results demonstrated that the standards and methods used in the developed countries are equally applicable to Nigeria and that most computer workstations in Nigeria failed to match the requirements of the standards

Thesis (DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2005.

Volume crimes such as burglary and street robbery present an enormous cost to the Australian community each year. These ubiquitous crimes traditionally have a low resolution rate, but the use of information gathered through DNA databases provides another avenue of investigation. The forensic response to these crimes could be increased with the use of trace DNA; however the lack of awareness of forensic science as a holistic discipline focusing on the study of traces, often leads to a lack of knowledge into the trace evidence characteristics of DNA. This problem is compounded by practical and interpretive difficulties. The main hypothesis tested through this study is that, with an increased understanding into the criminalistic properties of trace DNA, it may prove to be more useful and effective evidence in the investigation of volume crime than is currently the case. The project encompassed three parts. The first component was a detailed survey sent to every jurisdiction in Australia and New Zealand to benchmark methods and protocols, education and training of personnel, and opinions and uses of trace DNA. The second involved the analysis of the results of 250 trace DNA swabs collected from New South Wales crime scenes, in order to provide a comparison point to the experimental work. The final section comprised preliminary experimental work to investigate the abundance, transfer and persistence of trace DNA within the context of residential burglary and street robbery offences. The methods survey helped to identify methods to be used in the experimental component of the project, but also highlighted issues in the field including a lack of training and proficiency testing. The absence of data collation across the jurisdictions was also a point for concern, and prevented the identification of factors that may affect trace DNA success rates. The pervading outcome of the survey was the need for effective data management systems and strong communication lines to facilitate best practice. From the analysis of the casework data a success rate in the order of 15- 20% was identified for New South Wales trace DNA swabs, with an average of 1.7ng of DNA recovered. Subsets of the data were used to directly compare to the experimental results in terms of transfer and persistence. The experimental work gave an insight into the behaviour of trace DNA in crime scene scenarios. The level of background DNA on surfaces encountered in forensic investigations was varied; for example residential doors were found to hold more background DNA than windows. Whilst the level of DNA on personal items such as bags and wallets was found to be relatively high, DNA from the offenders of simulated robberies could still be detected in usable quantities on these items. DNA was found to persist in sheltered locations for at least six weeks,but declined more rapidly in outdoor environments, with profiles not recovered after two weeks. This information may help to assist the interpretation and presentation of trace DNA evidence when the judicial question is one of activity, rather than source. The data also may be used in the education of crime scene examiners to assist them to target the most probative evidential samples. With further work in this field, trace DNA will be more easily applied to investigations. Trace DNA may be a useful tool in volume crime investigations, but individual jurisdictions should assess their capacity to manage the evidence to ensure results can be disseminated and actioned in a timely manner, otherwise the investment may prove to be fruitless. Effective and ongoing training programs and functional data management systems should be implemented to maximise both the investigative and intelligence value of trace DNA evidence. A holistic approach to the implementation of forensic evidence, encompassing the groundwork of theoretical analysis, review of capabilities and logistical and technical improvements, would greatly increase its value in policing and the criminal justice system.

Volume crimes such as burglary and street robbery present an enormous cost to the Australian community each year. These ubiquitous crimes traditionally have a low resolution rate, but the use of information gathered through DNA databases provides another avenue of investigation. The forensic response to these crimes could be increased with the use of trace DNA; however the lack of awareness of forensic science as a holistic discipline focusing on the study of traces, often leads to a lack of knowledge into the trace evidence characteristics of DNA. This problem is compounded by practical and interpretive difficulties. The main hypothesis tested through this study is that, with an increased understanding into the criminalistic properties of trace DNA, it may prove to be more useful and effective evidence in the investigation of volume crime than is currently the case. The project encompassed three parts. The first component was a detailed survey sent to every jurisdiction in Australia and New Zealand to benchmark methods and protocols, education and training of personnel, and opinions and uses of trace DNA. The second involved the analysis of the results of 250 trace DNA swabs collected from New South Wales crime scenes, in order to provide a comparison point to the experimental work. The final section comprised preliminary experimental work to investigate the abundance, transfer and persistence of trace DNA within the context of residential burglary and street robbery offences. The methods survey helped to identify methods to be used in the experimental component of the project, but also highlighted issues in the field including a lack of training and proficiency testing. The absence of data collation across the jurisdictions was also a point for concern, and prevented the identification of factors that may affect trace DNA success rates. The pervading outcome of the survey was the need for effective data management systems and strong communication lines to facilitate best practice. From the analysis of the casework data a success rate in the order of 15- 20% was identified for New South Wales trace DNA swabs, with an average of 1.7ng of DNA recovered. Subsets of the data were used to directly compare to the experimental results in terms of transfer and persistence. The experimental work gave an insight into the behaviour of trace DNA in crime scene scenarios. The level of background DNA on surfaces encountered in forensic investigations was varied; for example residential doors were found to hold more background DNA than windows. Whilst the level of DNA on personal items such as bags and wallets was found to be relatively high, DNA from the offenders of simulated robberies could still be detected in usable quantities on these items. DNA was found to persist in sheltered locations for at least six weeks,but declined more rapidly in outdoor environments, with profiles not recovered after two weeks. This information may help to assist the interpretation and presentation of trace DNA evidence when the judicial question is one of activity, rather than source. The data also may be used in the education of crime scene examiners to assist them to target the most probative evidential samples. With further work in this field, trace DNA will be more easily applied to investigations. Trace DNA may be a useful tool in volume crime investigations, but individual jurisdictions should assess their capacity to manage the evidence to ensure results can be disseminated and actioned in a timely manner, otherwise the investment may prove to be fruitless. Effective and ongoing training programs and functional data management systems should be implemented to maximise both the investigative and intelligence value of trace DNA evidence. A holistic approach to the implementation of forensic evidence, encompassing the groundwork of theoretical analysis, review of capabilities and logistical and technical improvements, would greatly increase its value in policing and the criminal justice system.

Univ., Diss.--Poznań, 2005.

Summary in English. / At head of title: Banca Natională a Republicii Socialiste România. "Autorii: Liviu Andrucovici ... [et al.]." Includes bibliographical references.