In accordance with the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, conflict minerals refer to gold, tantalum, tin, and tungsten bearing minerals sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that have been mined illegally and used to funnel funds to rebel forces. In response to an increasing demand for these metals used in cellphones, computers, and other popular technologies, Dodd-Frank mandates that industrial consumers demonstrate due diligence and assure that the materials they use have been extracted legally. Because current chain-of-custody methods have not been effective in sourcing ores, a study was undertaken whereby the range of mineralogical characteristics of 15 samples along the wolframite solid solution series were determined in order to ascertain if differences in these characteristics would permit fingerprinting of the source deposit of wolframite, of which the DRC is the world's fifth largest producer. For these 15 samples, single-crystal X-ray structure and powder X-ray diffraction studies have been conducted; major, minor and trace element chemistry has been determined using ICP-MS and ICP-OES; and Raman spectroscopy has been carried out. Finally, statistical methods were used to determine relationships between samples, and the results of that mathematical work show that there is no firm method at the present time of determining the provenance of a sample based on the information of the crystal structure, diffraction patterns, vibrational frequencies/scattering, or major and trace elemental chemistry. This study elucidates the range of mineralogical properties along the hübnerite-ferberite solid solution series while working towards to development of an analytical technique that is affordable, practical, accessible and effective for industrial consumers seeking product certification and compliance with the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act.

The aim of the thesis is to analyse the non-bank regulatory framework with particular attention devoted to hedge funds and private equity funds. The thesis describes functioning of the funds, discusses their performance during the global financial crisis of 2007-present and, predominantly, describes and analyses the EU and U.S. regulatory reforms with respect to these institutions which have arisen as a response to the crisis. Based on the analysis of the measures incorporated in these reforms, the thesis outlines its own proposal of an alternative investment fund regulatory framework which, if applied, would lead to a more efficient functioning of the alternative investment industry than what is likely to be the outcome of the already adopted reforms. The nature of the thesis is institutional; its methodology is characterized by a broad literature survey. Hedge funds and private equity funds are considered both in pre-crisis context as well as in circumstances that have been brought about by the crisis. Several hypotheses concerning systemic risk and the approach of the regulatory reforms to it are assessed. Mostly qualitative analysis is employed to evaluate the hypotheses.

Thesis advisor: Donald Fishman / The purpose of this thesis is to examine a multitude of concepts related to the phenomenon of whistleblowing. Chinn, Mufson, and Pearlman (2013) underline that we find ourselves “in the age of the whistleblower” and it is therefore imperative to understand this new phenomenon. The visibility of whistleblowers in the media is increasing but whistleblowers are not always portrayed accurately, and, as such, it may be beneficial to examine them in a more legitimate context. As whistleblowers can provide a tremendous service to the public, their organization, and the current economic situation, it is in society’s best interest to understand the whistleblowing process in order to encourage its expansion. The first half of the thesis examines the logistics of the whistleblowing process, the characterization of a whistleblower, and the various groups that can benefit from the whistleblowing phenomenon. This in depth analysis aims to dispel any misconceptions about whistleblowing and provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the literature available on whistleblower dynamics. The second half of the thesis reviews whistleblower laws from their foundation nearly two centuries ago all the way to current developments in whistleblower legislation. It analyzes the strengths and deficiencies of various legal measures and seeks to demonstrate why whistleblower legislation may never fully afford whistleblowers the comprehensive protection they deserve. This section will argue that, though whistleblower legislation has certainly improved in aiming to promote whistleblowing, certain deficiencies remain a permanent part of whistleblower law. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Communication Honors Program. / Discipline: Communications.

I syfte att undanröja oegentligheter förekommer det att arbetstagare inom bolag avslöjar uppkomna missförhållanden; så kallad whistleblowing. För svensk rätts vidkommande lagstiftades detta rättsinstitut först år 2017, i syfte att förhindra företeelser såsom marknadsmissbruk, korruption och miljöförstöring. Den nyligen antagna lagstiftningen tycks enligt kritikerna dock innehålla oklara moment. Det är sålunda av vikt att undersöka huruvida lagstiftningen kommer verka effektivt för whistleblower[s]. Skulle lagstiftningen vara att anse otillräcklig och icke förutsebar, föreligger nämligen risk för informationsasymmetrier. För att utreda problematiken är en komparativrättslig studie med stöd av amerikansk rätt avseende whistleblowing relevant. Aktuellt för detta arbete är Sarbanes-Oxley Act och Dodd-Frank Act, vilka antogs år 2002 i genmäle till större redovisningsskandaler inom Enron och Worldcom, respektive marknadskollapsen år 2008 och efterföljande bankkonkurser. Det huvudsakliga syftet var att etablera procedurer för behandling av larm avseende missförhållanden, förbud mot repressalier, samt skadestånds- och straffrättsligt ansvar respektive främjande av finansiell stabilitet. Beträffande svensk rätt har whistleblower[s] erhållit skydd medelst yttrandefrihet, meddelarskydd, arbetsrättsligt skydd, lojalitetsplikt, samt av bolag företagen självreglering. Denna gällande rätt har dock ansetts ofullständig och omständlig. Den för svensk rätts vidkommande antagna lagstiftningen avseende whistleblowing innehåller krav på allvarliga missförhållanden och fog för påstående, samt möjliggörs intern- och externrapporterting. Argumentationen i propositionen framstår emellertid såsom inkonsekvent. Det bör sålunda vara rimligt anta, att de svagheter i svensk rätt som kan återfinnas i regleringen avseende whistleblowing resulterar i ett, för svensk rätts vidkommande, skydd för arbetstagare som är fragmenterat och svårtillämpat. Visserligen har även amerikansk rätt avseende whistleblowing fått utstå kritik. Oavsett reflektioner beträffande kritiken amerikansk rätt mottagit, får amerikansk reglering anses erbjuda tydligare skydd, varför det bör vara möjligt överföra vissa delar av amerikansk rätt till svensk reglering avseende whistleblowing, för att stärka regleringen och möjliggöra att dess ändamål uppfylls. / In order to eliminate irregularities in companies, workers can reveal anomalies; through so-called whistleblowing. In Swedish law, this legal phenomenon was adopted into legislation in 2017. However, according to critics, the legislation contains unclear clauses. Thus, it is important to examine whether the legislation will work effectively. Should the newly adopted legislation be considered inadequate and unpredictable, there is a risk for information asymmetries. Therefore, a comparative legal study with support of American law regarding whistleblowing, is motivated. In this thesis, I will examine the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) as well as the Dodd-Frank Act of 2008, which were adopted in response to the major accounting scandals of Enron and WorldCom, respectively the market collapse in 2008 and subsequent bank failures. In both SOX and the Dodd Frank Act, procedures for the management of whistleblower alarms, prohibitions on reprisals as well as rules on tort and criminal liability were introduced with an aim to promote financial stability. As to Swedish law, whistleblowers have received protection from reprisals by laws regulating freedom of speech, protection of sources, labor law protection, the concept of duty of loyalty, and by companies establishing self-regulation. However, statutory protection of whistleblowers in other laws has been considered incomplete, which is why the legislature has deemed whistleblowing worthy of protection by a separate law only governing whistleblowing. However, the newly adopted Swedish law regarding whistleblowing appears to contain some weaknesses due to inconsistencies and unclear clauses. It is true that American laws regarding whistleblowing have endured criticism. However, it is reasonable to assume that the weaknesses in Swedish law regarding whistleblowing result in a protection for workers, which is fragmented and difficult to apply. Given the fact that American regulation regarding whistleblowing is providing more consistent protection to whistleblowers, Swedish regulators should consider the adoption of certain rules from American law, to strengthen the regulation and allow its purpose to be fulfilled.

Dodd-Frank represents a federal intervention in corporate governance, which had previously been an issue for the states.The most prominent state in this respect is Delaware because of its favorable treatment of corporate interests.Although Delaware’s regulations are too lenient to encourage responsible risk management practices, the federal law is normally driven by populist outrage and anti-corporate sentiments that impair lawmakers’ abilities to write rational, efficient reforms.The climate of political pressure does not foster a thoughtful review of the best ways to affect risk management practices. This paper thus explores the role of leverage in the financial crisis, the shortcomings of Dodd-Frank’s capital requirements, the ways in which reform could have encouraged more responsible leverage positions, and the nature of federal corporate governance regulation.

The Say on Pay vote, part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act signed into law by Barack Obama in July 2010, is a non-binding vote that either approves or disapproves of the compensation given to Named Executive Officers. As of June 21, 2012, there have been 103 companies that have failed to reach 50% approval in this vote. For this paper I analyze the 103 companies over event windows of two, four, and ten days around the date of the failure to test for statistically significant abnormal stock market returns. None of the average cumulative abnormal returns for the three event windows are significant at any level, and I find no evidence that failing the Say on Pay vote corresponds to an increase or decrease in stock market returns.

The main topic of this diploma thesis is a response of the American administration and its legislation to the financial crisis which took place between the years 2007 and 2009 and the resulting changes in the financial markets regulatory rules in the United States. The aim of the thesis is to analyze specific individual sections of the well-known Dodd-Frank Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and its impacts on the banking sector in the US. The first part of the thesis deals with the analysis of main causes of the so-called mortgage financial crisis of the first decade of the 21th century. Numerical evidence shows the impacts into the real economy and channels through which the crisis had spread into financial markets worldwide are also described. The following sections contain in-depth description and analysis of changes in regulatory legislation and rules governing the US banking and other financial institutions.

The master thesis deals with macroprudential policy and its application in the US. The thesis is mainly focused on the large reform of the financial market in the US known as Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The main objective of the thesis is to analyse the impact of this act on the financial market in the US. The thesis is divided into four chapters, which are logically connected. The first chapter describes the institutional structure of the regulation and supervision over the financial market in the US, with the emphasis on the organisational structure of FED. The second chapter deals with macroprudential policy from the theoretical point of view with the focus on the tools of the policy and its interaction with other policies. It also covers the incentives which lead into putting this policy into practice. The third chapter focuses on the causes of the financial crisis and particularly on the response to the crisis in the form of Dodd-Frank Act. The final chapter analyses the impact of particular measures contained in Dodd-Frank Act on the US financial market. Analysing this the thesis concludes whether these measure were successful from the perspective of objectives that Dodd-Frank Act wanted to meet.

Hedgefonder är ett hett investeringsverktyg, specielltnui en tid präglad av låga räntor. Envanligtförekommande uppfattning är atthedgefonder skagenerera överavkastning;det faktum att de historiskt har kunnat verka under generösaregleringsformer är en av flera anledningar tillatt gemene man har högt ställda förväntningar på hedgefonder som investeringsform. Frågan är dock vad som händer med överavkastningen-vilket är varje investerares primära angelägenhet –om regleringarna stramas åt? Syftet med studien är därför att undersöka hur hedgefonder påverkas av ett minskat handlingsutrymme, det villsäga en ökad grad av reglering. Studien mäter hedgefonders överavkastning, i termer av alfa, med hjälp av Fama och Frenchs trefaktormodell, före och efter den omfattande reformen The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Uppsatsens data indikerar på att överavkastningen, alfa, är signifikant lägre i perioden efter införandet av reformen. Studienpåvisar även att strategierna, Event Driven och Multistrategi, har lägre överavkastning efter implementeringen av Dodd-Frank Act, medanssamma effekt inte kunde konstaterasförLång/Kort-strategin.

Diplomová práce se zabývá regulací trhů OTC derivátů, které hrály zásadní roli ve vzniku a šíření světové finanční krize. Cílem této regulace bylo zmírnit následky krize a preventivně bránit opakování podobnýćh událostí v budoucnosti. Hlavní důraz je kladen na regulaci EMIR a Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform v Evropě a USA.