Today’s construction industry consists of fierce competition and low margins, resulting in companies focusing on cost risk awareness. The aim of this thesis was to investigate how construction companies manage their market risks, with a special focus on commodity risks. In addition, the thesis purpose was also to explore the composition of commodity exposures within a few selected construction companies. A financial index of commodity exposures was generated out of Statistiska Centralbyråns’ totala faktorprisindex for multi-residence housing projects. Furthermore, a fictional case was combined to test the risk management effect of the financial index, using Sweden’s four largest construction companies’ commodity exposures. In summary, the construction companies were all aware of their commodity exposures although most of them did not actively manage them or know their exposures extent. Moreover, financial risk management of commodities is not easy or straightforward, resulting in difficulties in choosing the right management tool. Therefore, this thesis created and illustrated how a financial index could be used as a way to stabilize the profitability in construction projects.

Higher education is in a challenging financial time. Overall, states are investing considerably less in higher education than they did a decade ago and students are paying significantly more in tuition and fees. Simultaneously, the higher education landscape is changing – changing in terms of demographics, modes of delivery, workforce needs, funding and cost structures, and perceptions of value. Almost every day there is a new media story about a college or university experiencing financial difficulties. With decreasing confidence from campus financial officers in the long-term sustainability of their institutions and campus closures expected to escalate in the coming years, there is a significant need to better understand higher education financial health so that colleges and universities can proactively address challenges as they arise. Research pertaining to higher education financial health, particularly with respect to public higher education, was found to be limited. This project, first explored the research and methods in use to measure higher education financial health. Then, utilizing the Composite Financial Index (CFI), the most widely adopted metric for measuring financial health identified during the literature review, addressed a research gap related to financial analysis in public higher education through conducting a quantitative analysis of the California State University (CSU) system. The CSU, the largest four-year public higher education system in the country, serves as an important litmus test for the higher education industry as a whole given its sheer magnitude in educating over 480,000 students each year and producing one out of every ten workers in California. In addition, leading indicators signal that California public higher education should be exceeding industry performance given that California is the 5th largest economy in the world during a lengthy period of economic growth, is one of only four states to invest more in higher education in 2018 than it did in 2008, and has the 7th highest tuition rate increases over the same time period. The quantitative analysis of the CSU consisted of a four-pronged approach: 1) Analyze system financial health over a 20 year period; 2) analyze campus financial health over a five-year period; 3) analyze the CSU’s CFI over a 20 year period in comparison to key variables - Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate trends, CSU state funding changes, and CSU tuition rate changes; and 4) analyze campus CFIs with campus enrollment size. Overall, results indicate significant underlying financial concerns for the CSU and disaggregating the results by campus indicate even greater financial concerns at a campus level, reinforcing the notion that smaller campuses experience disparate financial impacts and are more susceptible to closure if left unaddressed. In addition, this research establishes correlations with key variables analyzed and outlines recommendations for future research to further validate findings and more closely identify causality. These findings reinforce the need for colleges and universities to develop a sense of urgency to proactively address the changes and challenges that are occurring, with greater use of strategic financial analysis needed to achieve transformation.

A opção de transferir para organizações sem fins lucrativos a prestação de serviços públicos já faz parte da realidade de diversos países, entre eles o Brasil. O processo chamado de contratualização se estabeleceu após o Plano Diretor da Reforma do Aparelho do Estado trazendo consigo a possibilidade de transferência dos serviços não-exclusivos do Estado para o setor público não-estatal ou terceiro setor, por meio da Lei Complementar nº. 846/98 que regulamenta as Organizações Sociais no Estado de São Paulo. A contratualização baseada em desempenho implica na transferência de responsabilidades e competências com base em acordo formal denominado contrato de gestão, em que o pagamento realizado pelo governo baseia-se na realização de resultados pré-determinados. O desempenho do contrato de gestão dos hospitais gerais administrados por organizações sociais de saúde implica em avaliar e acompanhar se os objetivos do contrato estão sendo atendidos quanto as metas quantitativas, qualitativas, valores de subvenção governamental, incentivos e sanções, isto é, se a execução contratual condiz com o desenho e especificações do contrato. O desenho e especificação do documento contratual deveria refletir a realidade do acordo celebrado entre Organização Social de Saúde e Secretaria de Estado da Saúde do Estado de São Paulo, ao estabelecer metas, responsabilidades e obrigações. A pesquisa apresenta como objetivo geral analisar o desempenho dos contratos de gestão celebrados entre a Secretaria de Estado da Saúde e as Organizações Sociais de Saúde que administram os hospitais gerais no Estado de São Paulo e identificar por meio da eficiência técnica dos hospitais a relação com a situação econômico-financeira das entidades. Para a análise foi utilizada uma amostra de 15 hospitais gerais em 2012 e 18 para o ano de 2013. O resultado da situação econômico-financeira, extraída das demonstrações contábeis, apontam para uma significativa fragilidade dos hospitais, pois muitos registram elevados índices de endividamento, dependência de capital de terceiros, patrimônio social negativo e rentabilidade negativa. Para a análise da hipótese, o estudo utilizou a metodologia de Análise Envoltória dos Dados para a definição da eficiência técnica dos hospitais gerais considerando os dados de estrutura (inputs) e a quantidade assistencial produzida (outputs). Esta análise segregou os hospitais em dois grupos e o resultado demonstra que em 2012, 47% dos hospitais foram considerados eficientes e para 2013 foram 61% hospitais gerais. A hipótese de pesquisa foi parcialmente aceita, não sendo possível generalizar os resultados e afirmar que os hospitais gerais eficientes apresentam melhores resultados econômico-financeiros analisados com base nas demonstrações contábeis. A matriz de correlação de Pearson indica que existe uma correlação fraca e moderada entre o desempenho do contrato de gestão e os indicadores econômico-financeiro, evidenciando que a variação na produção assistencial do hospital geral afeta parcialmente a situação econômico-financeira da entidade. / The option to transfer to non-profit organization the delivery of public services is already part of the reality of several countries, including Brazil. The process named contracting took place in Brazil after the Master Plan for the State Apparatus Reform (PDRAE in Brazil) bringing with it the possibility of transferring the state non-exclusive services to the third sector, through the Complementary Law nº. 846/98 that regulates the Social Organizations in the State of São Paulo. The performance-based contracting entails the transfer of responsibilities and competencies based on a formal agreement called management contract, in which the payment to non-profit made by government is based on achieving predetermined results. The contract management performance from the general hospitals managed by health social organizations, involves assessing, monitoring whether the contract objectives are being accomplished related to quantitative, and qualitative goal, the government financial resources, incentives and sanctions, in other words, implies in evaluating if the contract performance is consistent with the design and contract specifications. The contract design and specification should reflect the reality of the agreement between Health Social Organization and State Office of Health from the São Paulo state, in terms of goals, responsibilities and obligations. The present research presents as general objective to analyze the contract management performance established between the State Office of Health from the São Paulo state and the Health Social Organization that manages the general hospitals in the state of Sao Paulo and identity through the technical efficiency the relations with the economic-financial situation of these entities. The sample included 15 general hospitals analyzed in 2012 and 18 for the year of 2013. The results of the economic-financial situation extracted from the financial statements indicates a significative fragility of many general hospitals managed by health social organization in terms of liquidity, profitability and capital structure. The hypothesis analyzed in the study used the Data Envelopment Analysis methodology (DEA) in order to define the general hospitals technical efficiency considering the hospital structure data (inputs) and the quantity of service performed by the hospital (outputs). The analysis segregated the hospitals in two groups and the results demonstrates that 47% of the hospitals were considered efficient in 2012 and 61% efficient hospitals related to 2013. The research hypothesis was partially accepted but it is not possible to generalize the results and affirm that general hospitals classified as efficient presents better economic-financial results analyzed based on financial statements. The Pearson correlation matrix indicates a weak and moderate correlation between the management contract performance and the economic-financial index proving that a variation on the quantity of service rendered by the hospitals affect partially the entity economic-financial situation.

A opção de transferir para organizações sem fins lucrativos a prestação de serviços públicos já faz parte da realidade de diversos países, entre eles o Brasil. O processo chamado de contratualização se estabeleceu após o Plano Diretor da Reforma do Aparelho do Estado trazendo consigo a possibilidade de transferência dos serviços não-exclusivos do Estado para o setor público não-estatal ou terceiro setor, por meio da Lei Complementar nº. 846/98 que regulamenta as Organizações Sociais no Estado de São Paulo. A contratualização baseada em desempenho implica na transferência de responsabilidades e competências com base em acordo formal denominado contrato de gestão, em que o pagamento realizado pelo governo baseia-se na realização de resultados pré-determinados. O desempenho do contrato de gestão dos hospitais gerais administrados por organizações sociais de saúde implica em avaliar e acompanhar se os objetivos do contrato estão sendo atendidos quanto as metas quantitativas, qualitativas, valores de subvenção governamental, incentivos e sanções, isto é, se a execução contratual condiz com o desenho e especificações do contrato. O desenho e especificação do documento contratual deveria refletir a realidade do acordo celebrado entre Organização Social de Saúde e Secretaria de Estado da Saúde do Estado de São Paulo, ao estabelecer metas, responsabilidades e obrigações. A pesquisa apresenta como objetivo geral analisar o desempenho dos contratos de gestão celebrados entre a Secretaria de Estado da Saúde e as Organizações Sociais de Saúde que administram os hospitais gerais no Estado de São Paulo e identificar por meio da eficiência técnica dos hospitais a relação com a situação econômico-financeira das entidades. Para a análise foi utilizada uma amostra de 15 hospitais gerais em 2012 e 18 para o ano de 2013. O resultado da situação econômico-financeira, extraída das demonstrações contábeis, apontam para uma significativa fragilidade dos hospitais, pois muitos registram elevados índices de endividamento, dependência de capital de terceiros, patrimônio social negativo e rentabilidade negativa. Para a análise da hipótese, o estudo utilizou a metodologia de Análise Envoltória dos Dados para a definição da eficiência técnica dos hospitais gerais considerando os dados de estrutura (inputs) e a quantidade assistencial produzida (outputs). Esta análise segregou os hospitais em dois grupos e o resultado demonstra que em 2012, 47% dos hospitais foram considerados eficientes e para 2013 foram 61% hospitais gerais. A hipótese de pesquisa foi parcialmente aceita, não sendo possível generalizar os resultados e afirmar que os hospitais gerais eficientes apresentam melhores resultados econômico-financeiros analisados com base nas demonstrações contábeis. A matriz de correlação de Pearson indica que existe uma correlação fraca e moderada entre o desempenho do contrato de gestão e os indicadores econômico-financeiro, evidenciando que a variação na produção assistencial do hospital geral afeta parcialmente a situação econômico-financeira da entidade. / The option to transfer to non-profit organization the delivery of public services is already part of the reality of several countries, including Brazil. The process named contracting took place in Brazil after the Master Plan for the State Apparatus Reform (PDRAE in Brazil) bringing with it the possibility of transferring the state non-exclusive services to the third sector, through the Complementary Law nº. 846/98 that regulates the Social Organizations in the State of São Paulo. The performance-based contracting entails the transfer of responsibilities and competencies based on a formal agreement called management contract, in which the payment to non-profit made by government is based on achieving predetermined results. The contract management performance from the general hospitals managed by health social organizations, involves assessing, monitoring whether the contract objectives are being accomplished related to quantitative, and qualitative goal, the government financial resources, incentives and sanctions, in other words, implies in evaluating if the contract performance is consistent with the design and contract specifications. The contract design and specification should reflect the reality of the agreement between Health Social Organization and State Office of Health from the São Paulo state, in terms of goals, responsibilities and obligations. The present research presents as general objective to analyze the contract management performance established between the State Office of Health from the São Paulo state and the Health Social Organization that manages the general hospitals in the state of Sao Paulo and identity through the technical efficiency the relations with the economic-financial situation of these entities. The sample included 15 general hospitals analyzed in 2012 and 18 for the year of 2013. The results of the economic-financial situation extracted from the financial statements indicates a significative fragility of many general hospitals managed by health social organization in terms of liquidity, profitability and capital structure. The hypothesis analyzed in the study used the Data Envelopment Analysis methodology (DEA) in order to define the general hospitals technical efficiency considering the hospital structure data (inputs) and the quantity of service performed by the hospital (outputs). The analysis segregated the hospitals in two groups and the results demonstrates that 47% of the hospitals were considered efficient in 2012 and 61% efficient hospitals related to 2013. The research hypothesis was partially accepted but it is not possible to generalize the results and affirm that general hospitals classified as efficient presents better economic-financial results analyzed based on financial statements. The Pearson correlation matrix indicates a weak and moderate correlation between the management contract performance and the economic-financial index proving that a variation on the quantity of service rendered by the hospitals affect partially the entity economic-financial situation.

傳統的物件導向設計已發展出許多成熟的設計樣式(Design Pattern)用來解決軟體設計上的問題，服務導向架構(Service-Oriented Architecture，SOA) 在近年來不斷的被討論，服務導向架構的設計樣式逐漸在發展中。本論文以物件導向設計樣式為基礎，發展一服務導向設計樣式－財務金融指標評估(Financial Evaluation) Façade，應用於財務金融領域，進行財務金融指標的評估。可依不同的財務金融指標評估需求對財務金融指標評估Façade實作，以達到系統目的。 / There are many mature design patterns already developed with traditional Object-Oriented Design for resolving problems of software design. Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is discussed constantly in the recent years, and Service-Oriented design patterns are developed gradually. In this paper, we develop a Service-Oriented design pattern － Financial Index Evaluation Façade which based on Object-Oriented design patterns. It is a domain-specific design pattern applied to financial index evaluation. For different situation, we can implement Financial Index Evaluation Façade for request to achieve system objective.

Cette thèse étudie l'impact des marchés financiers sur la croissance économique dans la région MENA. Le premier chapitre présente la situation économique, démographique et financière de la région. Le deuxième chapitre présente un modèle d'équilibre général à générations imbriquées, qui relie la croissance économique, les marchés financiers et l'évolution démographique. Le modèle est calibré et simulé pour trois pays de la région, présentant des tendances démographiques diverses. Les résultats montrent qu'un secteur financier plus performant conduit à une meilleure performance économique et à des taux d'emploi plus élevés. Par ailleurs, les jeunes sont les premiers bénéficiaires de la réforme du secteur financier. Le troisième chapitre teste empiriquement l'impact du secteur financier sur le secteur réel et la croissance dans 15 pays de la région MENA et constate un impact négatif du développement du secteur financier sur la croissance. Ces résultats soulignent l'inefficacité de secteur financier dans la région et le besoin urgent de cibler des politiques qui améliorent l'efficience du secteur et pas seulement sa taille. Dans le quatrième chapitre, un indicateur de développement des marchés financiers est construit pour les pays de la région. Cet indicateur est basé sur les 3 piliers que sont l'environnement macroéconomique, les institutions financières et les marchés financiers. Il prend en compte les spécificités des pays de la région MENA et permet de classer les pays de la région en fonction de leur performance dans le secteur financier / This thesis studies the impact of the financial markets on economic growth for MENA region. The first chapter presents a general overview of the region, with a focus on economic, demographic and financial market outlook of the region. In the second chapter an overlapping generation model is presented, that links economic development, financial markets and demographic shift. The model is simulated for three countries in the region with different speeds in demographic shift. The results show that a more efficient financial sector leads to better economic performance and higher employment rates, furthermore, youth are the primary beneficiaries of the reform in the financial sector. The third chapter tests empirically the link between the financial sector and the real sector in 15 MENA countries and finds a negative impact of financial sector development on growth. These results underline the expansion of an inefficient financial sector in the region, and the urgent need to focus on policies that target the efficiency of the sector and not solely its size. A comprehensive composite index for the financial sector development is developed in the fourth chapter. This index is based on three pillars that are, macroeconomic environment, financial institutions and financial markets. The index takes into account the specificities of MENA countries and allows us to rank the countries in the region according to their performance in the financial sector.