By construction, actively managed portfolios must differ from passively managed ones. Consequently, the manager’s problem can be viewed as selecting how to deviate from a passive portfolio composition. The purpose of this study is to see if we can infer the presence of superior skills through the analysis of the portfolio deviations from a benchmark. Based on the Black-Litterman approach, we hypothesize that positive signals should lead to an increase in weight, from which should follow that the largest deviations from a benchmark weight reveal the presence of superior skills. More precisely, this study looks at the subsequent performance of the securities corresponding to the largest deviations from different external benchmarks. We use a sample of 8385 US funds from the CRSP Survivorship bias free database from June 2003 to June 2004 to test our predictions. We use two external benchmarks to calculate the deviations: the CRSP value weighted index (consistent with the Black-Litterman model) and the investment objective of each fund. Our main result shows that a portfolio of the securities with the most important positive deviations with respect to a passive benchmark (either CRSP-VW or investment objective), would have earned a subsequent positive abnormal return (on a risk-adjusted basis) for one month after the portfolio date. The magnitude of this return is around 0.6% for all the funds, and can be as high as 2.77% for small caps value funds. This result is robust to all the performance measures used in this study.

The research addresses the management dilemma of a decrease in the number of capital project investments, due to the current methods of capital budgeting (i.e. net present value analysis using discounted cash flows) being ineffective, because it does not effectively deal with uncertainty in the investment, and also does take management's flexibility into account. It has been determined that a strategic options framework can be used to provide a more meaningful assessment of future business opportunities under uncertainty. The options approach complements the conventional net present value criterion in evaluating risky investment. The options approach provides an immediate and important perspective on value creation because the options approach takes into consideration that management have the choice of deferring the investment to a later date when circumstances are more certain, and there is less risk involved, or the choice of completely abandoning the investment. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

The primary purpose of this study is concerned with providing improved understanding of both accounting and management systems through the use of case study based research. To provide this improved understanding, this research study is based upon several key assumptions which are also key conclusions. Firstly, that management and accounting systems and practices exist in organisation contexts. Secondly, that these systems and practices obtain their meaning, in part, from the organisation contexts in which they are situated. Thirdly, that accounting knowledge and management theory, to-date, has failed to provide adequate descriptions and prescriptions for the organisations. Fourthly, that the key problem in accounting knowledge and management theory which has prevented adequate understanding is to do with the ontological issues which underlies such knowledge. The contents of this study can be seen to be divided into three parts. The first outlines the nature of management accounting knowledge paying particular attention to the ontological and epistemological assumptions. Through analysis of these assumptions, the importance of understanding the complexity of social reality is introduced. A model of a 'temporal-spatial' reality is introduced and described. The conclusion from this part is that the main problem in understanding accounting practices is linked with the ontological issues and that a more complex subjective reality needs to be explored. Part two provides the description of the case-study utilised to understand accounting practices in an organisational context. Part three provides an analysis of the use of the management and accounting systems by providing an understanding of the social-reality of the dominant decision-makers within the case-study. The conclusion forthcoming from this study is four-fold and stated in paragraph one. However, these have major considerations to the development of accounting knowledge and require major shifts in the dominant methodology of accounting thought. ix.

This paper is a review of the literature on quality management practices and firm performance. Theoretical frameworks linking ISO 9000 and Total Quality Management (TQM) were analyzed. ISO 9000 has been recommended to be used as a route to TQM. The emergence of constructs of quality management practices was examined. Eight most popular constructs have been identified - top management support, quality information availability, quality information usage, employee training, employee involvement, product/process design, supplier quality and customer orientation. A thorough review of the literature pointed to three categories of empirical studies on quality management practices and firm performance, i.e., comparative studies, longitudinal studies and impact studies. This paper suggests that future research in quality management should focus on the link between quality management and financial performance. / Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2004.

Thesis (M.H.A.)--University of Michigan, 1961.

Thesis (M.H.S.A.)--University of Michigan, 1983.

Thesis (M.H.S.A.)--University of Michigan, 1983.

Thesis (M.H.A.)--University of Michigan, 1961.

No description available.

This study investigates the use of derivatives by firms listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) during 2005 to 2017, and the disclosure of derivative financial instruments on the financial statements of these entities. The study can be broadly divided into two parts: the first part investigates the determinants of corporate hedging practices by JSE-listed firms, while the second part analyses the value relevance of derivatives disclosures. The first part of the study thus answers the question ‘Why do companies use derivatives?’ with reference to JSE-listed companies for the period 2005 to 2017. The second part of the study answers the question ‘Does the disclosure of derivatives in the financial statements have an impact on firm value?’ for the same companies and period. Binomial logistic regression analyses were done to assess the determinants of the corporate hedging practices employed by JSE-listed firms. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the value relevance of derivatives disclosures. The results of the study suggest that firm size, growth prospects, leverage and managerial risk aversion are important determinants of JSE-listed firms’ hedging decisions. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the disclosure of firms’ use of derivatives in the financial statements is value relevant and that companies listed on the JSE are associated with a higher Tobin’s Q if they disclose a derivatives amount. This study also investigates whether the value relevance of derivatives disclosure is influenced differently under different conditions during different economic periods and whether the level of quality of the disclosure influences the value relevance of derivatives disclosure. The data show that the value relevance of risk disclosure companies depend on different economic periods, and that the level of higher quality risk disclosure has a negative impact on the value relevance of derivatives disclosures: firms are valued lower where the level of quality of derivatives disclosures is higher. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Financial Management / PhD / Unrestricted