Thesis (M.H.A.)--University of Michigan, 1974. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

<p>Traditional financial management has lately been criticized, since it gives inadequate and unilateral information for decisions and strategy of the operation. The purpose of this essay is to investigate if a balanced scorecard is able to work together with a budget and become a stronger control system for the management. Essential theory underlies the gathering of data as well as the analysis, and the empirical investigation is based on personal interviews. The conclusions drawn from my analysis are that two parallel control systems could complement each other’s weaknesses. The budget and the balanced scorecard seem to harmonize very well, as the balanced scorecard has a long term strategy while the budget has a short term strategy. In my combination model, the difference in working only with a balanced scorecard is that the budget will have a stronger position than the financial perspective in a balanced scorecard.</p>

Socioeconomic changes in American society over the past few decades, as well as an overwhelming amount of uncertainty and misconceptions, have resulted in a majority of Americans to fall short of their financial goals in the short-term, the mid-term, and the long-term. Without proper preparation and financial planning, it is likely that these Americans, and many more, will be unable to reach these goals as well as retire comfortably. Many Americans are overwhelmed with the immense amount of financial information, tools and resources, and as a consequence are unable to plan their finances efficiently and effectively. Americans need a better understanding as to which financial tools are most relevant to their goals, and the proper procedure to initiate a comprehensive financial plan for themselves. Understanding the benefits and drawbacks to each of the components of a comprehensive financial plan, and how they relate and complement each other, of a financial plan will greatly improve the numbers of Americans who are easing their way to a more financially predictable future.

In 1998, the Philippines introduced book-building pricing mechanisms for Initial Public Offerings. Almost all capital raised through IPOs in the Philippines is done using a book-building pricing method, however a significant number of IPOs still occur using non-book-building methods. Understanding why book-building has become the dominant pricing mechanism but yet non-book-building methods still survive is the aim of this paper. I find that unlike other countries where the introduction of book-building leads to higher total issue costs for individual issuers and unlike theory which suggests the increased effort of book-building should come with increased costs, IPOs that use book-built pricing in the Philippines actually have a lower total issue cost as a percentage of the total issue size compared to issuers who use non-book-building methods. This being the case, explaining why non-book-built IPOs still occur is even more interesting. I find that the large variance in size and the low volume of IPOs in the Philippines creates a bifurcated market where it is uneconomical for underwriters to use book-building to service small firms who want to IPO. The harder phenomenon to explain is the choice by firms who are large enough to book-build to use non-book-built methods. I suggest that the developing sophistication of the local market as well as the relationship driven aspect of business in the Philippines are two possible explanations.

The purpose of this paper was to assess the impact of a modification and or repeal of section 1031 in the U.S. Tax code. Specifically, this paper focused on a "revenue-neutral" repeal effect in which the additional proceeds from the repeal of section 1031 would go towards decreasing the corporate income tax rate. Overall, the treasury would remain neutral. The implications of this potential repeal were wide. The macroeconomic effect on the economy appeared to be negative, all other things being equal. GDP is predicted to fall by .11% each year. Additionally, Investment will be negatively affected with the decreased liquidity of "exchangeable" assets due to longer holding periods of these assets. Investors should expect to hold these assets longer to decrease their effective tax rate over the life of the investment. Investment is predicted to decline by $7 billion. Real Estate will be the industry that will ultimately be affected the most by a repeal situation as the real estate sector uses like-kind exchanges more frequently than in any other industry. Overall, we can expect to see small declines in macroeconomic factors due to the repeal of this provision that has been benefiting investors for decades.

Submitted in fulfillment for the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Built Environment, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2018. / Finance is a critical aspect that needs to be closely monitored in a business and during the lifespan of a construction project. Emerging contractors need to develop and run sustainable businesses in the construction industry. The extent of expertise in funds management by emerging contractors directly relates to their development. Therefore, all efforts must be geared towards their expertise, development and sustenance. Emerging contractors need to manage their finances, be competitive, and deliver projects in the required quality, time and within the allocated budget. This study aims at determining challenges faced by emerging contractors, the root causes of challenges of emerging contractors in funds management, the impact of emerging contractor challenges on project delivery time. Further, the study aims to develop a flow chart that will mitigate emerging contractor challenges in funds management. The study was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa using a questionnaire. Questionnaires were distributed in two phases and respondents to the study included emerging contractors and industry stakeholders. Random and systematic sampling techniques were employed in the selection of samples. A total of 85 questionnaires were analysed for the study. Inferential statistics was employed for analysis of data. Findings include late payment for completed work which ultimately causes delays; interference with project performance; inadequate planning; unskilled site manpower; late delivery of material; late identification of errors and resolution of drawings, specification errors and omissions; community unrest, militancy and communal crises and interference by political leaders are some of the key factors that negatively affect emerging contractors’ funds management. When adequate attention is given to these factors, it results in project success. In addition, improvement of contractor performance and quality of work; involvement of tribal authorities, provision of finances for project by funders, securing finances and materials credit; successfully managing project finances from inception to completion leads to profits being made and projects are completed successfully and within budget when payment for work done is effected on time. Recommendations include ensuring that sufficient finances are secured, allocated and properly managed from inception to completion of a project; payments are prepared, submitted and paid on time. Planning is improved to combat project delays including ordering materials in advance, identifying design and specification errors early, engaging all project stakeholders to avoid disputes and attending formal training courses to acquire skills that will assist in running projects and managing successful and sustainable businesses. It is also recommended that the new proposed programme and flowchart be adopted to assist the South African construction industry in improving the financial management practices and develop skill of emerging contractors; its adoption will alleviate challenges facing emerging contractors in funds management. / M

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil (Law) / When Zambia got its independence in 1964, there was neither a constitutional reference to local government nor constitutional provisions for local government finance. However, the new Zambian government inherited a relatively stable local government finance system. One year after Independence, councils operated under a new effected Local Government Act of 1965. The period 1965 to 1973 was a period of great success for local government, as it continued to enjoy stable and strong fiscal resources. Councils raised adequate own revenues from sources such as local electricity, water, housing and motor vehicle licensing. Local government also received adequate grants from the central government which were targeted for the development of each Council.

The diffusion of Activity Based Costing (ABC) has been researched extensively in developed countries. Research on these issues in Jordan in general and within the Jordanian industrial sector more specifically is limited. The aim of the current research is to contribute to the design and successful ABC implementation in the Jordanian industrial sector. To achieve the aim of the research, the research methodology included both quantitative and qualitative data. The first stage was a quantitative study. The questionnaire survey was developed and the primary aims were to determine the current state of ABC adoption and implementation. The factors that facilitate, motivate and create barriers to ABC implementation were examined. In the second stage, semistructured interviews were used to probe the significant results of the questionnaire survey. The interviews were conducted with 6 companies that have implemented ABC in full and currently using ABC information. The survey findings indicate that ABC implementation among Jordanian industrial companies is quite satisfactory. The rate of ABC implementation is about 50.8%. Within the Jordanian industrial sector, the interaction between the following factors facilitated and motivated the implementation of ABC, namely: top management support, both training and education about the system, higher information technology, increasing proportion of overhead costs, growing costs, including product costs and administrative costs, and an increasing number of product variants. The interviews with financial managers/heads of cost accounting departments are consistent with questionnaire survey findings and both reveal and emphasise the important effect of consultants, professional management/accounting bodies and cooperation between academics and professionals upon implementing ABC within the Jordanian industrial sector. Therefore, it can be concluded that it is not only demand but also supply factors that influence implementation of ABC within the Jordanian industrial companies.

This study researches a rapidly growing area of interest in the financial services industry, that is,operational hsk management, with special focus on the mitigation phase. Operational risk management has accelerated in importance in the financial services over the last two decades for many reasons, not least of which is the well-known catastrophic failure of large banks such as BCCI, Barings and Indymac, as well as the recent Global Financial Crisis. One of the main drivers behind such bank failures was the failure of the banks' managements to manage effectively and efficiently their operational risk exposure. The focus of this study is operational risk mitigation in the United Arab Emirates Commercial banking industry. A controversial issue with operational risk was deciding on an agreed and accepted definition within the financial services industry. It has been defined by Basel Committee on Banking Supervision as "the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems or from external events. This definition includes legal risk, but excludes strategic and reputational risk." This definition captures a wide spectrum of risk categories such as fraud risks, people risks, legal risks and compliance risks, to name a few. Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, a Committee of banking supervisory authorities established by the central bank Governors of the Group often countries in 1974, published in June 2006 a document called the "International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards - A Revised Framework Comprehensive Version" known as Basel II Accord, which requires banks, among many other things, to sustain capital adequacy to cover their operational risk exposures. This Accord was the result of a number of consultative documents issued by the same Committee which focused increasing attention on the need for operational risk adequate and efficient management. Bank managements are facing increasing pressure to ensure that operational risk exposures are being managed effectively and efficiently. This extended the main momentum for the study, being the first independently sponsored study of how the UAE commercial banks have developed their operational risk management frameworks as a basis for mitigating the range of operational risk exposures they encounter. The operational risks that prompted the current Financial Crisis and how they were mitigated in the context of the UAE commercial banks gave further momentum to the research. The study addresses the various key players in operational risk management and is, therefore, interdisciplinary. The foundations from which the field work was undertaken were based on theoretical propositions in the area of decision making since the process of mitigating an operational risk is rooted in making a decision. Multiple case studies were used in the design for the research to answer the research question and establish the practices in operational risk mitigation in the UAE commercial banking industry. Leading UAE commercial banks were carefully chosen as representatives of this industry. The findings of the research are in line with the conclusions of Basel Commiltee on Banking Supervision that the main responsibility for operational risk management, and therefore mitigation, is vested in operational managers. The analysis demonstrates that (hey do not do this independently, but are supported by other experienced people in this field. A model and check-lists of operational risk management, and therefore mitigation, is proposed demonstrating the complexity of the whole process due to the nature and the scale of operational risks. The thesis concludes by discussing some further potential research suggestions in this ever-growing area of interest.

This thesis is devoted to the issues of receivables from business relations. The work assesses the way of management, the role of the management and the subject of receivables in the financial management of a selected company. Furthermore, the thesis aims to evaluate the interconnection of receivables within the entire enterprise. Data collection and analysis of the interconnection of the system of receivables management were carried out in close collaboration with the company's employees. The objective of the work is to provide a comprehensive view of receivables and to evaluate their management. On the basis of the acquired information and executed analyses, recommendations and proposals are suggested. The offered recommendations should enable the enterprise to improve and streamline the management of receivables and will be presented to the company's management. The work is based on the findings of expert literature listed in the bibliography.