During project execution, the status of the project is periodically evaluated, using traditional methods or standard practices. However, these traditional methods or standard practices may not adequately identify certain issues, such as lack of sufficient identification of warning signs that predict potential project failure. Current methods may lack the ability to provide real time indications of emerging problems that impact project outcomes in a timely manner. To address this problem, the Construction Industry Institute (CII) formed a research team to develop a new tool that can forecast the potential risk of not meeting specific project outcomes based on assessing leading indicators. Thus, the leading indicators were identified and then the new tool was developed and validated. A screening process was conducted through industry surveys after identifying potential leading indicators. Each time, industry professionals were asked to evaluate the negative impact of leading indicators on project outcomes that were identified to measure the impact of leading indicators on project health. Through this process, forty-three leading indicators were acquired finally. Using descriptive statistics, the amount of negative impact of each leading indicator on project outcomes was identified after the analysis of the survey results. Based on these impacts, the tool development was initiated. The tool concept is that no indication of problems based on assessing leading indicators results in the tool output score high. To comply with this concept, specific weights were assigned to each leading indicator to reflect the impact on each project outcome. By this procedure, the Project Health Indicator (PHI) tool was developed. The validation process of the PHI tool was conducted using completed projects and finally negative correlation was observed between project outcomes and health scores generated by the PHI tool.

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It is generally accepted that the association between leading indicators and stock prices is evidence that the market efficiently prices the contribution of the leading indicators to future earnings. In this study, I examine whether investors incorporate the implications of one leading indicator, order backlog, in an efficient manner when determining stock prices and earnings forecasts. Furthermore, I investigate whether there is a difference between how the sophisticated and unsophisticated investor values order backlog given the fact that consensus analysts’ forecasts correctly incorporate the information in backlog for future earnings. I find that the market is more efficient in pricing the implications of order backlog with regards to firms with a high percentage of sophisticated investors compared to those with a low percentage of sophisticated investors. Moreover my results imply that unsophisticated investors overly-fixate on order backlog information.

Thesis advisor: Harold A. Petersen / This paper attempts to find the extent of the predictive power of the stock market in relation to consumption, non-residential investment, and corporate profits. Initially, a naïve model is formulated to assess the impact of the stock market on GDP, and then the model is used to find the predictive power of the stock market on the components. This component analysis compares the impact of the market on each of the components and attempts to find reasons for the variations in impact. Finally, the long term predictive power of the various models is assessed. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2005. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics Honors Program.

Real estate industry plays a significant role in high speed of economic development in China. However, with increasingly high housing price and scare land resources, real estate development is caught in a vicious circle. A large number of families could not afford their housing while housing prices have no trend to decrease which leads to huger gap between the rich and the poor and causes indirectly instability of society. Therefore, creating a healthy and stable real estate investment market is extremely urgent. The purpose of the thesis is to research the relationship between leading index of macro economy prosperity and real estate investment based on the reality. We found that leading indicator Granger causes real estate investment while real estate investment Granger causes leading indicator at the same time. Based on that, this paper also forecasts the real estate investment with VAR models in the following 7 years which was proved to a circle of real estate market. In the light of our research, some target suggestions are pointed out at last.

Real estate industry plays a significant role in high speed of economic development in China. However, with increasingly high housing price and scare land resources, real estate development is caught in a vicious circle. A large number of families could not afford their housing while housing prices have no trend to decrease which leads to huger gap between the rich and the poor and causes indirectly instability of society. Therefore, creating a healthy and stable real estate investment market is extremely urgent. The purpose of the thesis is to research the relationship between leading index of macro economy prosperity and real estate investment based on the reality. We found that leading indicator Granger causes real estate investment while real estate investment Granger causes leading indicator at the same time. Based on that, this paper also forecasts the real estate investment with VAR models in the following 7 years which was proved to a circle of real estate market. In the light of our research, some target suggestions are pointed out at last.

Real estate industry plays a significant role in high speed of economic development in China. However, with increasingly high housing price and scare land resources, real estate development is caught in a vicious circle. A large number of families could not afford their housing while housing prices have no trend to decrease which leads to huger gap between the rich and the poor and causes indirectly instability of society. Therefore, creating a healthy and stable real estate investment market is extremly urgent. The purpose of the thesis is to research the relationship between leading index of macro economy prosperity and real estate investment based on the reality. We found that leading indicator Granger causes real estate investment while real estate investment Granger  causes leading indicator at the same time. Based on that, this paper also forecasts the real estate investment with VAR models in the following 7 years which was proved to a circle of real estate market. In the light of our research, some target suggestions are pointed out at last.

Este trabalho verificou o tema de segurança de processos no segmento de plataformas de produção de petróleo e gás no mar de forma a propor um modelo de indicadores globais a fim de facilitar a identificação de fragilidades no gerenciamento de riscos de processos da indústria de produção de petróleo e gás natural no mar. O resultado esperado é o fornecimento de dados para a otimização de recursos regulatórios na busca da melhoria da segurança operacional. Para tal, buscando conhecer a postura das empresas no cumprimento da necessidade regulamentar da implementação de um Sistema de Gestão de Segurança de Processos (SGSP), foram identificadas as principais práticas preventivas para a o gerenciamento de riscos. Por conseguinte, mensurou-se o esforço na implementação deste SGSP como correlação direta para a prevenção de acidentes (foco preventivo). Já a análise dos resultados deste gerenciamento de riscos (foco reativo) foi obtido através incidentes operacionais classificados de acordo com sua respectiva importância/impacto, dentro de linhas de corte pré-estabelecidas. Assim, o indicador Global preventivo (IGPRV) e o Indicador Global reativo (IGRTV) foram elaborados agregando diferentes indicadores específicos de cada segmento para simplificar a análise e incluir a articulação de conceitos de segurança de processos à atuação regulatória. Os indicadores globais propostos quantificam conceitos subjetivos e complexos para o estabelecimento de metas e permitem aferir o desempenho das ações e projetos da regulação da indústria. Também permitem a identificação e a disseminação das melhores práticas de gerenciamento de riscos, comparando-as em diferente níveis de gerenciamento. Na análise dos resultados, pôde-se perceber que a utilização dos indicadores globais propostos pode responder com sucesso às necessidades regulatórias identificadas

FDA decisions and late-stage clinical trial results regarding new pharmaceutical approvals can cause extreme moves in the share price of small biopharmaceutical companies. Throughout the clinical trial process, many potential investors are exposed to market-moving information before such information is made available to the investing public. An investor who wished to profit from advance knowledge about clinical trial results may use the publicly traded options markets in order to increase leverage and maximize profits. This research examined options data surrounding the public release of information pertaining to the efficacy of clinical trials and approval decisions made by the FDA. Events were identified for small pharmaceutical companies with fewer than three currently approved drugs in an attempt to isolate the effect of individual clinical trial and FDA-related events on the share price of the underlying company. Option data were analyzed using logistic regression models in an attempt to predict phase II and III clinical trial outcome results and FDA new drug approval decisions. Implied volatility, open interest, and option contract delta values were the primary independent variables used to predict positive or negative event outcomes. The dichotomized version of a predictor variable designed to estimate total investment exposure incorporating open interest, option contract delta values, and the underlying stock price was a significant predictor of negative pharmaceutical related events. However, none of ii the variables examined in this research were significant predictors of positive drug research related events. The estimated total investment exposure variable used in this research can be applied to the prediction of future clinical trial and FDA decision related events when this predictor variable shows a negative signal. Additional research would help confirm this finding by increasing the sample size of events that potentially follow the same pattern as those examined in this research. / text

Este trabalho verificou o tema de segurança de processos no segmento de plataformas de produção de petróleo e gás no mar de forma a propor um modelo de indicadores globais a fim de facilitar a identificação de fragilidades no gerenciamento de riscos de processos da indústria de produção de petróleo e gás natural no mar. O resultado esperado é o fornecimento de dados para a otimização de recursos regulatórios na busca da melhoria da segurança operacional. Para tal, buscando conhecer a postura das empresas no cumprimento da necessidade regulamentar da implementação de um Sistema de Gestão de Segurança de Processos (SGSP), foram identificadas as principais práticas preventivas para a o gerenciamento de riscos. Por conseguinte, mensurou-se o esforço na implementação deste SGSP como correlação direta para a prevenção de acidentes (foco preventivo). Já a análise dos resultados deste gerenciamento de riscos (foco reativo) foi obtido através incidentes operacionais classificados de acordo com sua respectiva importância/impacto, dentro de linhas de corte pré-estabelecidas. Assim, o indicador Global preventivo (IGPRV) e o Indicador Global reativo (IGRTV) foram elaborados agregando diferentes indicadores específicos de cada segmento para simplificar a análise e incluir a articulação de conceitos de segurança de processos à atuação regulatória. Os indicadores globais propostos quantificam conceitos subjetivos e complexos para o estabelecimento de metas e permitem aferir o desempenho das ações e projetos da regulação da indústria. Também permitem a identificação e a disseminação das melhores práticas de gerenciamento de riscos, comparando-as em diferente níveis de gerenciamento. Na análise dos resultados, pôde-se perceber que a utilização dos indicadores globais propostos pode responder com sucesso às necessidades regulatórias identificadas