This thesis is composed of three chapters. The first two chapters provides novel approaches for modeling and estimating the dependence structure for a large portfolio of assets using rating data. In both chapters a natural form of organizing a portfolio in terms of the levels of exposure to economic sectors and geographical regions, plays a key role in setting up the dependence structure. The last chapter investigates weather financial strategies that exploit sector or geographical heterogeneity in the asset space are relevant in terms of portfolio optimization. This is also done in a context of a large portfolio but with data on stock returns.

Leadership has been a foundational component of secondary agricultural education and teachers are recognized as the program leader; furthermore, agriculture teachers are expected to develop leadership in their students. However, research examining the leadership style of agriculture teachers has not been fully vetted. The purpose of this study was threefold: to examine transformational leadership in secondary agricultural education from philosophical, qualitative, and quantitative perspectives. The study was conducted through a qualitative case study of an agricultural education program at the local level and through a quantitative study of secondary agricultural educators at the national level. The philosophical portion of the study gave an overview of the agricultural education model and the transformational leadership approach. A dynamic model was developed for agricultural education which places an emphasis on the leadership approach of the agricultural educator. The Transformational Leadership and Community Impact (TLCI) Model was developed to provide a more holistic approach for operating a high quality secondary agricultural education program. The qualitative portion of the study was a case study to examine the leadership styles of two agriculture teachers in a high quality secondary agriculture program. The transformational leadership approach of Bass and Avolio provided the framework to explore the leadership styles of the agriculture teachers as perceived by those closely associated with the agriculture program. The results of this case study suggest that the transformational leadership style of the agriculture teachers was a positive and effective way to lead. The quantitative portion of the study sought to identify the preferred leadership style of a random sample of agricultural educators across the nation who taught secondary agriculture during the 2008-2009 school year. Data were collected online using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). Descriptive statistics were used for reporting the demographic and personal characteristics of respondents. Mean scores were calculated to determine the leadership style and leadership factors of the agriculture teachers. The study concluded that secondary agricultural educators were more transformational in their preferred style in contrast to transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles. The highest mean score for a factor in transformational leadership was Individualized Consideration and the highest mean score for a factor in transactional leadership was Contingent Reward.

This study sheds light on the firm-lifecycle and the impact of leadership and how itdevelops negatively when the entrepreneurial firm becomes administrative andmanagerial. The ambivalent fact is that the firm, when growing in size, need to becomemore managerial, though without undermining the previously entrepreneurial mind-setthat pervade the organization. The term corporate entrepreneurship has emerged andcomprises that the firm can continue to be entrepreneurial in the managerial stage. Thatis to resume the firm’s work to keep innovative. The article seeks to find out how theleadership can be adapted for the firm to stay innovative through the managerial stage.

Objective: To assess the effect of upward feedback on the perception gap of manager-rated and subordinate-rated managerial behavior scores using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). Design: Phase I questionnaires assessed the use of upward (subordinate to manager) feedback and were used to form Feedback and Comparison groups. Phase II questionnaires included feedback, attitudinal, and demographic questions and the MLQ. MLQ scores were compared between the two groups. Subjects/setting: Directors of Food and Nutrition Services and Clinical Nutrition Managers and their respective subordinates in a hospital setting. Statistical analyses performed: General Linear Model (using SAS Version 9.2, Cary, NC) was used to determine the relationships between MLQ scores and questions of interest. Results: Upward feedback practices in both the Feedback and Communication groups did not correspond to the Phase I reports. Feedback managers did not have higher MLQ scores based on feedback group, manager tenure, and manager implementation of feedback. Managers whose subordinates who enjoyed their jobs had higher subordinate-rated MLQ scores. Conclusions: Policies and practices of upward evaluation methods are not clear and need to be studied further in a hospital dietetics setting.

Research report presented to SBL, Unisa, Midrand. / This study aims to examine how manager's leadership styles correlates with leadership outcomes and perceptions of subordinates and management in the construction industry. Leadership styles, conception and leadership outcomes in terms of effectiveness and operationalization were measured using a modified Bass and Avolio's multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) and a modified Porter et al.'s organizational commitment questionnaire (OCQ).

Research report presented to SBL, Unisa, Midrand. / This study aims to examine how manager's leadership styles correlates with leadership outcomes and perceptions of subordinates and management in the construction industry. Leadership styles, conception and leadership outcomes in terms of effectiveness and operationalization were measured using a modified Bass and Avolio's multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) and a modified Porter et al.'s organizational commitment questionnaire (OCQ).

In this research we investigate the relationship between multifactor investing and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and contribute to modern stock market prediction. We present the components for multifactor investing i.e. value, quality, size, low volatility & momentum as well as a methodology for ANN which provides the theory for the results. The return for the multifactor funds tested in this research is recorded below the benchmark used. However, the factors do have a dynamic relationship when testing for correlation and the multifactor regression analysis showed a high explanatory power (R2) for the funds. Based on the methodology of an ANN we establish that it is possible to use the knowledge from multifactor investing to train the technology with. When summarizing peer reviewed journals, we find that momentum have already been recurrently used in previous stock market prediction systems based on ANN, but the remaining factors have not. We conclude that there is an opportunity to use several factors to train an ANN due to their dynamic relationship and unique characteristics.

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to determine the best methods for achieving key leadership roles in education. The problem was to define the qualities that are important in leadership positions and to determine how those qualities relate to the top-level positions in school systems across Tennessee. Nineteen female directors of schools were interviewed. Directors also completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (5X-Short). Characteristics of transformational and transactional leadership styles were included in the study. Most of the directors scored high on using the transformational factors (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration) of leadership and on using the contingent reward style of transactional leadership. The female directors of this study perceived communication skills, a caring attitude, honesty, being a visionary, and having people skills as important leadership characteristics. Other emergent themes included the qualities of males and females in the workplace, barriers to success, and the best practices that leaders are currently using in the workplace. The retention of top leaders in education is important. The perceptions of the 19 directors of Tennessee's public schools in this study are vital in understanding how women in leadership positions work. Mentoring, peer coaching, and providing time for directors to network, collaborate, and receive quality professional development are essential practices that should be promoted and continued to retain these leaders. The implication from this study is that higher education institutions should also consider best practices for preparing future administrators to be successful. Attention should be paid to the differences in which males and females work and to the difference of personality traits and characteristics of leaders that may affect success in top-level positions in education.

After reviewing Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction(MDR) and its extensions, an approach to obtain P(larger than 1) risk scores is proposed to predict the continuous outcome for each subject. We study the mean square error(MSE) of dimensionality reduced models fitted with sets of 2 risk scores and investigate the MSE for several special cases of the covariance matrix. A methodology is proposed to select a best set of P risk scores when P is specified a priori. Simulation studies based on true models of different dimensions(larger than 3) demonstrate that the selected set of P(larger than 1) risk scores outperforms the single aggregated risk score generated in AQMDR and illustrate that our methodology can determine a best set of P risk scores effectively. With different assumptions on the dimension of the true model, we considered the preferable set of risk scores from the best set of two risk scores and the best set of three risk scores. Further, we present a methodology to access a set of P risk scores when P is not given a priori. The expressions of asymptotic estimated mean square error of prediction(MSPE) are derived for a 1-dimensional model and 2-dimensional model. In the last main chapter, we apply the methodology of selecting a best set of risk scores where P has been specified a priori to Alzheimer’s Disease data and achieve a set of 2 risk scores and a set of three risk scores for each subject to predict measurements on biomarkers that are crucially involved in Alzheimer’s Disease.

<p>Title: Investigations on the real estate market, what are the main factors influencing the performance of the French Real Estate Investments Trusts?</p><p>Problem: In 2003, the French government implemented a new tax-exempt structure in the real estate market. Like REITs in the United States, SIICs are listed French companies that aim to improve the performance of real estate stocks on Paris Stock Exchange. The problem consists of determining the performance of the SIICs’ portfolio, identifying the major influences of economic factors and capturing financial behaviour in asset portfolio management.</p><p>Purpose: Recently, the subprime crisis has largely brought out uncertainty of financial actors in the real estate sector. In this context, we try to apprehend the performance of these specific</p><p>SIICs investment vehicles related to financial, economic and managerial influences, by quantifying their stock performance in a five-year time frame.</p><p>Methodology: A deductive approach guides our thesis to emphasize our research question. Our business strategy entails positivism and objectivism considerations and relies on a case analysis research design using the multifactor model. Besides, the data collection process is following a quantitative approach of twenty chosen French SIICs between 2003 and 2007.</p><p>Result / Conclusion: Even if the multifactor model used by the authors may be viewed as unspecified, useful results can still be extracted and analysed. The hotel & LDG sector slightly performs better than others depending on the strategy of investment and the state of economy. Long-term interest rate acts as the principal explanatory factor. Investors do not necessarily respond in favour of the general market confidence indicator.</p>