D.Com. (Economics) / The objective of this dissertation was to examine the economic relevance of the actuarial. practice of investment Performance measurement and the valuation of the assets and liabilities of the South African private pension funds. South Africans are great contractual savers.

In the context of Listed Property Trusts (LPTs), three strategic investment issues have received considerable prominence in recent years. This thesis focuses on both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of these three strategic investment issues. 1/ the role of international property in LPTs 2/ the effect of stapled-securities management structure 3/ the performance of property securities funds. The three investment issues are assessed in some detail. The findings of the research suggest that the addition of international LPTs in the Australian LPT portfolio has resulted in significant diversification gains. The findings of the mixed-asset portfolio analysis suggest adding international LPTs to the Australian mixed-asset portfolio.Portfolio performance improved considerably. Mixed-asset portfolio performance is further enhanced when direct property is included. It is evident from the study that the property research discussed has led to the development of new LPT methodologies and a fuller understanding of the investment dynamics of the LPT sector in Australia. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (February 17, 2010) Includes bibliographical references (p. 49-53)

The dissertation deals with four issues affecting Employer Sponsored Pension Plans: (a) the rationale for their existence and growth, (b) the impact of taxation on funding decisions, (c) the development of an investment model for such funds, and (d) the evaluation of the historical investment performance of 83 Canadian pension funds. The proposed investment model integrates the fund's assets with the firm's assets. It is operationalized for four Canadian firms, using a universe of 192 common stocks and eleven bond portfolios. The results indicate that the optimal pension fund is firm-specific, in terms of both asset mix and security selection. The evaluation of investment performance emphasizes the equity portfolios of the 83 Canadian funds. The results show non-superior performance by these funds; the conclusions are robust across holding periods, benchmarks, performance measures and time periods. The study has major implications for the funding and investment policies of the pension funds and their investment performance.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Faculty of Economics and Commerce, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 310-326)

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992.

M.Comm. / Unemployment in South Africa is a growing concern. With unemployment reaching proportions, poverty and related crime levels are on the increase. Government, pressured by organised labour groups, is looking at all possible means of creating employment. COSATU, as a representative of organised labour, are calling for increased state participation in the economy in order to improve the "workers" plight. COSATU has identified retirement funds as a potential source of employment creation. Worth some R600 billion, retirement funds represent 35% or more of total savings in South Africa, and provide about 60% of local finance to companies. COSATU view these assets as belonging to their members, i.e. a large part of the funds consist of workers' deferred wages in the form of savings for retirement. COSATU believes that these funds should be invested in areas that promote their members' plight. At the end of October 2000, the Economic Empowerment Commission will have handed their formal empowerment proposals to the President. In an article, which appeared in the Financial Times on 14 September 2000, "Blueprint set out for black advancement", details were given of the Economic Empowerment Commission's expected proposals in this regard: "The black economic empowerment commission has proposed wide-ranging recommendations to reinvigorate black economic empowerment, stimulate fixed investment and accelerate economic growth. Commission Chairman Cyril Ramaphosa revealed an outline of the full package of the commission's proposals for the first time yesterday during a joint briefing of several parliamentary committees. The commission has called on business, labour and government to reach an "investment growth" accord and adopt a national black economic empowerment strategy.

In this study of Germany’s international cartel agreements there will be some shortcomings in the textual materials during certain periods of time covered in this report. This is due both to public apathy in respect to cartels, and the reluctance of firms to publicize their cartel arrangements. In addition to this the main emphasis of this report will stree to ramifications of Germany’s cartel upon the United States in the decade preceding World War II. This does not detract from the equally important effects Germany’s cartel operations had upon other nations, but is indicative of the dearth of material available to this writer on cartel agreements abroad. Through this shortcoming is unfortunate in respect to other nations, it is appropriate that emphasis be focused upon the United States because of its position of leadership, industrially speaking, during the era covered in this report. This report will first examine the word cartel in order to give the reader an insight as to the definition of this term. This is necessary since there is some disagreement as to the precise meaning of the term. Attention will be centered on the various types of cartels, both of the domestic and international varieties found in Germany during the period under consideration. Though the intent of this report is the exploration of Germany’s international cartel effects, the inclusion of that nation’s domestic cartels is warranted by their relationship and similarities. From this point the report will proceed to give a brief historical sketch of the development of cartels to the present day, with special attention being given to the growth of German cartels. Included in this analysis will be the philosophical and legal basis for their growth. The role played by cartels in the rise of Hitler to power and their relationship with National Socialism will be scrutinized and evaluated. Attention will then be given to specific case histories of international cartel relationships between German and foreign firms.

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