The Future of Pension Management. Integrating Design, Governance, and Investing

The Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) is the biggest change programme Europe’s capital markets have ever attempted. It takes all the protection away from Europe’s Stock Exchanges and forces investment banks, brokers and dealers to guarantee best execution. The organisational, process and technology changes demanded by the MiFID are massive. In order to understand these challenges, industry commentator Chris Skinner has gathered the views of Europe’s leading figures in the MiFID community to discuss its implications. From an introduction from the European Business School and European Commission, through the views of leaders in the key constituencies of MiFID Connect and the MiFID Joint Working Group, through to organisations supporting the markets such as Reuters and SWIFT, this book provides a 360-degree perspective of the world of investing in Europe’s markets after the MiFID implementation. Anyone who has anything to do with dealing, trading and investing in European equities and instruments will find this book an essential guide to the markets now and into the future. With this book as their guide, readers will understand: • The key MiFID business issues • How to implement the directive • How it will affect the markets once it comes into force

All the best practices a manager and an executive need-in a one-stop, comprehensive reference Praise for Corporate Management, Governance, and Ethics Best Practices «If you want a comprehensive compendium of best practices in corporate governance, risk management, ethical values, quality, process management, credible financial reporting, and related issues like the SOX Act all in one place spanning both breadth and depth, Vallabhaneni's book is the source of insightful thoughts as a reference manual. A must-read and a should-own for all institutions and libraries around the globe; I am pleased I read it and use it in my classes.» -Professor Bala V. Balachandran, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University «Mr. Vallabhaneni has an excellent grasp of corporate governance principles. In particular, he shows how these principles can mitigate a broad range of corporate risks.» -Steven M. Bragg, author of Accounting Best Practices and Inventory Best Practices «Professor Vallabhaneni provides an excellent analysis of the corporate governance landscape. His discussion and categorization of risks confronting an organization will be very helpful to boards of directors.» -Frederick D. Lipman, President of the Association of Audit Committee Members, Inc. and Partner, Blank Rome LLP Representing a single and collective voice for the entire business management profession, Corporate Management, Governance, and Ethics Best Practices provides a cohesive framework for organization-wide implementation of the best practices used by today's leading companies and is an authoritative source on best practices covering all functions of a business corporation, including governance and ethics.

The credit derivatives industry has come under close scrutiny over the past few years, with the recent financial crisis highlighting the instability of a number of credit structures and throwing the industry into turmoil. What has been made clear by recent events is the necessity for a thorough understanding of credit derivatives by all parties involved in a transaction, especially traders, structurers, quants and investors. Fully revised and updated to take in to account the new products, markets and risk requirements post financial crisis, Credit Derivatives: Trading, Investing and Risk Management, Second Edition, covers the subject from a real world perspective, tackling issues such as liquidity, poor data, and credit spreads, to the latest innovations in portfolio products, hedging and risk management techniques. The book concentrates on practical issues and develops an understanding of the products through applications and detailed analysis of the risks and alternative means of trading. It provides: a description of the key products, applications, and an analysis of typical trades including basis trading, hedging, and credit structuring; analysis of the industry standard 'default and recovery' and Copula models including many examples, and a description of the models' shortcomings; tools and techniques for the management of a portfolio or book of credit risks including appropriate and inappropriate methods of correlation risk management; a thorough analysis of counterparty risk; an intuitive understanding of credit correlation in reality and in the Copula model. The book is thoroughly updated to reflect the changes the industry has seen over the past 5 years, notably with an analysis of the lead up and causes of the credit crisis. It contains 50% new material, which includes copula valuation and hedging, portfolio optimisation, portfolio products and correlation risk management, pricing in illiquid environments, chapters on the evolution of credit management systems, the credit meltdown and new chapters on the implementation and testing of credit derivative models and systems. The book is accompanied by a website which contains tools for credit derivatives valuation and risk management, illustrating the models used in the book and also providing a valuation toolkit.

Fascinating insights into the changing supply chain industry in China, from leading international experts A fascinating look at the enormous changes taking place in China today as it evolves from global manufacturer to global consumer marketplace, The Shipping Point: The Rise of China and the Future of Retail Supply Chain Management explores how China's ascension will have a profound impact on the future of retail supply chain management. Bringing together the knowledge and expertise of leading supply chain and retail professionals from around the world to illuminate opportunities that are likely to develop over the next decade in China, the book is essential reading for anyone working with or looking to better understand how supply chains work. Focusing on cutting edge logistics programs, processes, and technologies that will drive supply chain innovation in the twenty-first century, the book highlights innovative logistics programs that link the Asia Pacific manufacturing base, with international retailers and end consumers. Providing real examples of supply chain innovation in the marketplace to clearly illustrate the ideas in action, the book explores multi-country consolidation in China, strategies for greening the supply chain, supply chain & logistics IT systems, contingency planning strategy, and much more. Explores the programs, processes, and technologies that will drive supply chain innovation in the years ahead, with a particular focus on China Incorporates case studies contributed by retail executives and logistics industry professionals from around the world Highlights innovative logistics programs that link the Asia Pacific manufacturing base with international retailers and end consumers In The Shipping Point, international transportation and logistics expert Peter Levesque and a team of contributing authors provide practical expertise and insights into present and future opportunities for consumer retail and supply chain management—and what it will take to turn those opportunities into reality.

A detailed and compelling look at distressed securities investing in today’s market In the corporate world, “vulture” investors in distressed securities serve the same cleanup function as vultures do in the natural world: they deal with failing companies, digest bad debt, and mop up after bankruptcies. Since this market’s structural and legal complexities create greater inefficiencies than in other investment fields, it’s a style of investing that can make money during both booms and busts. While recent economic carnage has made opportunities for vulture investors, more convoluted bankruptcies, conflicts of interest, and even government intervention have made this arena harder to negotiate. Nobody understands this better than author George Schultze, founder of Schultze Asset Management. During his successful career as a vulture investor, he’s learned a number of lessons and developed an investment philosophy that has served him well. Now, in The Art of Vulture Investing, Schultze shares his valuable insights and experiences with you. Engaging and informative, this reliable guide offers a bird’s-eye into the opportunities and risks associated with vulture investing. And while it may not always be pretty, you’ll see exactly why this process is necessary for our economic ecosystem. Throughout this book, Schultze explains the theory and strategy of vulture investing in clear and lively prose, illustrating each concept with examples from his own varied experience that show how the landscape has changed in recent years. Offers valuable information on distressed securities investing since the 2007-2009 financial crisis Examines the opportunities and dilemmas for modern vulture investors Includes in-depth case studies of high-profile bankruptcies, including those of Chrysler Automotive and Tropicana Casinos and Resorts By its very nature, investing in distressed companies can be a complicated and risky business. But once the dust settles, these investments can yield extraordinary profits. The Art of Vulture Investing puts this discipline in perspective and shows you how to excel at this difficult, yet rewarding, endeavor.

A visually engaging introduction to landscape architectural design Landscape architectural design seeks to create environments that accommodate users' varying lifestyles and needs, incorporate cultural heritage, promote sustainability, and integrate functional requirements for optimal enjoyment. Foundations of Landscape Architecture introduces the foundational concepts needed to effectively integrate space and form in landscape design. With over five hundred hand-rendered and digital drawings, as well as photographs, Foundations of Landscape Architecture illustrates the importance of spatial language. It introduces concepts, typologies, and rudimentary principles of form and space. Including designs for projects such as parks, campuses, and memorials, this text provides the core concepts necessary for designers to shape functional landscapes. Additionally, chapters discuss organizational and spatial design structures based on orthogonal forms, angular forms, and circular forms. Helping students, professionals, and lifelong learners alike, Foundations of Landscape Arch-itecture delivers a concrete understanding of landscape architectural design to inspire one's imagination for countless types of projects.

Praise for Praise for Performance Management: Integrating Strategy Execution, Methodologies, Risk, and Analytics «A highly accessible collection of essays on contemporary thinking in performance management. Readers will get excellent overviews on the Balanced Scorecard, strategy maps, incentives, management accounting, activity-based costing, customer lifetime value, and sustainable shareholder value creation.» —Robert S. Kaplan, Harvard Business School; coauthor of The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action, The Execution Premium, and many other books «Gary Cokins demonstrates in this book that performance management is not a mysterious black art, but a structured, process-oriented discipline. If you want your performance management system to be a smoothly running analytical machine, read and apply the ideas in this book—it's all you need.» —Thomas H. Davenport, President's Distinguished Professor of Information Technology and Management, Babson College; coauthor of Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning «Drawing on a deep reservoir of knowledge and experience gained from hundreds of customer engagements around the world, Gary Cokins offers an authoritative examination of the major dimensions of performance management. Cokins not only paints a rich and textured view of the major principles and concepts driving performance management implementations, he offers a nuanced look at the important subtleties that can spell the difference between success and failure. This is an informative and enjoyable text to read!» —Wayne Eckerson, Director of Research, The Data Warehouse Institute (TDWI); author of Performance Dashboards: Measuring, Monitoring, and Managing Your Business «[In this] very insightful book, the view of an integrated performance management framework with a goal to link various operational activities with business strategy is an excellent approach to manage and improve business. Gary's explanation of risk-based performance management, for providing the capability to achieve long-term objectives with reliably calculated risks, is definitely thought provoking.» —Srini Pallia, Global Head and Vice President of Business Technology Services, Wipro Technologies, Bangalore, India «Gary Cokins is clearly one of the world's thought leaders in the area of performance management, and the need for integrated performance management, improvement and execution is clearly at a premium in these challenging economic times. This book is a must read for CEOs, CFOs, and management accountants around the globe seeking higher levels of sustainable business performance for their stakeholders.» —Jeffrey C. Thomson, President and CEO, Institute of Management Accountants

The time for financial technology innovation is now Marketplace Lending, Financial Analysis, and the Future of Credit clearly explains why financial credit institutions need to further innovate within the financial technology arena. Through this text, you access a framework for applying innovative strategies in credit services. Provided and supported by financial institutions and entrepreneurs, the information in this engaging book encompasses printed guidance and digital ancillaries. Peer-to-peer lenders are steadily growing within the financial market. Integrating peer-to-peer lending into established credit institutions could strengthen the financial sector as a whole, and could lead to the incorporation of stronger risk and profitability management strategies. Explain (or Explore) approaches and challenges in financial analysis applied to credit risk and profitability Explore additional information provided via digital ancillaries, which will further support your understanding and application of key concepts Navigate the information organised into three subject areas: describing a new business model, knowledge integration, and proposing a new model for the Hybrid Financial Sector Understand how the rise of fintech fits into context within the current financial system Follow discussion of the current status quo and role of innovation in the financial industry, and consider the financial technology innovation landscape from the perspective of an entrepreneur Marketplace Lending, Financial Analysis, and the Future of Credit is a critical text that bridges the gap in understanding between financial technology entrepreneurs and credit institutions.

A detailed look at how to fix the hedge fund industry The Future of Hedge Fund Investing spells out in refreshingly stark terms exactly how the industry let down its clients, and the changes needed to restore their confidence. Written by Monty Agarwal, the founder of Predator Capital Management, this insider's guide gives a full assessment of the business, including the advantages of hedge funds, their pitfalls, and, most importantly, how to avoid these missteps. The book begins by describing the hedge fund universe, which includes funds and fund of funds; fund regulators, major investors, and middlemen; and fee structures, incentives, and typical investment strategies. From here, Agarwal explores possible solutions and fixes as he touches upon several important issues within this field. Examines hedge funds' role in the 2008 market crisis and what can be learned from it Discusses the structural changes for fund of funds in areas including trading, diversification, risk management, and due diligence Provides guidance for investors to follow when interviewing hedge fund managers Whether you're a financial professional, a potential investor, or simply an interested reader, The Future of Hedge Fund Investing gives you a clear look at the state of hedge funds today as well as a picture of what the future may hold for them.

The business leader's guide to encouraging continuous innovation in any organization Innovation governance is a hot topic in the business world. In a fast-paced business environment, the ability of corporate leaders to build purpose, direction, and focus for innovation is more important than ever. In this book, the authors provide a framework for encouraging and focusing innovation by explaining what innovation governance is, the various models for governance and their advantages and disadvantages, how to assess and improve governance practices, and behavioral tactics for maximizing the effectiveness of governance. It offers guidance for everyone from the boardroom through senior management, illustrating effective governance models with real case studies from a range of companies in the United States and Europe. Addresses an important yet underappreciated skill for CEOs, board members, and top management Features real-world examples and case studies from a variety of business from around the world Written by an author team with hands-on experience in the subjects of innovation management, organizational learning, innovation leadership, organizational behavior, and individual leadership and teamwork Innovation governance is a sadly neglected topic in many organizations. This book offers vital guidance and real-world experience for building innovation into any business from the top down.