Comparative Civilizations and Multiple Modernities

Book Description

The single most important topic in finance today is the art and science of credit risk management. Growing dissatisfaction with traditional credit risk measurement methods has combined with regulations imposed by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in 1993 to send numerous financial institutions in search of alternative "internal model" approaches to measuring the credit risk of a loan or portfolio of loans. This has led to a raging debate over whether internal models can replace regulatory models, and which areas of credit risk measurement and management are most amenable to internal models. Much of this highly technical debate, however, has been inaccessible to the interested practitioner, student, economist, or regulator-until now.

In Credit Risk Measurement: New Approaches to Value at Risk and Other Paradigms, Anthony Saunders invites a wider audience into the debate. Simplifying many of the technical details and analytics surrounding internal models, he concentrates on their underlying economics and economic intuition. Professor Saunders examines the approaches of these new models to the evaluation of individual borrower credit risk, portfolio credit risk, and derivative contracts. The alternative models explored include:
* Loans as options and the KMV model
* The VAR approach: J. P. Morgan's CreditMetrics and other models
* The macro simulation approach: the McKinsey and other models
* The risk-neutral valuation approach: KPMG's Loan Analysis System (LAS) and other models
* The insurance approach: mortality models and CSFP credit risk plus model
* Back testing and stress testing credit risk models
* RAROC models

With its comprehensive coverage, summary, and comparison of new internal model approaches along with clear explanations of often complex material, Credit Risk Measurement is an indispensable resource for bankers, academics and students, economists, and regulators.

Customer Reviews:

Don't waste your time.......2002-12-08

Working in the banking industry I was turned on to this book by a colleague and what a colossal waste of time reading this was. The vast majority of this book's models are outdated and if Mr. Saunders was trying to write a historical piece he has accomplished that in spades. Nothing in this book is relevant and it is obvious the esteemed Mr. Saunders lent his name to a very poor book that he probably should have glanced through if not read. Linda Allen should probably get some real world experience because she is wasting people's time with her research.

Good intro, but not enough details.......2000-06-21

I have a copy of this book. It covers popular credit risk models and things like RAROC, etc. These concepts have been discussed extensively in the industry but I assume this is the first in the book form. The book does a good job in presenting basic ideas. However, if you are looking for technical details, you best bets are still the original technical documentations (CreditMetrics, CreditRisk+, KMV, etc). Nevertheless this book is a useful survey of the current stable of models. Besides, it is not very expensive.

Good intro, but not enough details.......2000-06-21

RAROC.......1999-12-27

I like the part on RAROC and KMV, interesting boo

Economic Value Added: The Practitioner's Guide to a Measurement and Management Framework

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Economic Value Added: The Practitioner's Guide to a Measurement and Management Framework
Craig Savarese
Manufacturer: Business & Professional Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Money & Monetary Policy | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1875889310

Book Description

This business guide is an essential reference for companies who apply shareholder value concepts or economic profit measures in company analysis or decision-making. It addresses practical performance measurement issues, with numerous examples, and provides detailed steps for designing a company-specific economic profit measure. It also outlines how to incorporate economic profit into financial management practices such as investment analysis and incentive compensation. The author provides useful background details that show how economic profit links to shareholder's value, and TSR, a topic often misunderstood by finance practitioners. The book is an invaluable resource for financial managers, accounting professionals, consultants, and equity analysts who evaluate company performance or make financial decisions using value creation principles.

The audit lottery, or preparing for the TCMP audit - again! (Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program): An article from: The Tax Adviser

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The audit lottery, or preparing for the TCMP audit - again! (Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program): An article from: The Tax Adviser
Laura J. Kauls , and Walter S. Goldberg
Manufacturer: American Institute of CPA's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Tax Adviser, published by American Institute of CPA's on June 1, 1995. The length of the article is 1331 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is preparing for a substantial new audit cycle as part of the Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program in October 1995. The IRS plans to target 153,000 taxpayers including individuals, S corporations, partnerships and some small C corporations. These audits are mandatory and taxpayers and tax practitioners will be required to provide verifying information. The IRS reports that it expects to audit tow related entities on average for each primary audit, tripling the total number of audits to approximately 459,000.

Citation Details
Title: The audit lottery, or preparing for the TCMP audit - again! (Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program)
Author: Laura J. Kauls
Publication: The Tax Adviser (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 1995
Publisher: American Institute of CPA's
Volume: 26 Issue: n6 Page: 377(2)

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Bursting the bubble: tax planning in the '90s.: An article from: The National Public Accountant

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Bursting the bubble: tax planning in the '90s.: An article from: The National Public Accountant
Hans J. Dykxhoorn , and Kathleen E. Sinning
Manufacturer: National Society of Public Accountants
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The National Public Accountant, published by National Society of Public Accountants on July 1, 1991. The length of the article is 2638 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Bursting the bubble: tax planning in the '90s.
Author: Hans J. Dykxhoorn
Publication: The National Public Accountant (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 1991
Publisher: National Society of Public Accountants
Volume: v36 Issue: n7 Page: p22(4)

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Data uncertainty and the role of money as an information variable for monetary policy [An article from: European Economic Review]

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Data uncertainty and the role of money as an information variable for monetary policy [An article from: European Economic Review]
G. Coenen , A. Levin , and V. Wieland
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000RR3OEK

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from European Economic Review, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
In this study, we perform a quantitative assessment of the role of money as an indicator variable for monetary policy in the euro area. We document the magnitude of revisions to euro area-wide data on output, prices, and money, and find that monetary aggregates have a potentially significant role in providing information about current real output. We then proceed to analyze the information content of money in a forward-looking model in which monetary policy is optimally determined subject to incomplete information about the true state of the economy. We show that monetary aggregates may have substantial information content in an environment with high variability of output measurement errors, low variability of money demand shocks, and a strong contemporaneous linkage between money demand and real output. As a practical matter, however, we conclude that money has fairly limited information content as an indicator of contemporaneous aggregate demand in the euro area.

Exchange Rate Misalignment: Concepts and Measurement for Developing Countries

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A mini-library of exchange rate issues

Exchange Rate Misalignment: Concepts and Measurement for Developing Countries

Manufacturer: A World Bank Publication
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 019521126X

Book Description

Exchange Rate Misalignment examines the severe dislocations that can be caused by exchange rate misalignment and shows how there is no systematic guidance on the definitions and measurement of prevention. It explores how recent macroeconomic disruptions support the argument that growing financial integration has increased the need for providing accurate measures of long-run equilibrium exchange rates.

Customer Reviews:

A mini-library of exchange rate issues.......2000-03-31

Hinkle and Montiel have written a very good book. The book is very comprehensive and detailed. Understanding exchange rate issues is not an easy task, but dealing with exchange rate issues in developing countries is more daunting. In this connection, the authors do a very good job in trying to explain the various concepts of exchange rate misalignment in these emerging countries. One particular important aspect of the book is that it lays before the reader the various methodological approaches to measuring exchange rate misalignment in developing countries, and thus makes it easier for the reader to compare the relative merits and demerits of each methodology. In this wise, the reader is saved the trouble and time of having to glean through a slew of literature (very large indeed) in this subject area. The books thus becomes a mini-library of exchange rate related issues in developing countries. The book couldn't have come out in a more opportune time than this when issues of exchange rate crises in developing countries have assumed a center stage in international finance. It is a very good book for graduates students and other researchers interested in exchange rates issues in developing countries.

Flying swine: appropriate targets and goals of monetary policy.: An article from: Journal of Economic Issues

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Flying swine: appropriate targets and goals of monetary policy.: An article from: Journal of Economic Issues
L. Randall Wray
Manufacturer: Association for Evolutionary Economics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00096KTZG
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Economic Issues, published by Association for Evolutionary Economics on June 1, 1996. The length of the article is 3912 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: The consumer price index (CPI) is not a good guide for monetary policy because it overstates inflation of the cost-of-living by about 2%. An ideal measure for monetary policy should reflect market conditions that may be affected by the federal government. Measurement of the ultimate goal would be futile if the index reveals market conditions over which the monetary policy has no control.

Citation Details
Title: Flying swine: appropriate targets and goals of monetary policy.
Author: L. Randall Wray
Publication: Journal of Economic Issues (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 1996
Publisher: Association for Evolutionary Economics
Volume: v30 Issue: n2 Page: p545(8)

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IRS indefinitely postpones TCMP audits. (Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program): An article from: The Tax Adviser

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IRS indefinitely postpones TCMP audits. (Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program): An article from: The Tax Adviser
Anita L. Horn
Manufacturer: American Institute of CPA's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Tax Adviser, published by American Institute of CPA's on November 1, 1995. The length of the article is 1120 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: The IRS has postponed indefinitely the start of Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program (TCMP) audits, which had already been delayed until Dec. 1, 1995, citing budget concerns and congressional review of the cost-benefit of the program. The AICPA testified before Congress that taxpayers should be reimbursed for the expenses of these audits and questioned the use of financial status questions by examination agents. Rep. Nancy L. Johnson has added provisions to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights II that would provide taxpayers with some compensation for TCMP audits and limit individuals to one lifetime TCMP audit.

Citation Details
Title: IRS indefinitely postpones TCMP audits. (Taxpayer Compliance Measurement Program)
Author: Anita L. Horn
Publication: The Tax Adviser (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 1995
Publisher: American Institute of CPA's
Volume: 26 Issue: n11 Page: 697(2)

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The Measurement of Monetary Policy
M. Ray Perryman
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0898381177

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Money, Measurement and Computation

Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

In this book leading researchers from universities around the world bring together new ideas on measurement and computation of indices for the financial sector. The book is divided into three parts. The first part contains two chapters which present particularly new ideas and applications on models of the supply and demand for monetary assets in the UK. The second part contains five chapters on new approaches to hypothesis testing and data analysis.nbsp;The final section considers problems of money measurement and debates issue central to the performance of Divisia monetary aggregates.

Book Description

Top performing dotcoms share a common feature. It isn't a new software plug-in or a design gadget or any other piece of technology. These sites share a passionate focus on usability. This book is written by an international usability consultant, writer and trainer who specializes in the design and evaluation of web-based and wireless applications, e-commerce sites and interactive television. The author has worked with a number of blue-chip clients that value usability, including Hewlett-Packard, Thomas Cook, Philips, the Financial Times and Motorola. This guide is designed for software developers, project managers, business analysts and user interface designers, and does not require a background in human factors or usability. E-Commerce Usability: Tools and Techniques to Perfect the On-Line Experience presents a practical, structured, customer-centered design method that encourages innovation yet helps you make sure your final design is still easy to use.

Customer Reviews:

Robust step-by-step process to web usability and task focus.......2006-08-18

There are 100s of books aimed at people who design web sites. Books that tell you how to write HTML. Books that show you how to design 3D buttons. Books on programming in Perl, Java, etc.

This book takes a completely different approach: it assumes that the people who use web sites just want an easy life. This requires simplicity - not complexity. So, this book on web site development hardly mentions technology. Instead, it focuses on the customers of the technology: it explains how to design e-commerce sites that ordinary people can use (not just yourself, your boss or client!).

The book has now been on the market for three years, but never received the same attention as for instance the usability books from Jakob Nielsen or Steve Krug.

But if you would like a more structured approach then this book is a good pick. His approach is to design a clear roadmap for the web site design or re-design process with lots and lots of forms and checklists that we can put into use Monday morning.

CUSTOMER-CENTRED DESIGN PROCESS
David Travis is a British usability expert with a background from designing Industry Standards. He has designed a customer-centred design process that has four steps. I will outline these steps below:

Step 1: ANALYZE THE OPPORTUNITY
- Identify the stakeholders (who are they? what are their motivations? prioritise the list!)
- Write the site mandate (why it exists? which objectives?)
- Segment the market (e.g. by using Moore's technology adoption lifecyle)

Step 2: BUILD THE CONTEXT OF USE
- Build customer profiles (demographics, web site behavior, needs, and then you design personas)
- Build environment profiles (physical, socio-cultural, and technical)
- Build task profiles (prioritise task portfolio: value to customers vs. ease of implementation)

Step 3: CREATE THE USER EXPERIENCE (an iterative process)
- Develop key performance indicators for the site
- Develop information architecture (the high-level, conceptual model)
- Lay out the screens (the detailed design)
- Evaluate usability (using experts and representative customers)

Step 4: TRACK REAL-WORLD USAGE AND CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE THE SITE.
The job is done - isn't it? To paraphrase Chuchill: this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. This is the end of the beginning. You will need to change and update the web site as your customers change, if you want a successful web site. These key measures will keep your finger on the pulse of your site: Conversion rate, usage rate by registered customers, fulfilment performance and customer retention. Note that the two last ones are "beyond-the-interface" metrics.
So regularly you need to go back to step 2 or even step 1 again and improve wherever you can. As Einstein said: "The questions remain the same, but the answers differ" as we evolve.

Each of these bullets is devoted a chapter with tools and techniques, so the process is well documented. The author has refined his customer-centred design process through a lot of work with customers, such as HP, Motorola, Financial Times, and Thomas Cook).

Based on his experience, the author suggests three components of a web site's usability.

SCREEN DESIGN:
Although, most web site professionals nowadays accept usability as key to success, then many have a very narrow view of it. According to the author, many think it's only about screen design: choosing the correct fonts, colours, and icons. But in reality, usability is a process. It is not something that can be stapled on at the end of development. It's like putting lipstick on a bulldog ... Optimising screen design is perhaps only 15% of a web site's usability performance.

CONSISTENCY:
Screen design is just one of 3 important components. Consistency is the second key feature and it may account for about 25% of a web site's usability, says David Travis. We can all point to annoying inconsistencies in (or between) much of the software we use. The same goes for web sites.

TASK FOCUS:
The third component of usability, the remaining 60 %, is accounted for by task focus. You know a web site has task focus when you get a feeling that the person who designed the site knew exactly what you wanted to do. The site works the way you expect. There is no need to go searching through menus or dialogue boxes. The main things you want to do are there in front of you - easy to find and simple to carry out. It's intuitive, just like the best computer games, where very quickly the "interface" disappears and you are instead absorbed by the universe of the game - the task.

Of the three components of usability, task focus is the most complicated. Rules for good visual screen design are plentiful. Consistency is a matter of discipline and testing against relevant guides. But achieving task focus is much more complicated - it requires a process, and it is what this book attempts to do (cf. the four step process above).

If you are a structured person, you will love this book. Most usability books consist of many valuable guidelines and hints but are often rather unstructured in their process. This book offers a roadmap to success with the step-by-step approach.

If you are interested in e-commerce usability, then I also recommend you take a look at these books (less structured, but with a lot of useful guidelines):
- Jakob Nielsen: Prioritizing Web Usability (2006)
- Eisenberg: Call to Action: Secret Formulas to Improve Online Results (2005)
- Steve Krug: Don't make me think - A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (2005)

PS. The book contains about 200 pages.

Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business

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Help for dealing with cultural change is here!

Navigating the Winds of Change
Lynn Anderson
Manufacturer: Howard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Church Institutions & Organizations | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Church Administration | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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They Smell Like Sheep: Spiritual Leadership for the 21st Century

In Search of Wonder: A call to worship renewal

They Smell Like Sheep, Volume 2: Leading with the Heart of a Shepherd

Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples

ASIN: 1878990314

Book Description

How Can Your Church Manage Cultural Change Without Compromising Eternal Truths?

Many churches are currently grappling with this question, and this important book by Lynn Anderson is full of answers.

The winds of change are blowing, and they will not be ignored. Churches that learn how to successfully manage the changes these winds bring will sail smoothly into the 21st century. Congregations that close their eyes to the reality of change will be swept off course or into extinction.

In this book, Anderson--a well-known author, minister and leader--presents a wealth of practical, effective strategies for managing change in the church. He is the creative force behind the annual "Church That Connects" seminar that has helped hundreds of church leaders manage positive change in their congregations; and now he gives these vital strategies directly to you.

Customer Reviews:

Help for dealing with cultural change is here!.......1998-07-03

This is a very good book and Dr. Anderson's 40+ years of ministry experience make the book extremely helpful on a practical level. My favorite section is the chapter entitled "A Church that Connects." All ministers should read this book.

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Navigating the winds of change

Navigating the Winds of Change
Andy Kaufman
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0972058702
Release Date: 2004-03-17

Product Description

With the winds of change blowing in from all directions, there’s a lot of theory out there about how to manage change personally and how to lead it organizationally. But how do you implement those ideas in the real world where conditions aren't perfect, problems are complex, direction is unclear, and there are conflicting priorities and risks. Navigating the Winds of Change provides practical lessons on how to manage and lead change using tools and techniques proven in the real world.

Customer Reviews:

Navigating the winds of change.......2004-07-15

This is an outstanding read. Full of practical and useable advice and stratgies

Mechanical nut twisters: or, The hot air halitosis of change agents in the church of Christ as advocated by Lynn Anderson

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Mechanical nut twisters: or, The hot air halitosis of change agents in the church of Christ as advocated by Lynn Anderson
Wayne Coats
Manufacturer: W. Coats
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006QM5FQ

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