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The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), the defined benefit contribution plan for the US Government, introduced the asset allocation Lifecycle (L) Funds in August 2005. These funds seek to minimize risk and maximize expected portfolio return via mean-variance optimization (MVO). The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and examine the efficiency of the TSP L Funds and create alternative L Fund portfolios via downside risk optimization (DRO). Whereas MVO minimizes the portfolio variance (standard deviation), DRO seeks to minimize the risk below an investor's minimal acceptable return in the market, defined as the Co-Lower Partial Moment (CLPM). The research team compares the TSP and DRO (CLPM) L Fund expected portfolio values at retirement for three typical investors. The expected portfolio values are computed using @Risk software via Monte Carlo simulation of TSP individual fund monthly returns, the L Fund quarterly target allocations, and various investor inputs. The quantitative results and analysis of this evaluation determined that TSP participants realize higher expected portfolio values at retirement by investing into a DRO (CLPM) L Fund versus any of the TSP L Funds. To validate the findings, this thesis compares an investment stream in the L Funds from August 2005 through December 2009.

"Mainstay reference guide for wealth management, newly updated for today's investment landscape. For over a decade, The New Wealth Management: The Financial Advisor's Guide to Managing and Investing Client Assets has provided financial planners with detailed, step-by-step guidance on developing an optimal asset allocation policy for their clients. And, it did so without resorting to simplistic model portfolios, such as lifecycle models or black box solutions. Today, while The New Wealth Management still provides a thorough background on investment theories, and includes many ready to use client presentations and questionnaires, the guide is newly updated to meet twenty-first century investment challenges. The book includes expert updates from Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute, in addition to the core text of 1997's first edition - endorsed by investment luminaries Charles Schwab and John Bogle. Presents an approach that places achieving client objectives ahead of investment vehicles. Applicable for self-study or classroom use. Now, as in 1997, The New Wealth Management effectively blends investment theory and real world applications. And in today's new investment landscape, this update to the classic reference is more important than ever"--

"Mainstay reference guide for wealth management, newly updated for today's investment landscape. For over a decade, The New Wealth Management: The Financial Advisor's Guide to Managing and Investing Client Assets has provided financial planners with detailed, step-by-step guidance on developing an optimal asset allocation policy for their clients. And, it did so without resorting to simplistic model portfolios, such as lifecycle models or black box solutions. Today, while The New Wealth Management still provides a thorough background on investment theories, and includes many ready to use client presentations and questionnaires, the guide is newly updated to meet twenty-first century investment challenges. The book includes expert updates from Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute, in addition to the core text of 1997's first edition - endorsed by investment luminaries Charles Schwab and John Bogle. Presents an approach that places achieving client objectives ahead of investment vehicles. Applicable for self-study or classroom use. Now, as in 1997, The New Wealth Management effectively blends investment theory and real world applications. And in today's new investment landscaped, this update to the classic reference is more important than ever"--

In recognition of the long-term impacts resulting from financial decisions, a growing number of campaigns are advocating divestment from companies responsible for high levels of carbon emissions. However, a systematic understanding of divestment is needed for an examination of the social, economic and environmental impacts that extend beyond the currently stated political motivations to divest. We have developed the Shadow Impact Calculator (SIC) based on economic input-output life cycle assessments (EIO-LCA) as a tool to examine broader impacts of investment decisions. A portfolio's "shadow footprint" represents the economic, social and environmental impacts underlying an investor's decision to hold equities in particular companies, economic sectors or nations. We show which sectors of the economy have particularly large or small carbon shadows. To demonstrate the use of SIC we examine the endowment investments of a Canadian university. We also show how the immediate economy-wide impacts of divestment are often much smaller than would otherwise be expected. ; Science, Faculty of ; Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for ; Reviewed ; Graduate

This inaugural issue of the World Bank Group's Global Investment Competitiveness Report presents novel analytical insights and empirical evidence on foreign direct investment's (FDI) drivers and contributions to economic transformation. Three key features distinguish this report from other leading FDI studies. Firstly, its insights come from a variety of sources, including a new survey of investor perspectives, extensive analysis of available data and evidence, and a thorough review of international best practices in investment policy design and implementation. Secondly, the report provides targeted, in-depth analysis of FDI differentiated by motivation, sector, and geographic origin and destination of investment. Thirdly, the report offers practical and actionable recommendations to developing country governments. The report's groundbreaking survey of more than 750 executives of multinational corporations investing in developing countries finds that—in addition to political stability, security, and macroeconomic conditions—a business-friendly legal and regulatory environment is the key driver of investment decisions. The report also explores the potential of FDI to create new growth opportunities for local firms, assesses the effectiveness of fiscal incentives in attracting FDI, analyzes the characteristics of FDI originating in developing countries—so-called South–South and South–North FDI—and examines the experience of foreign investors in countries afflicted by conflict and fragility.

Background. Bitcoin protocol was released in 2009, which created a revolutionary virtual currency, the Bitcoin. Many cryptocurrencies have appeared in the last decade, and as a result nowadays approximately 4940 cryptocurrencies are registered, and new ones emerge almost every day. Majority of the central banks do not accept these cryptocurrencies as real currencies, rather they draw attention for their dangers and risks. At the same time, despite warnings, the number of cryptocurrency transactions has exploded. Research aims. The aim of this research is to examine the investors' investing habits, motivations and study the acceptance of innovation. Our aims are to explore those habits and motivations, which are obstruct or incite investors' investing habits. Also, one of our aims is to study how cryptocurrency investors open for innovations and which adaption categories they can be classified into. Methodology. During the research process, the professional bibliography of the academic basis for cryptocurrencies had been reviewed. We used the results of previous research in our study whilst we examined the investing, savings habits and motivations of the Hungarian population. Everett Rogers' theory of innovation played a vital role in our research, mostly that is what our own research was based on. During the primary research we conducted a questionnaire survey, which results were analyzed using mathematical-statistical models. Key findings. The main motivation for cryptocurrency investors is gaining income, wealth and seeking entertainment. Their characteristics are mostly the independence and lifecycle motivation. For cryptocurrency investors, the motivation is mostly obstructed by lack of income and market information. Most of them are open for innovation and bear it inevitable. The most of them considered as innovator or late majority. They are rarely known as laggards.

PROLOGUE Chapter 1: LOGISTICS OF HUMANITARIAN AID / Introduction / From Logistics to Supply Chain Management / Supply Chain Management / Supply Chain Management Fundamentals: Flows, Design, and Management Quality / Characteristics of a Humanitarian Supply Chain / Speed / Opportunities for Cross-Learning / Sharing Knowledge Between the Private and Humanitarian Sector / Conclusion Chapter 2: HUMANITARIANISM / Introduction / Not All that Glitters is Gold / Defining 'Humanitarian' / Humanitarian Space / Conflict Connection / The Humanitarian Challenge / Conclusion Chapter 3: PREPAREDNESS / Introduction / Hurricane Mitch / Successful Responses are not Improvised / Preparedness Challenges / Logistics Becomes a Central Function from Hurricane Mitch to Gujarat / Five Key Building Blocks of Preparedness / Preparedness Strategy Drives Response Effectiveness / Put an End to Fire-Fighting / Conclusion Chapter 4: COORDINATION / Introduction / The Need for Coordination / Levels of Coordination / Disaster Lifecycle / Matching the Lifecycle / Humanitarian Coordination: Obstacles to Overcome / Conclusion Chapter 5: INFORMATION MANAGEMENT / Introduction / Role of Information Management / Visibility (Pipeline) / Transparency (Process) / Accountability (Parties/Performance) / Benefits of Accountability / Information Flows / Conclusion Chapter 6: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT / Introduction / How is Knowledge Created? / Knowledge is Created and Needed at Different Levels / Knowing Ahead of Time / They Know That You Don't Know What They Know ! And It Will Cost You / Barriers to Knowledge Sharing / Conclusion Chapter 7: BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP / Introduction / Humanitarian-Private Partnerships / Building Learning Labs / Back Office Support / Humanitarians in the Forefront / Forms of Corporate Support for Humanitarian Activities / CSR Partnership Challenges / Investing in Partnerships: The TNT-WFP Case / Value Through Learning / Learning: A Difficult Process that Needs to be Managed Proactively / Barriers to Exchange Best Practice / Conclusion EPILOGUE

Abstract
Data has become a critical trans-national and cross-border resource. Yet, the lack of a well-defined approach to using it poses challenges to harnessing its value. This article explores the increasing importance of global data governance due to the rapid growth of data, and the need for responsible data practices. The purpose of this paper is to compare approaches and identify patterns in the emergent data governance ecosystem within sectors close to the international development field, ultimately presenting key takeaways and reflections on when and why a global data governance framework may be needed. Overall, the paper provides information about the conditions when a more holistic, coordinated transnational approach to data governance may be needed to responsibly manage the global flow of data. The report does this by (a) considering conditions specified by the literature that may be conducive to global data governance, and (b) analyzing and comparing existing frameworks, specifically investigating six key elements: purpose, principles, anchoring documents, data description and lifecycle, processes, and practices. The article closes with a series of final recommendations, which include adopting a broader concept of data stewardship to reconcile data protection and promotion, focusing on responsible reuse of data to unlock socioeconomic value, harmonizing meanings to operationalize principles, incorporating global human rights frameworks to provide common North Stars, unifying key definitions of data, adopting a data lifecycle approach, incorporating participatory processes and collective agency, investing in new professions with specific roles, improving accountability through oversight and compliance mechanisms, and translating recommendations into practical tools.

Remedying the European Union's deficient overall business research and development performance requires the nurturing of more new companies in new sectors, enabling them to grow to leading-innovator status. This means addressing young leading innovators' access to external finance, particularly early-stage venture capital. The funding system for aspiring young leading innovators ('yollies') needs to be understood as an interconnected system comprising different types of funding at different stages of company lifecycles. Venture capital funds are critical at the early commercialisation stage. Venture capital investors rely on a good deal flow of high-potential investment-ready firms, on skilled investment managers, and on developed exit markets. Poor returns from early-stage investments in Europe on a smaller deal flow have significantly reduced the appetite for early-stage venture capital. This exodus has left a funding gap in Europe for aspiring yollies. The evidence suggests that there are a number of ineffective public schemes supporting mediocre deals at mediocre funds. Shutting those down would free up enough funding to allow a significant shift towards a more effective venture investing system focused on high quality venture capital and innovative projects from aspiring yollies.