Economics - Theses
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ItemNo Preview AvailableThe development of social services in Victoria(University of Melbourne, 1948)
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ItemManagement accounting in Australia: an investigation into the reasons for the gap between theory and practice( 1991)Even a brief glance at a cross-section of the many text-books dealing with cost and management accounting makes it evident that there is almost universal agreement among academics as to the "body of knowledge° which constitutes the area known as Cost and Management or Managerial Accounting. Furthermore, an examination of the contents of any of these major textbooks, such as Horngren and Foster (1987) and Shillinglaw (1982), through their sequence of revised editions over more than twenty years will reveal very little substantial change in their Table of Contents. In fact, this remarkable consensus of material has led Scapens(1983a), who had compared the topics covered in twenty four management accounting textbooks published in the previous six years, to coin the phrase the "Conventional Wisdom" of management accounting, at least as it is understood by academic textbook writers. (From Introduction)
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ItemInitial capital and margins required to secure a Japanese life insurance policy portfolio under stochastic interest rates( 2002-09)During the last decade several Japanese life insurance companies failed mainly due to interest losses. In fact, interest rate risk dominates mortality risk for a portfolio of business in force. When the interest rates are modelled as random variables, the yields on bonds are the sum of expected short spot rates and a risk premium for random bond prices. However, in our study, we assume a risk-neutral environment, i.e. zero risk premiums. As tools to deal with stochastic interest rates, various interest rate term structure models are considered. The Vasicek model, the Heath-Jarrow-Morton (hereafter “HJM”) approach and Cairns’ model are explained in detail. The history and nature of the very low interest rate environment in Japan is described in line with the monetary policy framework of the central bank. An unusual interest rate movement in the very low interest rate environment is identified. A modified HJM approach and Cairns’ model are chosen in our study. Cairns’ model is used to graduate the initial yield curve. The HJM approach with a specific volatility function and modified to deal with very low interest rates is used for simulating subsequent developments of the initial yield curve. After the introduction of various concepts needed to investigate a life insurance policy portfolio, we prepare for simulation by collecting information and by fitting parameters to market observations. The Yen swap curve is chosen as a base yield curve. The simulation results show how much initial capital and/or margins are needed in order to avoid the ruin of a portfolio.
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ItemThe economics of the Australian press( 1951)This study represent an application of the techniques of economic analysis to the Australian newspaper industry. The questions may be summarised as follows: How does a newspaper viewed as a rational economic entity? maximise its profits? What is the present degree of monopoly in the Australian press? how has this degree of monopoly developed and what are its causes? Finally what are the economic prospects of the industry?
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ItemTariff and non-tariff barriers to trade in the beef, dairy & wheat industry in Japan, Taiwan & Thailand between 1974 & 1994;( 1995-02)This thesis results from a long interest and association with Australian export activities in the East Asian region. It has developed from an investigation into the relevance of tariffs to Australia’s export performance in East Asia into a thesis which explores the performance of Australia’s Statutory Marketing Authorities (SMA’s) in the beef, dairy and wheat sectors in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, and the influence of Non-Tariff barriers on this performance. It is hoped that the data presented in the thesis will be a useful guide to the activities of SMA’s in East Asia between 1974 and 1994 and illustrate the success, or lack of it, that Australian exporters have had in overcoming the considerable barriers to agricultural trade with the region. More detailed analysis and assessments have been made of the statistical relevance of NTB’s, and the performance of SMA’s over the past ten years. However, this thesis sets out to charter a more diverse route through the intricacies and complexities of Australia’s export performance and admonish the notion that NTB’s are the pivotal factor to export success in East Asia.
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ItemThe relevance of company financial reports for institutional long-term investors( [1969])The title of this thesis refers to 'company financial reports' and to 'institutional long-term investors'. Since these terms are rather broad in meaning it is necessary to give them precise definition. Throughout the thesis, unless otherwise specified, 'company financial reports' refer to the annual reports published by companies as required by S.162 and the Ninth Schedule to the Companies Act 1961. Under the statute, these reports must contain a balance sheet, a profit and loss account (both showing comparative figures for the previous accounting period), an audit report, a directors' report, a certificate relating to any change in the value of certain assets signed by two directors and a certificate, relating to the accuracy of the accounts, signed by the company secretary. In addition, the report should disclose particulars of share options held and/or exercised. If the company is a holding company the annual report must also contain consolidated statements of assets and liabilities and of profit and loss and a list of the names of subsidiary companies or audited annual reports for each of the subsidiary companies. The Companies Act 1961 does not require public circulation of these documents; it merely requires that they be laid 'before the company in general meeting'. However, the combined influence of the Official List Requirements of the Australian Associated Stock Exchanges and the public relations potential of well-prepared and widely-circulated reports has resulted in the reports of listed companies being available to any interested person. (From Introduction)
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ItemA history of the Institute of Public Affairs( 1989)This thesis covers the history of the Institute of Public Affairs (the IPA) from its formation late in 1942 to the end of 1988. Some significant events in the early part of 1989, such as the resignation of director Rod Kemp, have of necessity had to be omitted.
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ItemPlaying and fun in the workplace( 2012)This thesis examines the equivocal outcomes of fun in the workplace and establishes that playing and fun in the workplace can be investigated within three schools of thought: the developmental school, the interactionist school, and the political school. Drawing on the literature of workplace fun, appraisal theory, and service employee management literature, a model has been developed. The model consists of four core elements. First, the model uses the contingency approach and establishes that workplace fun may lead to both positive and negative employee emotions depending on contextual factors. The framework suggests some potentially important contextual factors at the individual, group and organisational level. Second, the model differentiates between fun as an episodic activity and fun as a climate. Third, I contribute to the appraisal theory of emotions by explaining how episodic emotions are provoked as a result of fun activities. Fourth, I consider the emotions that service employees display to customers, suggesting that positive or negative emotions of service employees that are caused by fun activities can influence customer satisfaction.
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ItemExport credit insurance schemes and manufactured exports with particular reference to Australia 1960-1972( 1975)Credit insurance, which may be regarded as a part of casualty insurance, is a means of reducing the risk in credit operations, whether for domestic or overseas transactions. The terms “insurance” and "guarantee" are often used interchangeabley. For example, in Australia there is the Export Payments Insurance Corporation, and the counterpart organisation in the United Kingdom is the Export Credits Guarantee Department. The second half of the 19th century saw attempts by private companies in Europe to apply insurance principles to credit risks (domestic or domestic and export credit risks). But most were destined to failure because they considered it their duty not only to meet the claims of their clients but also to come to their financial assistance, so failing to distinguish between the function of insurance and banking. In Britain, Australia played a part in developing export credit insurance as it is now known when financial difficulties in Australia in the 1890's made British merchants shipping goods to Australia lose confidence in bills drawn on their Australian buyers. This led to a demand for insurance to cover the export credit risks. The few companies that were formed to meet this demand failed because they underwrote too many export risks and carried the whole of the loss, thereby giving the insured no inducement to limit his commitments. The risks in foreign trade covered by these private companies in the 19th century were only commercial risks with political risks excluded because of their large potential losses. Commercial risks refer to the financial position of the importer and his ability to meet the debts when due, whilst political risks relate to factors beyond the control of the importer, such as war in his country, which prevent payment. The reasons for the failure of credit insurance in Britain were not lost on Mr. Cuthbert Heath, a member of Lloyd's, and it was he who formulated the two basic principles upon which credit insurance (whether domestic or overseas) is now based. These were: (1) the risks covered must be a genuine average of all risks; and (2) cover should not be provided for the whole of the credit risk. He appeared on the credit insurance scene near the end of the 19th century, although it was not until 1903 that the Excess Insurance Company, established by him in 1894, commenced underwriting credit insurance. (From Introduction)
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ItemAn appropriate financial reporting framework for small companies( 1986)The purpose of this thesis is to examine the implications of the Australian financial reporting framework for small companies operating in Australia, and to consider whether the framework is appropriate for these companies. The study necessarily contains discussion of Australian companies legislation and accounting standards. As far as possible, recently issued accounting standards and legislative changes have been considered. However, the revisions to Schedule 7 of the Regulations to the Companies Act 1981, which are effective from October 1986, are not discussed. Although a draft of the proposed revisions was released in December 1985, at the time of writing the substantive part of this thesis it was not apparent that the revisions would be introduced. Accordingly, it was considered inappropriate to review the proposals in detail, and brief mention only is made of the "draft revised Schedule 7" in Chapter Seven.