Ethical Asset Valuation and the Good Society

Ethical Asset Valuation and the Good Society PDF Author: Christian Gollier
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231545924
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 242

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Book Description
For all of their focus on asset prices, financial economists rarely ask if assets are priced ethically—that is, if their prices are compatible with the public good. Yet in a world facing major, possibly catastrophic problems—global warming, for instance, and growing inequality—it is now more important than ever that we allocate capital to projects that will benefit society as a whole, not just today but far into the future. In this book, Christian Gollier develops a powerful method for transforming our societal goals of collective prosperity into the cornerstone of our financial decision making. Ethical Asset Valuation and the Good Society starts by stating transparent moral principles and, from these, derives simple rules that can be used to evaluate saving and investment decisions in terms of the public good. Rather than trying to explain observed asset prices, Gollier derives what these prices ought to be in order to direct capital toward socially desirable investments. He focuses especially on the two prices that drive most financial decisions—the price of time as reflected in the interest rate and the price of risk—and explores the role these play in our long-term planning. If investment projects in renewable energy could be financed at a lower interest rate than those linked to fossil fuels, for instance, the energy transition would be easier to accomplish. Building on criticism of the short-term thinking of financial markets, Gollier suggests ways to shift investment toward the future through the discounting of the valuation of assets and investments with long-term benefits. In this sophisticated but accessible work, Gollier builds a bridge between welfare economics and finance theory to provide a framework for ethical valuation capable of establishing what asset prices should be on the basis of our shared moral values.

Ethical Asset Valuation and the Good Society

Ethical Asset Valuation and the Good Society PDF Author: Christian Gollier
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231545924
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 242

Get Book Here

Book Description
For all of their focus on asset prices, financial economists rarely ask if assets are priced ethically—that is, if their prices are compatible with the public good. Yet in a world facing major, possibly catastrophic problems—global warming, for instance, and growing inequality—it is now more important than ever that we allocate capital to projects that will benefit society as a whole, not just today but far into the future. In this book, Christian Gollier develops a powerful method for transforming our societal goals of collective prosperity into the cornerstone of our financial decision making. Ethical Asset Valuation and the Good Society starts by stating transparent moral principles and, from these, derives simple rules that can be used to evaluate saving and investment decisions in terms of the public good. Rather than trying to explain observed asset prices, Gollier derives what these prices ought to be in order to direct capital toward socially desirable investments. He focuses especially on the two prices that drive most financial decisions—the price of time as reflected in the interest rate and the price of risk—and explores the role these play in our long-term planning. If investment projects in renewable energy could be financed at a lower interest rate than those linked to fossil fuels, for instance, the energy transition would be easier to accomplish. Building on criticism of the short-term thinking of financial markets, Gollier suggests ways to shift investment toward the future through the discounting of the valuation of assets and investments with long-term benefits. In this sophisticated but accessible work, Gollier builds a bridge between welfare economics and finance theory to provide a framework for ethical valuation capable of establishing what asset prices should be on the basis of our shared moral values.

Arguing About Tastes

Arguing About Tastes PDF Author: David Kreps
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231558171
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 228

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Book Description
Mainstream economics considers individual preferences to be fixed and unchanging. Although psychologists and other social scientists explore how tastes are formed, influenced, and evolve, it is not considered “proper” in orthodox economics to do so. Arguing About Tastes makes the case that economists should abandon the principle that preferences are fixed and instead incorporate into their work how context and experience shape individual tastes. David M. Kreps argues that the discipline must account for dynamic personal tastes when it comes to understanding social exchange, emphasizing human resource management and on-the-job behavior. He develops formal models that illustrate the power of intrinsic motivation and show why applying extrinsic incentives can be counterproductive. Kreps weighs the advantages and disadvantages of the principle de gustibus non est disputandum: there is no arguing about tastes. He calls for a new era of economics in which preferences are taken into account—and not for granted. Arguing About Tastes concludes with responses by the distinguished economists Alessandra Casella and Joseph E. Stiglitz and a final reply by Kreps.

Time and the Generations

Time and the Generations PDF Author: Partha Dasgupta
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231550030
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 484

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Book Description
How should we evaluate the ethics of procreation, especially the environmental consequences of reproductive decisions on future generations, in a resource-constrained world? While demographers, moral philosophers, and environmental scientists have separately discussed the implications of population size for sustainability, no one has attempted to synthesize the concerns and values of these approaches. The culmination of a half century of engagement with population ethics, Partha Dasgupta’s masterful Time and the Generations blends economics, philosophy, and ecology to offer an original lens on the difficult topic of optimum global population. After offering careful attention to global inequality and the imbalance of power between men and women, Dasgupta provides tentative answers to two fundamental questions: What level of economic activity can our planet support over the long run, and what does the answer say about optimum population numbers? He develops a population ethics that can be used to evaluate our choices and guide our sense of a sustainable global population and living standards. Structured around a central essay from Dasgupta, the book also features a foreword from Robert Solow; correspondence with Kenneth Arrow; incisive commentaries from Joseph Stiglitz, Eric Maskin, and Scott Barrett; an extended response by the author to them; and a joint paper with Aisha Dasgupta on inequalities in reproductive decisions and the idea of reproductive rights. Taken together, Time and the Generations represents a fascinating dialogue between world-renowned economists on a central issue of our time.

Coping with the Climate Crisis

Coping with the Climate Crisis PDF Author: Rabah Arezki
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231547358
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 315

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Book Description
Reducing carbon emissions is the most complex political and economic problem humanity has ever confronted. Coping with the Climate Crisis brings together leading experts from academia and policy circles to explore issues related to the implementation of the COP21 Paris Agreement and the challenges of accelerating the transition toward sustainable development. The book synthesizes the key insights that emerge from the latest research in climate-change economics in an accessible and useful guide for policy makers and researchers. Contributors consider a wide range of issues, including the economic implications and realities of shifting away from fossil fuels, the role of financial markets in incentivizing development and construction of sustainable infrastructure, the challenges of evaluating the well-being of future generations, the risk associated with uncertainty surrounding the pace of climate change, and how to make climate agreements enforceable. They demonstrate the need for a carbon tax, considering the issues of efficiently pricing carbon as well as the role of supply-side policies on fossil fuels. Through a range of perspectives from academic economists and practitioners in the public and private sectors who work either at the country level or under the auspices of multilateral organizations, Coping with the Climate Crisis outlines what it will take to achieve a viable, global climate-stabilization path.

Socio-Cybernetic Study of God and the World-System

Socio-Cybernetic Study of God and the World-System PDF Author: Choudhury, Masudul Alam
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1466646446
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 414

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Book Description
In any field—whether scientific, business, or social—ethics plays a critical role in determining what is acceptable in a particular community and what is considered taboo. The source of these preconditions is often a complex interweaving of tradition and rational thought. Socio-Cybernetic Study of God and the World-System investigates morality in a socio-scientific worldview, examining the epistemology of existence in conjunction with Islamic monotheistic law to generate a world-system that governs action and reaction in the context of a variety of cognitive and social environments. Readers with backgrounds in finance and economics can utilize this book to construct a more thorough theoretical understanding of their societal and professional associations.

Discovering Prices

Discovering Prices PDF Author: Paul Milgrom
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 023154457X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 222

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Book Description
Traditional economic theory studies idealized markets in which prices alone can guide efficient allocation, with no need for central organization. Such models build from Adam Smith’s famous concept of an invisible hand, which guides markets and renders regulation or interference largely unnecessary. Yet for many markets, prices alone are not enough to guide feasible and efficient outcomes, and regulation alone is not enough, either. Consider air traffic control at major airports. While prices could encourage airlines to take off and land at less congested times, prices alone do just part of the job; an air traffic control system is still indispensable to avoid disastrous consequences. With just an air traffic controller, however, limited resources can be wasted or poorly used. What’s needed in this and many other real-world cases is an auction system that can effectively reveal prices while still maintaining enough direct control to ensure that complex constraints are satisfied. In Discovering Prices, Paul Milgrom—the world’s most frequently cited academic expert on auction design—describes how auctions can be used to discover prices and guide efficient resource allocations, even when resources are diverse, constraints are critical, and market-clearing prices may not even exist. Economists have long understood that externalities and market power both necessitate market organization. In this book, Milgrom introduces complex constraints as another reason for market design. Both lively and technical, Milgrom roots his new theories in real-world examples (including the ambitious U.S. incentive auction of radio frequencies, whose design he led) and provides economists with crucial new tools for dealing with the world’s growing complex resource-allocation problems.

Equity Asset Valuation

Equity Asset Valuation PDF Author: Jerald E. Pinto
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119104645
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 624

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Book Description
Navigate equity investments and asset valuation with confidence Equity Asset Valuation, Third Edition blends theory and practice to paint an accurate, informative picture of the equity asset world. The most comprehensive resource on the market, this text supplements your studies for the third step in the three-level CFA certification program by integrating both accounting and finance concepts to explore a collection of valuation models and challenge you to determine which models are most appropriate for certain companies and circumstances. Detailed learning outcome statements help you navigate your way through the content, which covers a wide range of topics, including how an analyst approaches the equity valuation process, the basic DDM, the derivation of the required rate of return within the context of Markowitz and Sharpe's modern portfolio theory, and more. Equity investments encompass the buying and holding of shares of stock in the anticipation of collecting income from dividends and capital gains. Determining which shares will be profitable is key, and an array of valuation techniques is applied on today's market to decide which stocks are ripe for investment and which are best left out of your portfolio. Access the most comprehensive equity asset valuation text on the market Leverage detailed learning outcome statements that focus your attention on key concepts, and guide you in applying the material accurately and effectively Explore a wide range of essential topics, such as the free cash flow approach, valuation using Graham and Dodd type concepts of earning power, associated market multiples, and residual income models Improve your study efforts by leveraging the text during your CFA certification program prep Equity Asset Valuation, Third Edition is a comprehensive, updated text that guides you through the information you need to know to fully understand the general analysis of equity investments.

Macroeconomic Analysis

Macroeconomic Analysis PDF Author: Dirk Niepelt
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262043475
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 318

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Book Description
A concise but rigorous and thorough introduction to modern macroeconomic theory. This book offers an introduction to modern macroeconomic theory. It is concise but rigorous and broad, covering all major areas in mainstream macroeconomics today and showing how macroeconomic models build on and relate to each other. The self-contained text begins with models of individual decision makers, proceeds to models of general equilibrium without and with friction, and, finally, presents positive and normative theories of economic policy. After a review of the microeconomic foundations of macroeconomics, the book analyzes the household optimization problem, the representative household model, and the overlapping generations model. It examines risk and the implications for household choices and macroeconomic outcomes; equilibrium asset returns, prices, and bubbles; labor supply, growth, and business cycles; and open economy issues. It introduces frictions and analyzes their consequences in the labor market, financial markets, and for investment; studies money as a unit of account, store of value, and medium of exchange; and analyzes price setting in general equilibrium. Turning to government and economic policy, the book covers taxation, debt, social security, and monetary policy; optimal fiscal and monetary policies; and sequential policy choice, with applications in capital income taxation, sovereign debt and default, politically motivated redistribution, and monetary policy biases. Macroeconomic Analysis can be used by first-year graduate students in economics and students in master's programs, and as a supplemental text for advanced courses.

Infrastructure as Business

Infrastructure as Business PDF Author: James McKellar
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000930521
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 253

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Book Description
Infrastructure as Business brings new emphasis and clarity to the importance of private investment capital in large-scale infrastructure projects, introducing investors, policymakers, and other stakeholders to a key element that is surprisingly absent from the discourse on public-private partnerships. Despite the importance of modernizing infrastructure across the globe, governments often face challenges in securing the necessary capital to meet future need, as well as developing policy to meet these goals. Explaining the structure of the private investment universe and flow of private capital in such projects, this book ambitiously aims to bridge this "infrastructure gap" by elucidating shared terminology, conceptual frameworks, and an alignment of goals and objectives between public and private sectors—essential to meet increasing environmental, social, and governmental requirements for infrastructure in coming years. Appropriate for graduate-level courses in real estate, public policy, and urban planning that focus on infrastructure, project finance, and procurement and delivery models such as PPPs. Provides a clear understanding of private investment and PPPs to the investment community as well as professionals in real estate, project finance, and related fields, who often learn mostly on-the-job and from colleagues. Equips government officials and policymakers with key terms and concepts needed to "sit across the table" with private financers and explore opportunities for private capital investment in early project stages. Outlines communication strategies for both public and private sectors, which will increasingly need to collaborate to address climate change, respond to new technologies, and develop efficient ways to deliver services. Written to engage academic, private investment, and public policy/governance audiences alike, Infrastructure as Business: The Role of Private Investment Capital invites discussion and opens doors to advancing new business models, with international applications, to offer increased value for private investors as well as more efficient, flexible funding for innovative infrastructure development in the future.

Operations Research Proceedings 2012

Operations Research Proceedings 2012 PDF Author: Stefan Helber
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3319007955
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 577

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Book Description
​This book contains selected papers presented at the "International Annual Conference of the German Operations Research Society (OR2012)" which was held September 4 -7, 2012 at the Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany. The international conference, which also serves as the annual meeting of the German Operations Research Society (GOR), attracted more than 500 participants from more than 39 countries. Special attention at the conference was given to the three topics "Energy, Markets and Mobility". The OR2012 conference has addressed these topics from an OR perspective, treating them not only in isolation, but also with respect to their numerous and exciting interconnections, such as new energy for new mobility concepts and new market mechanisms for sustainable energy production to name but a few. The proceedings show that this conference topic is an important and promising area to apply Operations Research. The book also contains numerous papers addressing the full scope of fields in Operations Research.