Shareholder wealth,information signaling and the specially designated dividend: An empirical study

This paper examines common stock returns and dividend and earnings patterns surrounding specially designated dividends labeled by management as ‘extra’, ‘special’ or ‘year-end’ and compares them to those surrounding regular (unlabeled) dividend increases. The results support the notion that management uses the labeling of dividend increases to convey information to the market about the future potential of the firm. Unlabeled increases appear to contain the most positive information. Contrary to the sometimes suggested view, specially designated dividends appear to convey positive information about future dividends and earnings beyond that relating to the current period.     

Telecommunications planning and the power of expertise

The article points out the often neglected political importance of telecommunications planning experts. It does so by first locating policy planning in the larger socletal phenomenon of technocracy. Next discussed is the relationship of policy planners to political power. Finally the article examines some instances of national telecommunications planning, in particular the USA.     

PRICING FAST-PAY MORTGAGES: SOME SIMULATION RESULTS

The mortgage market has undergone rapid change in recent years, particularly in the introduction of alternative mortgage instruments. This paper explores one such instrument, the fast-pay (early equity) mortgage. Specifically, in this paper the focus is on how this type of mortgage would be priced relative to the standard conventional mortgage using historical yield data.     

The Strategic Management of Mergers and Acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Developing a Resource-based Perspective

There is a growing recognition within resource-based theory that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can play an important role as a means of transferring otherwise non-marketable resources and capabilities. However, this resource-based view has yet to consider in detail the management process issues involved. This paper looks at three cases from the pharmaceutical industry and seeks to begin the development of a resource-based perspective on the management of M&A.