Modelling reverse mortgages

This paper suggests a framework for analyzing reverse mortgages in a fixed interest rate environment as well as a variable interest rate environment. To analyze the risk and potential profit of a reverse mortgage, we propose to calculate the expected present value of profit and the probability of loss as indicators of the viability of the loan. Using Singapore data, we provide some estimates of these quantities for various levels of annuity payment under different circumstances.The author is from the Department of Economics and Statistics, National University of Singapore. He wishes to thank Chan Wai Sum, Thomas Herzog, Lim Kian Guan (the previous chief editor), Tan Kin Lian and Albert Tsui for their invaluable comments on the earlier drafts of the paper. All errors and shortcomings, however, remain his responsibility.     

Turnaround strategy: A study of restaurant firms

This paper uses a case study approach to analyze the turnaround actions of two restaurant firms and compares them to the model of Robbins and Pearce [1992. Strategic Management Journal 9, 287–309]. The objective of this study is to scrutinize why these firms were unsuccessful in turning around and identify gaps between the firms’ actions and the empirical model of turnaround proposed by Robbins and Pearce. Two key turnaround measures, i.e., retrenchment and recovery are explored in detail and discussed in the context of the firms. The need for studying turnaround strategies is warranted as the number of hospitality firms that perish because of unsuccessful turnaround strategies is on the increase. Since turnaround strategies have not been pursued vigorously as a stream of research within the hospitality industry context, this approach would provide a framework for hospitality researchers to initiate similar future research efforts, which in turn would help the industry cope with turnaround.     

New product introduction with costly search

In the usual model of product market search, a low search cost can turn out to have detrimental incentives on new product introduction as the low search cost erodes firms’ market power, attenuating the profit from innovation. This paper studies a model of monopolistic competition with costly search, where the point of departure is that of a fixed cost of initiating search. In this environment, a low search cost could turn out to be favorable to innovation. At a low search cost, more consumers may decide to start searching, possibly resulting in higher profits for firms in the larger market, despite the erosion of market power.     

NYSE execution quality subsequent to migration to hybrid

In October 2006, the NYSE began rolling-out phase three of a four-phase plan initiate its new Hybrid trading mechanism. The results show that this new trading platform introduced a much larger proportion of electronic transactions relative to floor auction transactions. This migration to electronic transactions is further evidenced by a mirror shift in price discovery from floor trades to trades marked for automatic electronic execution. In addition, the move to Hybrid trading introduced a significant decrease in inventory control costs, as well as a noticeable increase in trade persistence. Finally, the new trading platform has increased the speed with which orders are met, and has also decreased the proportion of executed shares which receive price improvement.

The impact of transaction duration,volume and direction on price dynamics and volatility

We explore the role of trade volume, trade direction, and the duration between trades in explaining price dynamics and volatility using an Asymmetric Autoregressive Conditional Duration model applied to intraday transactions data. Our results suggest that volume, direction and duration are important determinants of price dynamics, while duration is also an important determinant of volatility. However, the impact of volume and direction on volatility is marginal after controlling for duration, and the impact of volume on volatility appears to be confined to periods of infrequent trading.     

Extending the Principles of Intensive Writing to Large Macroeconomics Classes

The authors report on the design and implementation of a pilot program to extend the principles of intensive writing outlined by W. Lee Hansen (1998), Murray S. Simpson and Shireen E. Carroll (1999) and David Carless (2006) to large macroeconomics classes. The key aspect of this program was its collaborative nature, with staff from two specialist units joining forces with two economics instructors to provide students with significant resources and direction in a short program of writing, embedded within an intermediate macroeconomics subject at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). The objective was to test potential strategies and to identify points of improvement for a more intensive program of writing development at the next stage of implementation. The authors review the literature on student writing and associated assessment issues, outline the central design features of the UTS program, and take a closer look at the centerpiece of a strategy for overcoming writing problems: a series of writing workshops targeted at two related assignments within the intermediate macroeconomics course.     

Diffusion with variable production lead times

When there is not one obvious candidate technology, entrants to a new industry face a non-trivial choice between longer lead times in the setting up of production and a better chance that the technology could successfully deliver. This paper shows how this tradeoff may yield gradual diffusion. Diffusion is more protracted in industries where learning opportunities are more bountiful. The equilibrium minimizes the long-run equilibrium price, just as in the standard Marshallian model of a competitive industry. The market structure does not seem to affect the rate of diffusion with the monopoly choosing the same rate of diffusion that prevails in competition despite restricting output.      

Volatility, trade size, and order imbalance in China and Japan exchange traded funds

In recent years there have been reports of excessive price volatility and value differences between prices of exchange traded funds (ETFs) and their underlying asset values. The objective of our study is to shed light on these facts by taking a closer look at the relationship between return volatility, trade size, and order imbalance for international ETFs. Even after controlling for order imbalance, volume as represented by number of trades in one of five trade size categories continues to have a significant and predominantly positive impact on volatility. Both trade size and order imbalance are important determinants of the Japan and China ETFs’ price volatility.