Education Dashboards for Enhanced Learning: A Singapore Experience

Educators continue to utilize add-ons, extensions, or replacements to traditional Learning Management Systems (LMSs) to supplement capabilities and improve the classroom experience. This work resulted in the design and development of the Education Dashboards for Enhanced Learning (EDEL) template. The EDEL template enables faculty members to create dynamic web spaces called Knowledge Portals (KPortals). A semester-long introduction of KPortals proved to be positive and useful. Students tended to view the KPortal as a “go-to” webspace. The authors hope to refine the template in future studies and examine its usefulness in other countries.     

Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Implementation in a Global Subsidiary Organization: Lessons Learned

This article describes the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) implemented by British Petroleum (BP) Worldwide, from the perspective of one of its subsidiary organizations, BP Singapore. The ERP solution, an internally developed system, was implemented globally by BP worldwide quite successfully from a global perspective, though not without challenges at the local level. This study examines the process of implementing a global ERP solution at the local subsidiaries, and the unique problems that may be encountered in force-fitting a global solution at the local level. Among the issues and problems experienced by the subsidiary are higher-than-anticipated costs, longer development times, lack of technical expertise, and compromises in business processes. The findings of the study could be helpful in formulating coping mechanisms in implementing global ERP solutions.     

Unconstrained estimates of the equity risk premium

Estimates of the equity risk premium implied by analyst forecasts—generally 2–4 %—are often significantly below realized equity returns of 6 %. Measurement error could result from conservative assumptions, reliance upon consensus rather than detailed forecasts, the use of market rather than target prices, and regression analysis, which can be influenced by a small number of observations. We address these potential sources of measurement error. Our estimates are consistent with subsequently realized returns and capture systematic risk exposure. Alternative techniques could capture another form of priced risk or identify firm characteristics associated with systematic mispricing. From 1999 to 2008, we estimate an average equity risk premium in the United States of 5.3 %. The estimate increases from 3.1 % for 1999–2000 to 5.9 % from 2001 to 2008, comparable to the historical average of realized equity returns.     

Multivariate Analysis of Pension Plan Mortality Data

Abstract

This paper uses the logistic regression model to examine private pension plan data for 1989–95 collected by the Retirement Plans Experience Committee of the Society of Actuaries. When only one explanatory variable, such as annuity class size, is used in modeling mortality rates, the model provides a reasonable fit to the data. Multiple explanatory variables give less satisfactory results.