Search results for ""Portfolio""

Practical options pricing for better-informed investment decisions. The Heston Model and Its Extensions in VBA is the definitive guide to options pricing using two of the derivatives industry's most powerful modeling tools—the Heston model, and VBA. Light on theory, this extremely useful reference focuses on implementation, and can help investors more efficiently—and accurately—exploit market information to better inform investment decisions. Coverage includes a description of the Heston model, with specific emphasis on equity options pricing and variance modeling, The book focuses not only on the original Heston model, but also on the many enhancements and refinements that have been applied to the model, including methods that use the Fourier transform, numerical integration schemes, simulation, methods for pricing American options, and much more. The companion website offers pricing code in VBA that resides in an extensive set of Excel spreadsheets. The Heston model is the derivatives industry's most popular stochastic volatility model for pricing equity derivatives. This book provides complete guidance toward the successful implementation of this valuable model using the industry's ubiquitous financial modeling software, giving users the understanding—and VBA code—they need to produce option prices that are more accurate, and volatility surfaces that more closely reflect market conditions. Derivatives pricing is often the hinge on which profit is made or lost in financial institutions, making accuracy of utmost importance. This book will help risk managers, traders, portfolio managers, quants, academics and other professionals better understand the Heston model and its extensions, in a writing style that is clear, concise, transparent and easy to understand. For better pricing accuracy, The Heston Model and Its Extensions in VBA is a crucial resource for producing more accurate model outputs such as prices, hedge ratios, volatilities, and graphs.

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The seminal guide to risk management, streamlined and updated Risk Management in Banking is a comprehensive reference for the risk management industry, covering all aspects of the field. Now in its fourth edition, this useful guide has been updated with the latest information on ALM, Basel 3, derivatives, liquidity analysis, market risk, structured products, credit risk, securitizations, and more. The new companion website features slides, worked examples, a solutions manual, and the new streamlined, modular approach allows readers to easily find the information they need. Coverage includes asset liability management, risk-based capital, value at risk, loan portfolio management, capital allocation, and other vital topics, concluding with an examination of the financial crisis through the utilisation of new views such as behavioural finance and nonlinearity of risk. Considered a seminal industry reference since the first edition's release, Risk Management in Banking has been streamlined for easy navigation and updated to reflect the changes in the field, while remaining comprehensive and detailed in approach and coverage. Students and professionals alike will appreciate the extended scope and expert guidance as they: Find all "need-to-know" risk management topics in a single text Discover the latest research and the new practices Understand all aspects of risk management and banking management See the recent crises – and the lessons learned – from a new perspective Risk management is becoming increasingly vital to the banking industry even as it grows more complex. New developments and advancing technology continue to push the field forward, and professionals need to stay up-to-date with in-depth information on the latest practices. Risk Management in Banking provides a comprehensive reference to the most current state of the industry, with complete information and expert guidance.

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Mathematics of the Financial Markets Financial Instruments and Derivatives Modeling, Valuation and Risk Issues "Alain Ruttiens has the ability to turn extremely complex concepts and theories into very easy to understand notions. I wish I had read his book when I started my career!" Marco Dion, Global Head of Equity Quant Strategy, J.P. Morgan "The financial industry is built on a vast collection of financial securities that can be valued and risk profiled using a set of miscellaneous mathematical models. The comprehension of these models is fundamental to the modern portfolio and risk manager in order to achieve a deep understanding of the capabilities and limitations of these methods in the approximation of the market. In his book, Alain Ruttiens exposes these models for a wide range of financial instruments by using a detailed and user friendly approach backed up with real-life data examples. The result is an excellent entry-level and reference book that will help any student and current practitioner up their mathematical modeling skills in the increasingly demanding domain of asset and risk management." Virgile Rostand, Consultant, Toronto ON "Alain Ruttiens not only presents the reader with a synthesis between mathematics and practical market dealing, but, more importantly a synthesis of his thinking and of his life." René Chopard, CEO, Centro di Studi Bancari Lugano, Vezia / Professor, Università dell'Insubria, Varese "Alain Ruttiens has written a book on quantitative finance that covers a wide range of financial instruments, examples and models. Starting from first principles, the book should be accessible to anyone who is comfortable with trading strategies, numbers and formulas." Dr Yuh-Dauh Lyuu, Professor of Finance & Professor of Computer Science & Information Engineering, National Taiwan University

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A powerful new tool for all forensic accountants, or anyone who analyzes data that may have been altered Benford's Law gives the expected patterns of the digits in the numbers in tabulated data such as town and city populations or Madoff's fictitious portfolio returns. Those digits, in unaltered data, will not occur in equal proportions; there is a large bias towards the lower digits, so much so that nearly one-half of all numbers are expected to start with the digits 1 or 2. These patterns were originally discovered by physicist Frank Benford in the early 1930s, and have since been found to apply to all tabulated data. Mark J. Nigrini has been a pioneer in applying Benford's Law to auditing and forensic accounting, even before his groundbreaking 1999 Journal of Accountancy article introducing this useful tool to the accounting world. In Benford's Law, Nigrini shows the widespread applicability of Benford's Law and its practical uses to detect fraud, errors, and other anomalies. Explores primary, associated, and advanced tests, all described with data sets that include corporate payments data and election data Includes ten fraud detection studies, including vendor fraud, payroll fraud, due diligence when purchasing a business, and tax evasion Covers financial statement fraud, with data from Enron, AIG, and companies that were the target of hedge fund short sales Looks at how to detect Ponzi schemes, including data on Madoff, Waxenberg, and more Examines many other applications, from the Clinton tax returns and the charitable gifts of Lehman Brothers to tax evasion and number invention Benford's Law has 250 figures and uses 50 interesting authentic and fraudulent real-world data sets to explain both theory and practice, and concludes with an agenda and directions for future research. The companion website adds additional information and resources.

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Is your company run by a team with no name? At the top of every organization chart lies a myth—that a Senior Management Team makes a company's critical decisions. The reality is that critical decisions are typically made by the boss and a small group of confidants—a "team with no name"—outside of formal processes. Meanwhile, other members of the management team wonder why they weren't in the room or even consulted ahead of time. The dysfunction that results from this gap between myth and reality has led to years of unproductive team building exercises. The problems, Frisch shows, are ones of process and structure, not psychology. In Who's in the Room? Bob Frisch provides a unique perspective to this widely misunderstood issue. Flying in the face of decades of organizational psychology, he argues that the solution lies not in addressing behaviors, but in unseating the senior management team as the epicenter of decision making. Using a broad portfolio of teams—large and small, permanent and temporary, formal and informal—great leaders match each decision to the appropriate team in a fluid, flexible approach that you won't find described in management textbooks. Who's in the Room? is based on interviews with CEOs at organizations ranging from MasterCard to Ticketmaster to The Red Cross. Understand and embrace the way decision-making actually happens in their organizations Use these "teams with no names" to best advantage Engage the Senior Management Team in the three critical tasks for which it is ideally suited Organizations will get better decisions and superior results by unleashing the full potential of their Senior Management Teams. And bosses will see a dramatic drop-off in people coming into their offices asking, "Why wasn't I in the room?"

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A step-by-step guide to attracting all the investment funds you will ever need for your next real estate transaction As the sales of Real Estate Investing in Canada have proven, Canadians are looking to real estate investing to build wealth. In his bestselling book Real Estate Investing in Canada, Don R. Campbell introduces the Authentic Canadian Real Estate (ACRE) system, the first system of its kind to show ordinary Canadians how to profit from investing in residential real estate. Told as a narrative, a typical Canadian couple named Richard and Emma successfully buy their first properties and now are ready to leverage their equity into more properties. In order to achieve their goals, they are introduced to a joint-venture specialist and, with his guidance, they learn how joint-venture partnerships work and secrets and strategies for acquiring new properties that only the pros know. Richard and Emma build their portfolio -- and their confidence -- and so they leave their jobs to focus on real estate investing full-time. Following a proven 7-step system, Richard and Emma are equipped with the information, strategies and motivation they need to go to the next level by explaining: What are joint-venture partnerships and how do they work to create win-win relationships Wealth attraction principles-how to become a money magnet How and where to find joint-venture partners-marketing and lead generation--and separate the wheat from the chaff Structuring a joint venture deal-building a team of experts and the due diligence process Legal structures and agreements, including tax implications 19 landmines to avoid in joint venture partnerships Following up with current joint venture partners and duplicating success The appendices offer valuable time-saving checklists, forms and worksheets, as well as advice on paper flow and time management.

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The Fisher Investments On series is designed to provide individual investors, students, and aspiring investment professionals the tools necessary to understand and analyze investment opportunities—primarily for investing in global stocks. Each guide is an easily accessible primer to economic sectors, regions, or other components of the global stock market. While this guide is specifically on Utilities, the basic investment methodology is applicable for analyzing any global sector, regardless of the current macroeconomic environment. Following a top-down approach to investing, Fisher Investments on Utilities can help you make more informed decisions within the Utilities sector. It skillfully addresses how to determine optimal times to invest in Utilities stocks and which Utilities industries have the potential to perform well in various environments. Divided into three comprehensive parts—Getting Started, Utilities Details, and Thinking Like a Portfolio Manager—Fisher Investments on Utilities: Explains some of the sector’s key macro drivers—like regulation, economic cycles, and investor sentiment Shows how to capitalize on a wide array of macro conditions and industry-specific features to help you form an opinion on each of the industries within the sector Takes you through the major components of the industries within the global Utilities sector and reveals how they operate Offers investment strategies to help you determine when and how to overweight specific industries within the sector Outlines a five-step process to help differentiate firms in this field—designed to help you identify ones with the greatest probability of outperforming Filled with in-depth insights, Fisher Investments on Utilities provides a framework for understanding this sector and its industries to help you make better investment decisions—now and in the future. With this book as your guide, you can gain a global perspective of the Utilities sector and discover strategies to help achieve your investing goals.

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This guide to painting watercolour landscapes is ideal if you want to learn to paint but are short on time. Broken down into 33 quick and easy paintings that take no more than 30 minutes to complete, this basic course will teach you all the skills you need to paint landscapes and their components, including trees in winter, sparkling water, hedgerows and gates, animals, human figures and buildings in the landscape. The 30-minute paintings are all worked at postcard size – ideal for a 6 x 4in (A6) watercolour pad, and tracings are included for those with limited drawing skills. Each small painting is a work of art in its own right, and can be stored in your portfolio for reference later, or framed and hung on the wall to impress your friends. The book is broken down into chapters that focus, respectively, on essential watercolour techniques including colour mixing and glazing; laying washes and creating skies and realistic-looking clouds; the rudiments of composition; trees and flowers in a landscape; water– still and moving, from stream to open sea; and the living landscape – human and animal figures, structures and buildings in the landscape. The final section of the book contains three complete paintings that demonstrate how to combine all the techniques and elements of painting landscapes, as gleaned from the preceding chapters. These paintings, too, are accompanied by actual-size tracings. There are 33 tracings in all to help you compose your own landscape paintings. Praise for the Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes series: “This is a genuinely exciting evolution of a popular series. You’ll be guided through some simple exercises and on to complete paintings, gaining valuable insights that will develop and improve your skills.” – Henry Malt, Artbookreview.net

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Comprehensive and up to date, Embolization Therapy: Principles and Clinical Applications covers all the current devices, basic and advanced techniques, and tips and tricks that you need to know to make the most of these frequently performed procedures in your practice. From a review of embolic agents, to step-by-step clinical applications, to discussions of the future of embolotherapy, you’ll find complete coverage of today’s embolization procedures in one convenient volume.Key Features Covers all basic techniques as well as specialized procedures such as interventional oncology, management of vascular malformations, endovascular management of trauma, uterine fibroid embolization, and more. Offers the knowledge and experience of dozens of recognized experts in vascular and interventional radiology, neuro-interventional radiology, and vascular surgery worldwide. Provides updated standards of care from global authorities in the field, as well as personal tips and tricks in quick-reference tables throughout. Contains a chapter on practice development and the future of embolization therapy, helping you add value to a portfolio of procedures with specialized or unusual techniques. Gives clear, concise guidance on intracranial and spine embolization, head and neck embolization, peripheral embolization, gastrointestinal arterial and venous embolization, hepatic embolization, intravascular delivery of therapeutic agents, pediatric embolization, and much more. Now with the print edition, enjoy the bundled interactive eBook edition, offering tablet, smartphone, or online access to: Complete content with enhanced navigation Powerful search tools and smart navigation cross-links that pull results from content in the book, your notes, and even the web Cross-linked pages, references, and more for easy navigation Highlighting tool for easier reference of key content throughout the text Ability to take and share notes with friends and colleagues Quick reference tabbing to save your favorite content for future use

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Learn to save, invest, and plan to achieve financial independence in retirement and take charge of your financial destiny, from the author of The Coffeehouse Investor In The Coffeehouse Investor's Ground Rules, financial advisor Bill Schultheis helps you take control of your long-term financial goals and enjoy financial freedom in retirement. Building upon the philosophy that made his first book, The Coffeehouse Investor, a critically-acclaimed bestseller, Bill shows you how ignoring Wall Street and the myth of the ‘perfect portfolio’ lets you focus on the only three components that really matter—saving, investing, and planning. One of the most common mistakes investors make is staking their entire financial futures on index funds while ignoring the basics. Index funds are not the solution to building lasting wealth. Index funds are simply the financial tools that enable you to devote your attention to the essential components of long-term financial security. By following the “Ground Rules” in this real-world guide, you can transform your whole approach to saving, investing, and planning, and become a true ‘Coffeehouse Investor.’ Packed with personal stories and easy-to-understand explanations of financial concepts, this engaging and enlightening book shows you how to: Tune out the noise of Wall Street an adopt a simpler, smarter long-term investment philosophy Navigate the stock market, decide how much to save, and know where to put your investments Save money with confidence and stop underestimating your own financial abilities Reap enormous benefits tomorrow by saving even small amounts today Build a well-balanced financial plan that incorporates tax management, insurance, and estate planning If you’re a man or woman wanting to become more involved in your long-term finances, The Coffeehouse Investor's Ground Rules: Save, Invest, and Plan for a Life of Wealth and Happiness is a must-have resource.

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Professional-level guidance on effectively trading ETFs in markets around the world The ETF Handbook is a comprehensive handbook for using Exchange Traded Funds, designed specifically for institutional investors and professional advisors seeking to improve ETF profitability. While ETFs trade like stocks, they are not stocks—and the differences impact every aspect of their use. This book provides full guidance toward effectively monitoring, analyzing, and executing ETFs, including the technical details you won't find anywhere else. You'll learn how they work, where they fit, and who is using them, as well as the resources that exist to provide access for investors. This new second edition includes updated coverage on how business has moved from niche to mainstream, ETF performance and issuers around the world, and changes to the users of ETFs in the US. The companion website features instructional video, as well as ready-to-use spreadsheets for calculating NAV and IIV. Most of the literature surrounding ETFs is geared toward individual investors or traders, but this book is written from the professional perspective—complete with the deeper mechanical information professionals require. Learn the analysis and execution methods specific to ETFs Discover why ETFs require a sophisticated level of skill Consider how ETFs perform in different market environments Examine the impact of managed ETF portfolio growth ETFs are incredibly flexible and valuable tools, but using them effectively demands a more sophisticated skillset, even among professional money managers and traders. Daily volumes and spreads do not tell the full story regarding availability and liquidity, and treating ETFs just like stocks can dramatically impact profits. The ETF Handbook is the professional's guide to the ETF markets worldwide with expert insight on the technical details that matter.

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The seminal work on mutual funds investing is now a Wiley Investment Classic Certain books have redefined the way we view the world of finance and investing—books that should be on every investor’s shelf. Bogle On Mutual Funds—the definitive work on mutual fund investing by one of finance’s great luminaries—is just such a work, and has been added to the catalog of Wiley’s Investment Classic collection. Updated with a new introduction by expert John Bogle, this comprehensive book provides investors with the wisdom of the pioneer of mutual funds to help you identify and execute the ideal mutual fund investment choices for your portfolio. The former Vanguard Chief Executive, Bogle has long been mutual funds' most outspoken critic; in this classic book, he provides guidance on what you should and shouldn't believe when it comes to mutual funds, along with the story of persistence and perseverance that led to this seminal work. You'll learn the differences between common stock, bond, money market, and balanced funds, and why a passively managed "index" fund is a smarter investment than a fund managed by someone making weighted bets on individual securities, sectors, and the economy. Bogle reveals the truth behind the advertising, the mediocre performance, and selfishness, and highlights the common mistakes many investors make. Consider the risks and rewards of investing in mutual funds Learn how to choose between the four basic types of funds Choose the lower-cost, more reliable investment structure See through misleading advertising, and watch out for pitfalls Take a look into this timeless classic and let Bogle On Mutual Funds show you how to invest in mutual funds the right way, with the expert perspective of an industry leader.

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As today's preeminent doomsday investor Mark Spitznagel describes his Daoist and roundabout investment approach, “one gains by losing and loses by gaining.” This is Austrian Investing, an archetypal, counterintuitive, and proven approach, gleaned from the 150-year-old Austrian School of economics, that is both timeless and exceedingly timely. In The Dao of Capital, hedge fund manager and tail-hedging pioneer Mark Spitznagel—with one of the top returns on capital of the financial crisis, as well as over a career—takes us on a gripping, circuitous journey from the Chicago trading pits, over the coniferous boreal forests and canonical strategists from Warring States China to Napoleonic Europe to burgeoning industrial America, to the great economic thinkers of late 19th century Austria. We arrive at his central investment methodology of Austrian Investing, where victory comes not from waging the immediate decisive battle, but rather from the roundabout approach of seeking the intermediate positional advantage (what he calls shi), of aiming at the indirect means rather than directly at the ends. The monumental challenge is in seeing time differently, in a whole new intertemporal dimension, one that is so contrary to our wiring. Spitznagel is the first to condense the theories of Ludwig von Mises and his Austrian School of economics into a cohesive and—as Spitznagel has shown—highly effective investment methodology. From identifying the monetary distortions and non-randomness of stock market routs (Spitznagel's bread and butter) to scorned highly-productive assets, in Ron Paul's words from the foreword, Spitznagel “brings Austrian economics from the ivory tower to the investment portfolio.” The Dao of Capital provides a rare and accessible look through the lens of one of today's great investors to discover a profound harmony with the market process—a harmony that is so essential today.

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This is not just another book with yet another trading system. This is a complete guide to developing your own systems to help you make and execute trading and investing decisions. It is intended for everyone who wishes to systematise their financial decision making, either completely or to some degree. Author Robert Carver draws on financial theory, his experience managing systematic hedge fund strategies and his own in-depth research to explain why systematic trading makes sense and demonstrates how it can be done safely and profitably. Every aspect, from creating trading rules to position sizing, is thoroughly explained. The framework described here can be used with all assets, including equities, bonds, forex and commodities. There is no magic formula that will guarantee success, but cutting out simple mistakes will improve your performance. You'll learn how to avoid common pitfalls such as over-complicating your strategy, being too optimistic about likely returns, taking excessive risks and trading too frequently. Important features include: - The theory behind systematic trading: why and when it works, and when it doesn't.- Simple and effective ways to design effective strategies. - A complete position management framework which can be adapted for your needs. - How fully systematic traders can create or adapt trading rules to forecast prices. - Making discretionary trading decisions within a systematic framework for position management. - Why traditional long only investors should use systems to ensure proper diversification, and avoid costly and unnecessary portfolio churn. - Adapting strategies depending on the cost of trading and how much capital is being used. - Practical examples from UK, US and international markets showing how the framework can be used. Systematic Trading is detailed, comprehensive and full of practical advice. It provides a unique new approach to system development and a must for anyone considering using systems to make some, or all, of their investment decisions.

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The Fisher Investments On series is designed to provide individual investors, students, and aspiring investment professionals the tools necessary to understand and analyze investment opportunities—primarily for investing in global stocks. Each guide is an easily accessible primer to economic sectors, regions, or other components of the global stock market. While this guide is specifically on Telecom, the basic investment methodology is applicable for analyzing any global sector, regardless of the current macroeconomic environment. Following a top-down approach to investing, Fisher Investments on Telecom can help you make more informed decisions within the Telecom sector. It skillfully addresses how to determine optimal times to invest in Telecom stocks and which Telecom industries have the potential to perform well in various environments. Divided into three comprehensive parts—Getting Started, Telecom Details, and Thinking Like a Portfolio Manager—Fisher Investments on Telecom: Explains some of the sector’s key macro drivers—like interest rates, regulation, and risk aversion Shows how to capitalize on a wide array of macro conditions and industry-specific features to help you form an opinion on each of the industries within the sector Takes you through the major components of the industries within the global Telecom sector and reveals how they operate Offers investment strategies to help you determine when and how to overweight specific industries within the sector Outlines a five-step process to help differentiate firms in this field—designed to help you identify ones with the greatest probability of outperforming Filled with in-depth insights, Fisher Investments on Telecom provides a framework for understanding this sector and its industries to help you make better investment decisions—now and in the future. With this book as your guide, you can gain a global perspective of the Telecom sector and discover strategies to help achieve your investing goals.

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Build a Modern L&D Team.Organizations are facing an era of rapid acceleration. As new technology and digital strategies are integrated, workers at all levels will be required to build capability much faster than before, navigating more complex systems and processes. Yet, learning and development (L&D) has lagged in this area, as too many L&D functions still focus on transactional interactions across a broad and complex portfolio while starved for resources.In L&D's Playbook for the Digital Age, Brandon Carson makes the case that it's time to reorient L&D, take a more proactive role in enabling the workforce, and create a new framework for developing skills and capabilities. L&D leaders must realize theirs is one of the most critical business functions and must be appropriately funded and resourced to realize the performance gains that are crucial to the business.L&D cannot be caught standing still and, in fact, needs a new playbook to navigate the radical and complex transformation the digital age is demanding. Stemming from the sports world, a playbook ensures the players know their roles, connect as a team, and understand the winning strategy and how to execute the game plan. For L&D, a playbook can help build alignment across the team and with stakeholders by being flexible as business needs change.Carson walks you through the steps to formulate how a new playbook could help the alignment of your L&D function—whether it's restructuring, new skilling, or rescoping. He asks readers to speak the language of business instead of the language of learning. For example, does your workforce repair aircraft or do they enable safe flight? In other words, can you be the visionary your organization requires?

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There is a foundational crisis in financial theory and professional investment practice: There is little, if any, credible evidence that active investment strategies and traditional institutional quantitative technologies are able to provide superior risk-adjusted, cost-adjusted return over investment relevant horizons. Economic and financial theory has been in error for more than fifty years and is the fundamental cause of the persistent ineffectiveness of professional asset management. Contemporary sociological and economic theory, agent-based modeling, and an appreciation of the social context for preference theory provides a rational and intuitive framework for understanding financial markets and economic behavior. The author narrates his long-term experience in the use and limitations of traditional tools of quantitative asset management as an institutional asset manager in practice and as a quantitative analyst and strategist on Wall Street. Monte Carlo simulation methods, modern statistical tools, and U.S. patented innovations are introduced to redefine portfolio optimality and procedures for enhanced professional asset management. A new social context for expected utility theory leads to a novel understanding of modern equity markets as a financial intermediary for purchasing power constant time-shift investing uniquely appropriate for meeting investor long-term investment objectives. This book addresses the limitations and indicated resolutions for more useful financial theory and more reliable asset management technology. In the process, it traces the major historical developments of theory and institutional asset management practice and their limitations over the course of the 20th century to the present, including Markowitz and the birth of modern finance, CAPM theory and emergence of institutional quantitative asset management, CAPM and VM theory limitations and ineffective iconic tools and strategies, and innovations in statistical methodologies and financial market theory.

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State-of-the-art algorithmic deep learning and tensoring techniques for financial institutions The computational demand of risk calculations in financial institutions has ballooned and shows no sign of stopping. It is no longer viable to simply add more computing power to deal with this increased demand. The solution? Algorithmic solutions based on deep learning and Chebyshev tensors represent a practical way to reduce costs while simultaneously increasing risk calculation capabilities. Machine Learning for Risk Calculations: A Practitioner’s View provides an in-depth review of a number of algorithmic solutions and demonstrates how they can be used to overcome the massive computational burden of risk calculations in financial institutions. This book will get you started by reviewing fundamental techniques, including deep learning and Chebyshev tensors. You’ll then discover algorithmic tools that, in combination with the fundamentals, deliver actual solutions to the real problems financial institutions encounter on a regular basis. Numerical tests and examples demonstrate how these solutions can be applied to practical problems, including XVA and Counterparty Credit Risk, IMM capital, PFE, VaR, FRTB, Dynamic Initial Margin, pricing function calibration, volatility surface parametrisation, portfolio optimisation and others. Finally, you’ll uncover the benefits these techniques provide, the practicalities of implementing them, and the software which can be used. Review the fundamentals of deep learning and Chebyshev tensors Discover pioneering algorithmic techniques that can create new opportunities in complex risk calculation Learn how to apply the solutions to a wide range of real-life risk calculations. Download sample code used in the book, so you can follow along and experiment with your own calculations Realize improved risk management whilst overcoming the burden of limited computational power Quants, IT professionals, and financial risk managers will benefit from this practitioner-oriented approach to state-of-the-art risk calculation.

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Discover detailed insights into the methods, algorithms, and techniques for deep learning in sensor data analysis Sensor Data Analysis and Management: The Role of Deep Learning delivers an insightful and practical overview of the applications of deep learning techniques to the analysis of sensor data. The book collects cutting-edge resources into a single collection designed to enlighten the reader on topics as varied as recent techniques for fault detection and classification in sensor data, the application of deep learning to Internet of Things sensors, and a case study on high-performance computer gathering and processing of sensor data. The editors have curated a distinguished group of perceptive and concise papers that show the potential of deep learning as a powerful tool for solving complex modelling problems across a broad range of industries, including predictive maintenance, health monitoring, financial portfolio forecasting, and driver assistance. The book contains real-time examples of analyzing sensor data using deep learning algorithms and a step-by-step approach for installing and training deep learning using the Python keras library. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: A thorough introduction to the Internet of Things for human activity recognition, based on wearable sensor data An exploration of the benefits of neural networks in real-time environmental sensor data analysis Practical discussions of supervised learning data representation, neural networks for predicting physical activity based on smartphone sensor data, and deep-learning analysis of location sensor data for human activity recognition An analysis of boosting with XGBoost for sensor data analysis Perfect for industry practitioners and academics involved in deep learning and the analysis of sensor data, Sensor Data Analysis and Management: The Role of Deep Learning will also earn a place in the libraries of undergraduate and graduate students in data science and computer science programs.

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Gain a deep, intuitive and technical understanding of practical options theory The main challenges in successful options trading are conceptual, not mathematical. Volatility: Practical Options Theory provides financial professionals, academics, students and others with an intuitive as well as technical understanding of both the basic and advanced ideas in options theory to a level that facilitates practical options trading. The approach taken in this book will prove particularly valuable to options traders and other practitioners tasked with making pricing and risk management decisions in an environment where time constraints mean that simplicity and intuition are of greater value than mathematical formalism. The most important areas of options theory, namely implied volatility, delta hedging, time value and the so-called options greeks are explored based on intuitive economic arguments alone before turning to formal models such as the seminal Black-Scholes-Merton model. The reader will understand how the model free approach and mathematical models are related to each other, their underlying theoretical assumptions and their implications to level that facilitates practical implementation. There are several excellent mathematical descriptions of options theory, but few focus on a translational approach to convert the theory into practice. This book emphasizes the translational aspect, while first building an intuitive, technical understanding that allows market makers, portfolio managers, investment managers, risk managers, and other traders to work more effectively within—and beyond—the bounds of everyday practice. Gain a deeper understanding of the assumptions underlying options theory Translate theoretical ideas into practice Develop a more accurate intuition for better time-constrained decision making This book allows its readers to gain more than a superficial understanding of the mechanisms at work in options markets. Volatility gives its readers the edge by providing a true bedrock foundation upon which practical knowledge becomes stronger.

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Industry experts share their insight and tell you why: Unified managed accounts represent the future of the managed money industry. "No other platform offers so many options and can be customized to meet the needs of so many different types of investors," says one of the nation's most prominent money managers. "We are able to address a wide variety of investment needs with a single product." (Chapter 2) Mutual fund wrap accounts are enjoying a resurgence in popularity. "With mutual fund advisory accounts, advisors can develop a consolidated strategy for their clients utilizing mutual funds," explains one top executive at a leading investment bank. "Investors know that proper asset allocation produces better results." (Chapter 3) Exchange-traded funds have exploded in popularity with clients and advisors. "ETFs have changed the landscape by offering financial advisors a new way to diversify their clients' portfolios," says the national sales manager of one of the world's largest ETF providers. "Advisors can fully diversify across all asset classes." (Chapter 4) Client demand is fueling the growth of alternative investments. "Larger clients are asking for these types of investments," says one director of investment consulting solutions at one of America's largest banks. "Diversification to minimize risk is the key incentive for adding alternative investments to a portfolio." (Chapter 4) They'll also teach you how to: Determine if managed account solutions are right for you, your practice, and your clients Transform your financial advisory practice into a wealth management business Differentiate yourself from other advisors Develop a recurring revenue stream that will enable you to grow your business Attract new clients and capture additional assets from existing clients Conduct successful client meetings and host seminars that get results Position yourself as a provider of managed account solutions and partner effectively with other advisors, allied professionals, and the media

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Supercharge options analytics and hedging using the power of Python Derivatives Analytics with Python shows you how to implement market-consistent valuation and hedging approaches using advanced financial models, efficient numerical techniques, and the powerful capabilities of the Python programming language. This unique guide offers detailed explanations of all theory, methods, and processes, giving you the background and tools necessary to value stock index options from a sound foundation. You'll find and use self-contained Python scripts and modules and learn how to apply Python to advanced data and derivatives analytics as you benefit from the 5,000+ lines of code that are provided to help you reproduce the results and graphics presented. Coverage includes market data analysis, risk-neutral valuation, Monte Carlo simulation, model calibration, valuation, and dynamic hedging, with models that exhibit stochastic volatility, jump components, stochastic short rates, and more. The companion website features all code and IPython Notebooks for immediate execution and automation. Python is gaining ground in the derivatives analytics space, allowing institutions to quickly and efficiently deliver portfolio, trading, and risk management results. This book is the finance professional's guide to exploiting Python's capabilities for efficient and performing derivatives analytics. Reproduce major stylized facts of equity and options markets yourself Apply Fourier transform techniques and advanced Monte Carlo pricing Calibrate advanced option pricing models to market data Integrate advanced models and numeric methods to dynamically hedge options Recent developments in the Python ecosystem enable analysts to implement analytics tasks as performing as with C or C++, but using only about one-tenth of the code or even less. Derivatives Analytics with Python — Data Analysis, Models, Simulation, Calibration and Hedging shows you what you need to know to supercharge your derivatives and risk analytics efforts.

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This hugely informative and wide-ranging analysis on the management of projects, past, present and future, is written both for practitioners and scholars. Beginning with a history of the discipline’s development, Reconstructing Project Management provides an extensive commentary on its practices and theoretical underpinnings, and concludes with proposals to improve its relevancy and value. Written not without a hint of attitude, this is by no means simply another project management textbook. The thesis of the book is that ‘it all depends on how you define the subject’; that much of our present thinking about project management as traditionally defined is sometimes boring, conceptually weak, and of limited application, whereas in reality it can be exciting, challenging and enormously important. The book draws on leading scholarship and case studies to explore this thesis. The book is divided into three major parts. Following an Introduction setting the scene, Part 1 covers the origins of modern project management – how the discipline has come to be what it is typically said to be; how it has been constructed – and the limitations of this traditional model. Part 2 presents an enlarged view of the discipline and then deconstructs this into its principal elements. Part 3 then reconstructs these elements to address the challenges facing society, and the implications for the discipline, in the years ahead. A final section reprises the sweep of the discipline’s development and summarises the principal insights from the book. This thoughtful commentary on project (and program, and portfolio) management as it has developed and has been practiced over the last 60-plus years, and as it may be over the next 20 to 40, draws on examples from many industry sectors around the world. It is a seminal work, required reading for everyone interested in projects and their management.

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"Grady Clay looks hard at the landscape, finding out who built what and why, noticing who participates in a city's success and who gets left in a 'sink,' or depressed (often literally) area. Clay doesn't stay in the city; he looks at industrial towns, truck stops, suburbs—nearly anywhere people live or work. His style is witty and readable, and the book is crammed with illustrations that clarify his points. If I had to pick up one book to guide my observations of the American scene, this would be it."—Sonia Simone, Whole Earth Review"The emphasis on the informal aspects of city-shaping—topographical, historical, economic and social—does much to counteract the formalist approach to American urban design. Close-Up...should be required reading for anyone wishing to understand Americans and their cities."—Roger Cunliffe, Architectural Review"Close-Up is a provocative and stimulating book."—Thomas J. Schlereth, Winterthur Portfolio"Within this coherent string of essays, the urban dweller or observer, as well as the student, will find refreshing strategies for viewing the environmental 'situations' interacting to form a landscape."—Dallas Morning News"Clay's Close-Up, first published in 1973, is still a key book for looking at the real American city. Too many urban books and guidebooks concentrate on the good parts of the city....Clay looks at all parts of the city, the suburbs, and the places between cities, and develops new terms to describe parts of the built environment—fronts, strips, beats, stacks, sinks, and turf. No one who wants to understand American cities or to describe them, should fail to know this book. The illustrations are of special interest to the guidebook writer."—American Urban Guidenotes

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“If you’re a lover of wildlife imagery, this is worth adding to your wishlist” —Amateur Photographer "...an amazing new photobook on the giants of the animal kingdom..." —Examiner USA "This is the type of book that makes a handsome gift for any wildlife lover. But you’ll want to look at every photo before giving it away." —Inhabitat "This book marvelously lives up to its title, not just in size... but in subject matter: big animals, from lions to sharks to grizzly bears, all stunningly photographed by two highly accomplished wildlife photographers who decided to combine their work for this wondrous portfolio." —Air Mail When we encounter an animal in nature, it triggers something in us; we feel a certain emotion in the presence of the other creature: amazement, adoration, fascination, and indeed, in some situations, fear and apprehension. But a brush with a deer, wild boar, or hare is no comparison to a rendezvous with a grizzly, lion, shark, or pod of whales. Amos Nachoum and Marko Dimitrijevic have experienced this hundreds of times in their combined 70 years as wildlife photographers. Now, for the first time, they are combining their award-winning photographs with previously unpublished photographs of the world’s largest animals in one book. The two photographers, who are also friends, tell us what it is like to be out in the wild and look the world’s biggest animals right in the eye. The structure of the book’s chapters is arranged based on human emotions such as amazement, admiration, fear, and love. In their book, Nachoum and Dimitrijevic bring us closer to the giant animals of our planet, and allow us to share what these two men feel during these encounters, helping us learn about ourselves when we do so. Text in English and German.

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London is one of the most exciting cities in the world-dynamic, noisy, colourful - and non-stop. It can also be exhausting, crowded and intense. So for those of us who like to stop, breathe and enjoy a slower pace of life, Lost in London is for you. If you prefer to spend your weekends walking on London’s commons, or hunting down fireside pubs for a pint rather than frequenting cocktail bars or clubs, then read on. Lost In London first began life as a magazine. From this, its founders Lucy and Tina, have lovingly created a beautiful book that unearths a hidden treasure - the secret side of London. This urban nature guide shows us how to slow down and reconnect with the greener side of the capital. Sections include a guide to exploring the city’s reservoirs, cemeteries, and meadows, an alternative look at the Thames and London’s lakes, canals and wetlands, and an entire section dedicated to foraging, beekeeping and henkeeping.The book is full of delicious recipes for you to make using your foraged food, such as damson gin, pontack, pork, apple and black pudding pasties and blackberry vinegar. There’s gardening advice with suggestions on how to make the most of your allotment, rooftop or window box, practical ideas for outdoorsy day trips, and a brilliant guide to the animals, insects and birds that share our city. Packed with stunning illustrations, gorgeous photography and handy maps, this is an indispensable, inspirational guide to living simply in the city. Lucy Scott and Tina Smith launched Lost in London magazine three years ago over a shared passion for the natural world and reflecting its place in urban life. It was intended to be a oneoff experimental portfolio project, but it quickly established as one of the most foremost independent magazine titles around.

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This book offers the first critical account of Studio Aalto’s religious modern architecture. Aalto’s ecclesiastical oeuvre is viewed as an evocative subgenre of the practice's portfolio, but its relationship to religion has eluded enquiry. Where previously discussed, the longstanding collaboration between Aalto and the Church has been put down to reciprocal expediency, and the buildings perceived as spatially and structurally stirring experiments, yet devoid of religious meanings or implications. The idiosyncratic plasticity of the Church of the Three Crosses (1955–58) in Imatra, Finland—the most famous and architecturally impressive of Aalto’s churches—is cited as ultimate evidence of Aalto’s exploitation of the religious brief for the creation of a 'sculptural irrationality'. This book challenges the assumed autonomy of Studio Aalto’s ecclesiastical oeuvre from religion. Analysing designs for churches, parish centres, funerary chapels and cemeteries in Finland, Denmark, Germany and Italy, the book shows that Aalto’s engagement with religion transcended artistic opportunism. The book addresses Aalto’s sacred oeuvre in its entirety, yet pays particular attention to the Church of the Three Crosses, broadly considered the apotheosis of Aalto’s sacred career. Through a detailed analysis of the religious actors and factors that shaped the design and construction of Aalto’s sacred works—from local parish building committees to bishops, and from liturgical reform movements to post-war debates on sacred art—this book shows that religious influences were neither extrinsic nor peripheral to Aalto’s modernism, but intrinsic and intimately related to it. The study of previously uncovered primary archival materials establishes that Aalto’s engagement with the Church was a consciously and productively symbiotic partnership which drew from shared interests and values, yet which also encompassed compromise and conflict. The resultant buildings neither glorify nor deny institutional religion — instead, this book argues, they challenge rigid dogmatism in religion as much as in modern architecture.

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Chapter 1 examines how the United States Secret Service can more effectively achieve its mission of protecting the Nation's leaders and financial systems. This hearing will address agency staffing, recruitment, and morale improvement efforts as well as agency challenges, such as resource constraints and misconduct. The U.S. Secret Service (Secret Service) vets individuals differently depending on the person's expected proximity to the President when he travels, including during his visits to Mar-a-Lago. Chapter 2 provides information on, among other things: the vetting of individuals expected to be near the President; efforts to establish secure areas for handling classified information; and regulations and processes for agency expenditures on employees who travel with the President. It is estimated that federal agencies incurred costs of about $13.6 million for the President's four trips to Mar-a-Lago from February 3 through March 5, 2017. Chapter 3 examines (1) the costs incurred by federal agencies associated with the President's travel on selected trips to Mar-a-Lago, (2) the costs incurred by federal agencies associated with certain overseas trips taken by Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump, and (3) the extent to which the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and DOD have reported their costs pursuant to the Presidential Protection Assistance Act of 1976. Chapter 4 is an amendment to the Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2016. It extends the Secret Service overtime pay exception through 2019. Chapter 5 is a copy of the Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of 2018 Chapter 6 reviews the Secret Service's oversight of its IT portfolio and workforce. This chapter discusses the extent to which the (1) CIO implemented selected IT oversight responsibilities, (2) Secret Service implemented leading IT workforce planning and management practices, and (3) Secret Service and DHS implemented selected performance monitoring practices for IITT.

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52 Assignments: Macro Photography is a year’s worth of inspiring weekly assignments to kick-start your creativity. This book is a mission brief, a portfolio of photographic workshops, a personalized journal and an inspirational guide to putting the creativity back into your craft. It is filled with a year’s worth of weekly tasks and assignments devised to help you capture perfect macro images. From shooting flowers and fungi to bubbles and insects, this book is designed to be the most efficient and enjoyable way to shake off old habits and discover new approaches to taking macro photographs. Each assignment has been written to show you different techniques that will give you the best macro photos possible. Whether you’re photographing in natural woodlands or manmade cities, each assignment encourages you to pay attention to the details and look at the world through a microscopic lens. Whilst full of technical advice and professional tips, there is plenty of journal space for your own personal notes including tech specs, lists and other important memos to record your creative journey. If you plan to dip in and out of the book whenever you need inspiration or planning to follow week-by-week, this book will be sure to bring a new concept and creative approach each time you open it. Assignment topics include: Contrasting textures, Reflectors, Gels, Flash, Magnifying Glass, Insects, Miniature Scenes, Weather, Extension Rings, Ring Light, Translucent, Light Trails, Out-of-Focus. New title in the bestselling 52 Assignments series A year’s worth of weekly photography assignments to kick-start your creativity Innovative briefs from a leading photographer Macro photo challenges in a format to fit in your camera bag Aimed at beginners and enthusiasts

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The classic work from the “father of value investing”—fully updated for today’s generation of investorsFirst published in 1934, Security Analysis is one of the most influential financial books ever written. With over a million copies sold, it has provided generations of investors with Benjamin Graham and David L. Dodd’s timeless value investing philosophy and techniques.This seventh edition builds on the context and commentary of the sixth edition from ten of today’s leading voices on Wall Street. These masters of value investing discuss the influence of Graham and Dodd on today’s markets and contextualize the philosophy that influenced so many famous investors. Lead editor Seth Klarman, considered an intellectual successor to Warren Buffett in value investing, has assembled a team of contributors to provide commentary on Security Analysis in terms of today’s markets and practices, including how today’s value investors should assess markets, asset classes, and securities Graham and Dodd could not have possibly foreseen. New content includes: An extensively updated Preface by Seth Klarman Contributions by Howard Marks, James Grant, Roger Lowenstein, and 10 other contributors including a number of the most important emerging voices in value investing Addresses the many changes in the business world, financial markets, and investing practices since Graham’s day, including new sections on investing in private as well as public markets, arbitrage strategies, international investing, and portfolio management A foreword by Warren Buffett, Graham and Dodd’s staunchest advocate Chapters from the second edition excluded from this one will be featured as an easy-to-access downloadable resource A new “About this Edition” that contextualizes which chapters have been included and removed Whether you’re an individual investor, retail investor, value investor, or finance student, the new edition of this authoritative guide is a must-read.

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The individual investor's comprehensive guide to momentum investing Quantitative Momentum brings momentum investing out of Wall Street and into the hands of individual investors. In his last book, Quantitative Value, author Wes Gray brought systematic value strategy from the hedge funds to the masses; in this book, he does the same for momentum investing, the system that has been shown to beat the market and regularly enriches the coffers of Wall Street's most sophisticated investors. First, you'll learn what momentum investing is not: it's not 'growth' investing, nor is it an esoteric academic concept. You may have seen it used for asset allocation, but this book details the ways in which momentum stands on its own as a stock selection strategy, and gives you the expert insight you need to make it work for you. You'll dig into its behavioral psychology roots, and discover the key tactics that are bringing both institutional and individual investors flocking into the momentum fold. Systematic investment strategies always seem to look good on paper, but many fall down in practice. Momentum investing is one of the few systematic strategies with legs, withstanding the test of time and the rigor of academic investigation. This book provides invaluable guidance on constructing your own momentum strategy from the ground up. Learn what momentum is and is not Discover how momentum can beat the market Take momentum beyond asset allocation into stock selection Access the tools that ease DIY implementation The large Wall Street hedge funds tend to portray themselves as the sophisticated elite, but momentum investing allows you to 'borrow' one of their top strategies to enrich your own portfolio. Quantitative Momentum is the individual investor's guide to boosting market success with a robust momentum strategy.

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Explore the modern extension of value investing in this essential text from "the guru to Wall Street’s gurus" The substantially rewritten Second Edition of Value Investing: From Graham to Buffett and Beyond delivers an incisive and refined approach to investing grounded on almost 100 years of history, beginning with Graham and Dodd. Founded on the value investing course taught for almost twenty-five years by co-author Bruce Greenwald at Columbia Business School, the book helps investors consistently land on the profitable side of the trade. Readers will learn how to search for underpriced securities, value them accurately, hone a research strategy, and apply it all in the context of a risk management practice that mitigates the chance of a permanent loss of capital. The new edition includes: Two innovative new chapters discussing the valuation of growth stocks, a perennial problem for investors in the Graham and Dodd tradition New profiles of successful investors, including Tom Russo, Paul Hilal, and Andrew Weiss An extended discussion of risk management, including modern best practices in an environment where it is often divorced from individual security selection A substantive expansion of an already highly regarded book, Value Investing: From Graham to Buffett and Beyond is the premier text discussing the application of timeless investing principles within a transformed economic environment. It is an essential resource for portfolio managers, retail and institutional investors, and anyone else with a professional or personal interest in securities valuation and investing. Successful value investing practitioners have graced both the course and this book with presentations describing what they really do when they are at work. Find brief descriptions of their practices within, and video presentations available on the web site that accompanies this volume: http://www.wiley.com/go/greenwald/valueinvesting2e

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As of early 2022, seven of the ten largest firms in the world by market capitalization had been funded through various types of entrepreneurial finance. This handbook provides an up-to-date survey of what we know about this significant phenomenon in all its forms, and where our knowledge about it needs to head from here. The handbook embraces a wide range of established and emerging academic and practitioner voices across the globe to explore the theoretical and practical flux and tension in the field. Until recently, most studies have taken a supply side perspective, focusing on the perspective of those who provide funding to new ventures. This book takes a different, demand side perspective, beginning with the entrepreneur and gradually broadening our view to include close by and then more distant funding sources. Following this approach, it is organized into four parts detailing the individual level (founders’ resources, bricolage and bootstrapping, effectuation and portfolio entrepreneurship); the inner circle (informal financing, business groups, incubators and accelerators); the wider world (formal debt, microfinance, venture capital, corporate venture capital, business angels, government funding and family offices); and emerging perspectives (non-Western perspectives, gender, indigenous perspectives, post-conflict and disaster zones and ethics). The introduction considers the general state of the field, while the conclusion takes on additional topics relevant to entrepreneurial finance, such as decentralized finance, big data, behavioral economics, financial innovation and COVID-19, as well as possible ways in which entrepreneurial finance can have a greater impact on other disciplines. This handbook will be a core reference work for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers seeking an up-to-date academic survey of entrepreneurial finance. It can also be used as a primary text in Ph.D. seminars in entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, and finance. Instructors in Master’s level courses in entrepreneurial finance and venture capital will also find the book of benefit.

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This book gives an overview of the most common techniques used by analysts and experts to assess and value banks in all phases of a Bank’s life, from licensing to resolution. These include licensing procedures, going concern market valuation techniques, liquidation, and resolution methodologies. The author sheds light on financial institutions’ reporting and financial statements and explains how to interpret the data. Special attention is given to the different valuation approaches for financial institutions ranging from the basic PE and PBV methodologies to the more sophisticated ones such Discount cash flow (DCF), Dividend discount model (DDM), excess return models (EVA), and their variant, the warranted equity value (WEV) method. The authors also illustrate how to build a sum-of-the-parts model (SOTP) and how to treat capital in the process as well as developing a bottom-up approach for the cost of equity. The book provides numerous real-world examples which will hopefully help practitioners build their own MS Excel models. Furthermore, this publication investigates some of the critical aspects of banking M&A and its valuation implications. This book also takes a deep dive into valuation for Banks in gone concern status, describing the basis for three different types of valuation of Banks in resolution: to inform a decision on whether to put a bank into resolution; to inform the choice of resolution tools and the extent of any bail-in of liabilities; and to determine whether any creditors would have been better off had the bank gone into insolvency. Special attention is given to the valuation of non-performing loans (NPLs) and financial assets focusing on some operational aspects of winding-down a bank’s loan and trading book portfolio.

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A Studio of One's Own: Fictional Women Painters and the Art of Fiction is a critical study of the portrayal of women artists in nineteenth- and twentieth-century novels in English, including British, American, Irish, and Canadian women writers. This book traces the gradual progression from amateur parlor painters in the novels of Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and others, to the serious professional painters depicted by contemporary writers such as Margaret Atwood, Mary Gordon, and A. S. Byatt. In fiction as in history, the woman artist's working space enlarges through time - by uneven steps - from a portfolio in a cupboard to a studio or atelier where work may be completed and prepared for sale or exhibition. This working space is a measure of the claim that the artist makes upon the world. Unlike several previous critical studies, which interpret the term 'artist' broadly so as to include women writers and musicians, A Studio of One's Own restricts the subject to visual artists to allow a sharper focus on the many and varied transactions between the sister arts of painting and fiction. In particular, a writer's use of ekphrasis - verbal descriptions of works of visual art - serves to authenticate the fictional painter and to manifest the tensions between verbal and visual representation. The purpose of this book is, first, to interpret the implied dialogue of the writers with the artist figures they create so as to reveal the writer's view of creativity in both its aesthetic and political dimensions; and, second, to explore certain remarkable continuities in the imagery depicting women artists in the novels. Most notably, recurrent images present the artist as liminal and her work as suspended or unfinished, terms which reflect not only the woman painter's historic marginality, but also her creative potential. In eight of the novels under discussion, the painter lives or works at the edge of an ocean, a literally liminal position with a variety of symbolic implicati

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Named the 2019 Investment and Retirement Planning "Book of the Year" by the Institute for Financial LiteracyIt’s never too late to start planning for retirement You Don’t Have to Drive an Uber in Retirement is a survival guide for your golden years, and a lifeline for those entering the Retirement Crisis unprepared. Roughly 45 percent of Americans have zero dollars saved for retirement—but the average retiree will spend $154,000 in out-of-pocket health care costs alone. We need to figure out how to generate more income, even in retirement, and spend less. How do we boost our retirement income? Is investing the way to go? How much do we need, anyway? This book does more than just answer the important questions—it gives you real-world tips to help you reach your financial goals. Yes, it is possible to increase your income in or as you approach retirement. These guidelines will help you optimize your assets and put away more money for the years you’ll need it most. Planning for retirement does not mean holding off on fun today; there are many ways the average American can reduce everyday costs of living without living like a pauper. This book will help you take stock of what you have and what you’ll need, and show you how to bridge the gap. Maximize your savings while minimizing the lifestyle impact Unique ways for generating a meaningful amount of income, that don’t require you to get a job Learn just how much you’ll need for a comfortable retirement Adopt new everyday strategies that will help you bolster your funds Add new income streams, optimize your portfolio, and learn to spend less without living less—these are the key factors in making your golden years truly golden. You Don’t Have to Drive an Uber in Retirement is an important resource and insightful guide for those hoping to one day leave the workforce—in comfort.

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Make your money make a difference—and enjoy attractive returns Small Money, Big Impact explores and explains the globally growing importance of impact investing. Today, the investor's perspective has become as important as the actual social impact. Based on their experience with over 25 million micro borrowers, the authors delve into the mechanics, considerations, data and strategies that make microloans and impact investing an attractive asset class. From the World Bank to the individual investor, impact investing is attracting more and more attention. Impact investing is a global megatrend and is reshaping the way people invest as pension funds, insurance companies, foundations, family offices and private investors jump on board. This book explains for the first time how it works, why it works and what you should know if you're ready to help change the world. Impact investing has proven over the last 20 years as the first-line offense against crushing poverty. Over two billion people still lack access to basic financial services, which are essential for improving their livelihood. Investors have experienced not only social and environmental impact, but have received attractive, stable and uncorrelated returns for over 15 years. This guide provides the latest insights and methodologies that help you reap the rewards of investing in humanity. Explore the global impact investing phenomenon Learn how microloans work, and how they make a difference Discover why investors are increasingly leaning into impact investing Consider the factors that inform impact investing decisions Part social movement and part financial strategy, impact investing offers the unique opportunity for investors to power tremendous change with a small amount of money— expanding their portfolios as they expand their own global impact. Microfinance allows investors at any level to step in where banks refuse to tread, offering opportunity to those who need it most. Small Money, Big Impact provides the expert guidance you need to optimize the impact on your portfolio and the world.

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The complete guide to the fashion industry, featuring interviews with top designers who explain the intricacies of the world of fashion design Anyone who has ever tried to launch a fashion design career knows how grueling it can be. The fashion industry is a highly prominent field, yielding a competitive environment that is greatly guarded, secretive, and difficult to infiltrate. Becoming a Fashion Designer provides all the information, resources, and tools you need to help you navigate these obstacles and successfully launch a career in fashion design. Of the various job opportunities available in the fashion industry, the career path of a fashion designer consistently ranks as the most popular position in the field, making the competition even greater. The book pays special attention to this and demonstrates several ways in which an aspiring fashion designer can stand out from the competition. A dynamic and comprehensive career guide, this book imparts insider tips from top fashion designers and executives based around the world. Expert advice includes an introduction to a career in fashion design, educational requirements, career opportunities, the design process, portfolio creation, preparation for getting hired, steps to start and run one's own fashion design business, as well as a forecast of the future of the fashion industry. Features original interviews from top designers and high-profile fashion executives, including Ralph Rucci, Reem Acra, Peter Som, Anna Sui, Nanette Lepore, Kay Unger, Stuart Weitzman, Dennis Basso, Randolph Duke, Zang Toi, Pamella Roland, Robert Verdi and Daymond John Includes cases in point and insider tips throughout Includes illustrations, drawings, sketches, and photographs demonstrating various aspects of working in fashion design, with special contributions from renowned illustrator, Izak Zenou and legendary fashion photographer, Nigel Barker Offers in-depth resources to assist you on your journey to becoming a fashion designer Whether a student, recent college graduate, industry professional or career changer, you'll learn everything you need to know to successfully develop a fashion design career.

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‘Hollman combines scrupulous research with spellbinding storytelling; The Queen and the Mistress will keep you turning the pages.’ - Sylvia Barbara Soberton, author of Ladies-In-Waiting: The Women Who Served Anne Boleyn‘A must-read for anyone interested in medieval women’s or royal history.’ - Catherine Hanley, author of Matilda: Empress, Queen, Warrior‘In The Queen and the Mistress, Gemma Hollman challenges much of the misinformation and misconceptions which have surrounded both women for centuries ... A triumph of historical research and interpretation.’ - Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England‘The Queen and the Mistress is an absorbing and masterful historical work, which you might not even notice because it is also incredibly fun. Hollman writes with obvious joy and sensitivity towards her subjects, bringing these complex women and their world to glorious life. I couldn’t put it down.’ - Eleanor Janega, Going Medieval PodcastIN A WORLD WHERE MAN IS KING, CAN WOMEN REALLY HAVE IT ALL – AND KEEP IT?Philippa of Hainault was Queen of England for forty-one years. Her marriage to Edward III, when they were both teenagers, was more political transaction than romantic wedding, but it would turn into a partnership of deep affection. The mother of twelve children, she was the perfect medieval queen: pious, unpolitical and fiercely loyal to both her king and adopted country.Alice Perrers entered court as a young widow and would soon catch the eye of an ageing king whose wife was dying. Born to a family of London goldsmiths, this charismatic and highly intelligent woman would use her position as the king’s favourite to build up her own portfolio of land, wealth and prestige, only to see it all come crashing down as Edward himself neared death.The Queen and the Mistress is a story of female power and passion, and how two very different women used their skills and charms to navigate a tumultuous royal court – and win the heart of the same man.

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Game-theoretic probability and finance come of age Glenn Shafer and Vladimir Vovk’s Probability and Finance, published in 2001, showed that perfect-information games can be used to define mathematical probability. Based on fifteen years of further research, Game-Theoretic Foundations for Probability and Finance presents a mature view of the foundational role game theory can play. Its account of probability theory opens the way to new methods of prediction and testing and makes many statistical methods more transparent and widely usable. Its contributions to finance theory include purely game-theoretic accounts of Ito’s stochastic calculus, the capital asset pricing model, the equity premium, and portfolio theory. Game-Theoretic Foundations for Probability and Finance is a book of research. It is also a teaching resource. Each chapter is supplemented with carefully designed exercises and notes relating the new theory to its historical context. Praise from early readers “Ever since Kolmogorov's Grundbegriffe, the standard mathematical treatment of probability theory has been measure-theoretic. In this ground-breaking work, Shafer and Vovk give a game-theoretic foundation instead. While being just as rigorous, the game-theoretic approach allows for vast and useful generalizations of classical measure-theoretic results, while also giving rise to new, radical ideas for prediction, statistics and mathematical finance without stochastic assumptions. The authors set out their theory in great detail, resulting in what is definitely one of the most important books on the foundations of probability to have appeared in the last few decades.” – Peter Grünwald, CWI and University of Leiden “Shafer and Vovk have thoroughly re-written their 2001 book on the game-theoretic foundations for probability and for finance. They have included an account of the tremendous growth that has occurred since, in the game-theoretic and pathwise approaches to stochastic analysis and in their applications to continuous-time finance. This new book will undoubtedly spur a better understanding of the foundations of these very important fields, and we should all be grateful to its authors.” – Ioannis Karatzas, Columbia University

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The contents of this book include: Introduction (L. Renneboog) - Part 1: Corporate restructuring; mergers and acquisitions in Europe (M. Martynova, L. Renneboog); the performance of acquisitive companies in the US (K. Cools, M. V. D. Laar); The announcement effects and long-run stock market performance of corporate spin-offs: The international evidence (C. veld, Y. Veld-Merkoulova); the competitive challenge in banking (A. Boot, A. Schmeits); Consolidation of the European banking sector: Impact on innovation (H. Degryse, S. Ongena, M.F. Penas) - Part II: Corporate governance; transatlantic corporate governance reform (J. McCahery, A. Khachaturyan); The role of self-regulation in corporate governance: evidence and implications from the Netherlands (A. De Jong, D. Dejong, G. Mertens, C. Wasley); and Shareholder lock-in contracts: Share price and trading volume effects at the lock-in expiry (P. P. Angenendt, M. Goergen, L. Renneboog). It also features: The grant and exercise of stock options in IPO firms: Evidence from the Netherlands (T. V. D. Groot, G. Mertens, P. Roosenboom); Institutions, corporate governance and firm performance (J. Grazell) - Part III: Capital structure and valuation; Why do companies issue convertible bonds? A review of the theory and empirical evidence (I. Loncarski, J. Ter Horst, C. Veld); The financing of Dutch firms: a historical perspective (A. De Jong, A. Roell); Corporate financing in the Netherlands (R. Kabir); Syndicated loans: Developments, characteristics and benefits (G. Van Roij); The bank's choice of financing and the correlation structure of loan returns: loans sales versus equity (V. Ioannidou, Y. Pierides); and shareholder value and growth in sales and earnings (L. Soenen) - Part IV: Asset pricing and monetary economics. This book includes: The term structure of interest rates: An overview (P. De Goeii); incorporating estimation risk in portfolio choice (F. De Roon, J. Ter Horst, B. Werker); a risk measure for retail investment products (T. Nijman, B. Werker); understanding and exploiting momentum in stock returns (J. C. Rodriguez, A. Sbuelz); and Relating risks to asset types: A new challenge for central banks (J. Sijben).

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Master the clinical and administrative competencies you need to succeed as a Medical Assistant! Kinn's Medical Assisting Fundamentals, 2nd Edition covers the administrative and clinical knowledge, skills, and procedures that are essential to patient care. A reader-friendly approach and focus on foundational content - including medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, basic math calculations, and soft skills - provide a solid foundation for the key skills and procedures at the heart of Medical Assisting practice. An applied learning approach organizes content around realistic case scenarios. The 2nd edition adds coverage of intravenous procedures, catheterization, and limited-scope radiography to address competencies approved in many states. This practical text will prepare you to launch a successful Medical Assisting career! Easy-to-understand writing style is appropriate for all levels of learners in all types of Medical Assisting programs. Emphasis on foundational content includes in-depth coverage of anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, basic math calculations, and job readiness to build a strong base of knowledge. Illustrated, step-by-step procedure boxes demonstrate how to perform and document key administrative and clinical skills. Content supports Medical Assisting certification test plans to help you prepare for board examinations. Real-world scenario in each chapter presents a situation for you to follow as you read through the material, helping you understand and apply key concepts as they are presented. Learning features include key terms and definitions, Being Professional boxes, study tips, critical thinking exercises, and review and summary sections, all focusing on developing the soft skills that employers seek when hiring. Chapter learning tools include terms with definitions, study tips, critical thinking boxes, and review and summary sections. Medical Terminology boxes highlight chapter-related medical terms to help you learn word parts, pronunciation, and definitions. Evolve website includes skills videos, chapter quizzes, five practice certification exams, and a portfolio builder. NEW chapters on intravenous procedures and limited-scope radiography provide coverage of expanded Medical Assisting functions approved in many states. NEW! Expanded content addresses behavioral health, catheterization procedures, disease states, medical office organization, expanding MA roles, and more.

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Innovation. No other concept is so widely celebrated, yet so secretly dreaded. The reason: innovation requires managing through uncertainty. This is hard for any organization whether private or public, small or large. This book provides a roadmap for those who want to understand and manage innovation in all its aspects. It explains both the "how" and the "why" of innovation – its economic and policy context as well as the techniques by which it can be orchestrated, along with the management systems needed to govern it. Innovation is uniquely presented through both a private-sector (value-creating) and public-sector (mission-fulfilling) lens. Topics covered in context include modern innovation and creativity techniques such as design thinking and the Lean Startup, the organizational challenges of innovation, as well as innovation project- and portfolio management techniques. Business-model innovation and open innovation complete the picture from the manager’s perspective. The private and public financing of R&D, startups, and corporate innovation are presented – contrasting the private and public worlds while explaining how they complement each other. Government innovation policy is discussed in its historical and contemporary context, and the innovation policy toolset is introduced. Continual innovation is vital for companies and countries to prosper. Readers will learn why innovation must follow technological breakthroughs to raise productivity and economic growth, and how innovation – when done right – can benefit larger society. An explanation for unequal growth – that some companies, regions, and countries are not seeing the full productivity gains promised by modern technology – is explored in the context of technology diffusion. No previous experience in innovation management, economics or public policy is assumed, and the book moves fast to equip the reader with practical tools and techniques. Innovation for Value and Mission is suitable for an introductory graduate level course, or as a desk reference for experienced practitioners and policymakers. Because it connects multiple topic areas and contains ample additional references, the book is also a great resource for those with expertise in one particular area of innovation who desire to branch out into other areas.

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The Welsh Government's Department of Education was famously called 'dysfunctional', by its own Minister. In Testing Times, a forensic and devastating critique of the Welsh Government's strategies and initiatives since devolution, the respected educationalist Philip Dixon argues that this is still the case, stating: 'If you want to find the weakest link in Welsh education today then look no further.'A strong supporter of devolution, and a firm believer that Wales has the capability to create a world class educational system, Philip Dixon is brutally and refreshingly honest when identifying the major failures in the Welsh Government's creation and implementation of educational policy. He criticises a culture which he describes as overly complacent and occasionally reckless.The first detailed analysis of education policy and delivery in Wales since 1999, Testing Times critically examines Welsh Labour's 17-year continuous tenure of the education portfolio under various different Ministers.He scrutinises the collective grand narrative, from the 'Learning Country' to 'Qualified for Life', and he investigates their impact on the foundation blocks of any education system: curriculum and assessment, qualifications, and accountability. Essential reading for teaching professionals and education policy researchers, as well as for parents and school governors, Philip Dixon also perceptively describes the educational journey made by modern-day Welsh children as they move through school, and the major implications of the 2014 Donaldson Review. He pulls no punches in examining key statistical data to judge the effectiveness of Wales' education system.Finally, following the 2016 National Assembly elections and the appointment of a new Education Minister, Philip Dixon, in the guise of a 'critical friend', outlines a number of essential questions that need to be addressed if Wales is not to languish for ever at the lower end of international comparison tables, and with a system that is noticeably worse than its immediate neighbours in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.Testing Times will ruffle the feathers of the political peacocks who've ruled the educational roost since 1999 and presided over numerous debacles and fiascos.

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The Brewers Association's Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery distills the wisdom of craft brewing veteran Dick Cantwell into one text that delivers essential industry insight. American craft brewers have always exhibited a sense of community and collegiality but the success of the industry is embodied by the production of consistently high-quality beer at community-oriented breweries. This book is an indispensable resource for aspiring brewery owners to turn that vision into reality. At every level, brewing is about careful planning and execution of processes. The author shows that this is no different when starting a brewery. Cantwell walks the reader through initial planning, from site selection, size, staffing levels, your brewery concept, and dealing with delays, to business planning and raising capital. Regulatory and legal issues are discussed—not least a brewery's obligations to the inland revenue service—along with strategies essential for starting and growing your operation, such as production and sales planning and brewery expansion either on site or opening new locations. The author includes several example business plans that are explored in detail, and peppers the book with his own personal and hard-won insights on everything from guerilla marketing to applying epoxy resin flooring. Within this big picture, the author weaves in critical aspects like brand identity, marketing, quality assurance, and distribution, not to mention details like equipment options, securing ingredients, and installing flooring and drainage that will stand up to the demands of a busy brewery. Finally, once your brewery opens its doors, the process of brewing needs to continue smoothly. You need to plan and adapt your brand portfolio, operate sustainably, dispose of wastewater correctly, and package and present your product in a way that will appeal to customers. Craft breweries pride themselves on conscientious operation, maintaining the safety of their staff and operating responsibly within their community, all the while being profitable. From concept to operation, this book gets you on the right track to succeed in one of today's most dynamic industries.

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thebrandgym is a refreshingly simple, practical guide to boosting brand and business performance in a digital age. This new and updated edition 'reboots' the whole brand vision to action process, to be fit for purpose in today's digital age, and is illustrated with inside stories from brand leaders such as Snapchat, Airbnb, Burberry, Dove, Lego and many others. Leaders from these companies share their tips and tricks for success, and warn you of the traps to avoid, while the programme of 11 Workouts is packed with practical tools and tips to raise your game in key areas including insight, brand positioning, innovation and internal engagement. The comprehensive programme covers four key stages of growth creation: . Brand-led Growth: focusing branding on driving profitable growth by 'Following the Money', not the latest marketing trends including pruning the portfolio to concentrate on fewer, bigger brands . Bring Your Vision to Life: blending the best of digital and human insight to create an inspiring and purposeful positioning that is then brought to life to align and engage the team delivering the brand . Grow the Core: driving distinctiveness through product, service, identity and communication including the use of digital technology to upgrade or even re-invent your core business. Expanding distribution, including harnessing exciting new digital routes to the consumer . Stretch from the Core: extending and then stretching the core using products and packaging, including innovative new ways to deliver your brand promise using digital technology. AUTHOR: David Taylor is founder and Group Managing Partner of the brandgym and has led the writing of this book. He has been named one of the world's 50 leading marketing thinkers by the CIM. He started his career in brand management with P&G before doing an MBA at INSEAD. He then started and successfully grew the Paris office of marketing consultancy Added Value, prior to starting the brandgym in 2002. The brandgym is a global network of senior-only brand coaches and the whole team has contributed to this fully updated and expanded 3rd edition of this book.

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Blast off into outer space and explore the mysteries of the red planet with Discovering Mars.Did you know that Mars is twice the size of Earth's moon? Or that it is home to the Valles Marineris--the largest canyon in our solar system? Blast off and explore the surface of the fourth planet from the Sun with Discovering Mars. This book is a complete scientific guide to Mars, including information on geography, atmosphere, unique landscape features, and more. Discover Mars's moons Phobos and Deimos, learn all about unique polar spiders, and investigate past, present, and future life on Mars. Incredible illustrations and NASA imagery of Mars's surface, craters, and volcanoes bring outer space right to your fingertips and let you explore the red planet like never before. Learn all about past missions to Mars, and take a sneak peek into future projects from NASA and beyond.An avid traveler, Alexandra Lefort has lived in France, Scotland, Switzerland, and the U.S., and has now made her home in Vancouver, B.C. Passionate about exploration, she completed a PhD in planetary sciences at the University of Bern, Switzerland, focusing her academic research on the investigations of Martian water, with a particular interest for the question of habitability and extraterrestrial life. This interest in the origin and development of life also translates into artistic representation of terrestrial lifeforms and environments. A self-taught artist, her favorite media are photography, with a portfolio which includes wildlife portraits, macro photography, landscapes, and traditional drawing and painting, including graphite, pastels, acrylics, and digital art. She has designed several coins for the Royal Canadian Mint and has collaborated with paleoartist Julius Csotonyi on realistic depictions of prehistoric wildlife, including a mural for the 2015-2018 exhibit Ice Age Bison Discovery: Our Frozen Past and Thawing Future at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, and collaborative paintings in The paleoart of Julius Csotonyi, Why Did T. rex Have Short Arms?: And Other Questions about Dinosaurs, and Discovering Sharks.

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The long-awaited follow-up to the international bestsellers, Business Model Generation and Value Proposition Design Alex Osterwalder and Yves Pigneurs’ Business Model Canvas changed the way the world creates and plans new business models. It has been used by corporations and startups and consultants around the world and is taught in hundreds of universities. After years of researching how the world’s best companies develop, test, and scale new business models, the authors have produced their definitive work. The Invincible Company explains what every organization can learn from the business models of the world’s most exciting companies. The book explains how companies such as Amazon, IKEA, Airbnb, Microsoft, and Logitech, have been able to create immensely successful businesses and disrupt entire industries. At the core of these successes are not just great products and services, but profitable, innovative business models--and the ability to improve existing business models while consistently launching new ones. The Invincible Company presents practical new tools for measuring, managing, and accelerating innovation, and strategies for reducing risk when launching new business models. Serving as a blueprint for your growth strategy, The Invincible Company explains how to constantly stay ahead of your competition. In-depth chapters explain how to create new growth engines, change how products and services are created and delivered, extract maximum profit from each type of business model, and much more. New tools—such as the Business Model Portfolio Map, Innovation Metrics, Innovation Strategy Framework, and the Culture Map—enable readers to understand how to design invincible companies. The Invincible Company: ● Helps large and small companies build their growth strategy and manage their core simultaneously ● Explains the world's best modern and historic business models ● Provides tools to assess your business model, innovation readiness, and all of your innovation projects Presented in striking 4-color, and packed with practical visuals and tools, The Invincible Company is a must-have book for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovation professionals.

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