We develop an estimator for latent factors in a large-dimensional panel of financial data that can explain expected excess returns. Statistical factor analysis based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has problems identifying factors with a small variance that are important for asset pricing....

It is well known that non-normality plays an important role in asset and risk management. However, handling a large number of assets has long been a challenge due to the curse of dimensionality. We describe a statistical technique, which we call Moment Component Analysis (MCA), that extends...

We study the cross-country dimension of financial cycles for six euro area countries using three different methodologies: principal component analysis, synchronicity and similarity measures and wavelet analysis. We find that equity prices and interest rates display synchronization across...

Governments are challenged to balance multiple policy goals and make difficult choices when selecting infrastructure projects for public investment, particularly since available funds are often insufficient to implement the full suite of proposals. This paper presents the application of the...

Franchising is a commercial form which enables firms to successfully penetrate the market and expand in an environment of growing global competitiveness. This form of business is present in many different activities and sectors, having its own characteristics and structures and significant...

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) analysis can identify relationships between different sectors of the company's activities and the interactions between them. Prof. Bernard Morard together with Dr. Alexandru Stancu and Dr. Christophe Jeannette from University of Geneva, Switzerland developed a way of...