This thesis consists of three chapters exploring predictability of stock returns. In the first chapter, I suggest a new approach to analysis of stock return predictability. Instead of relying on predictive regressions, I employ a state space framework. Acknowledging that expected returns and...

In the first chapter, I provide evidence that investment-specific technological change is a source of systematic risk. In contrast to neutral productivity shocks, the economy needs to invest to realize the benefits of innovations in investment technology. A positive shock to investment...

This paper examines the properties of accounting numbers using a real investment framework that predicts asymmetric timeliness of both investment and its outcomes (i.e. sales, earnings and operating cash flows) even in the absence of conservative accounting. In particular, I predict and find...

This dissertation is centrally concerned with the management of a firm's global non-market environment. The non-market environment of a given firm is conceived as the set of relationships, confrontational or collaborative, that it establishes with actors other than its clients, suppliers and...

(cont.) In total, my thesis suggests that recent changes in the book-tax income gap may be exogenous and transitory, due to changes to the calculation of book income, general business conditions or other factors which generate temporary differences, rather than due to the deceptive and permanent...

I investigate the relation between corporate governance and insider trading by corporate executives. Despite the general view that trade on non-public information adversely affects capital market participants, the impact of corporate governance on such trading remains relatively unexplored in...

Individuals are involved in daily decision making situations under varying levels of certainty and ease of gathering information, characterized by many factors such as the need to make payments, or the desire to fulfill goals. Essay 1 proposes that when individuals are faced with environments...

This thesis consists of three chapters that investigate the index premium and its underlying economics both theoretically and empirically. The first chapter presents our empirical findings about the index premium and its properties. First, we find that the index premia for both the S&P 500 and...

The first chapter in my thesis investigates the association between selected hedge fund characteristics and persistence in performance over time. Analyzing TASS data from 1996-2006, I observe a positive correlation between persistence in good performance and fund size, as well as age....

A central question in supply chain management is how to coordinate activities and inventories over a large number of stages and locations, while providing a high level of service to end customers. One theoretically and practically important methodology for addressing this problem is the...