Exchange Rate Regimes: The Bretton Woods System

Bretton Woods is the name of the town in the state of New Hampshire, USA, where the delegations from over forty five countries met in 1944 to deliberate on proposals for a post-war international monetary system. The two main contending proposals were “the White plan” named after Harry Dexter White of the US Treasury and the “Keynes plan” whose architect was Lord Keynes of the UK. Following the Second World War, policy makers from victorious allied powers, principally the US and UK, took up the task of thoroughly revamping the world monetary system for the non-communist world. The outcome was the so called “Bretton Woods System” and the birth of new supra-national institutions, the International Monetary Fund (the IMF or simply the “Fund”) and the World Bank. Under this system US Dollar was the only currency that was fully convertible to gold; where other countries currencies were not directly convertible Continue reading

Global Depositary Receipts (GDR’s)

A depositary receipt (DR) is a type of negotiable (transferable) financial security that is traded on a local stock exchange but represents a security, usually in the form of equity, which is issued by a foreign publicly listed company. The DR, which is a physical certificate, allows investors to hold shares in equity of other countries. One of the most common types of DRs is the American depositary receipt (ADR), which has been offering companies, investors and traders global investment opportunities since the 1920s. Since then, DRs have spread to other parts of the globe in the form of global depositary receipts (GDRs) (the other most common type of DR), European DRs and international DRs. ADRs are typically traded on a U.S. national stock exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the American Stock Exchange, while GDRs are commonly listed on European stock exchanges such as the Continue reading

Scope and Objectives of Investment Portfolio Management

Scope of Portfolio Management Portfolio management is a continuous process. It is a dynamic activity. The following are the basic operations of a portfolio management. Monitoring the performance of portfolio by incorporating the latest market conditions. Identification of the investor’s objective, constraints and preferences. Making an evaluation of portfolio income (comparison with targets and achievement). Making revision in the portfolio. Implementation of the strategies in tune with investment objectives. Objectives of Portfolio Management The objective of portfolio management is to invest in securities is securities in such a way that one maximizes one’s returns and minimizes risks in order to achieve one’s investment objective. A good portfolio should have multiple objectives and achieve a sound balance among them. Any one objective should not be given undue importance at the cost of others. Presented below are some important objectives of portfolio management. Stable Current Return:  Once investment safety is guaranteed, the Continue reading

McKinsey’s 7S Model – A Great Strategic Management Tool

The McKinsey’s 7S Model was created by the consulting company McKinsey and Company in the early 1980s and subsequently has become the de facto standard used by practitioners and academics alike in analysing the performance of an organization. The McKinsey’s 7S model is a value based management (VBM) model that describes how one can holistically and effectively organize a company and together, these factors determine the way a company operates. There are seven variables in the model which include structure, strategy, systems, skills, style, staff and shared values. All beginning with ‘s’, justifying why it was termed as the 7S model. These seven variables can be classified as soft components and hard components. Strategy, structure and system were hard components which are usually feasible and easy to identify because they are usually in the policy statements, business plans, organizational charts, organizational structures and systems as recorded in the report. The 7S Continue reading

Benefits of Corporate Retreats in Organizations

Corporate retreats can be of any type, such as a sport retreat, or a seminar-style retreat. They are to promote a feeling of teamwork and to build a better understanding among company employees. Corporate retreats can also help employees gain some problem-solving skills that lead to better teamwork and better overall productivity. These team-building activities focus on events where everyone has to work together to reach a common goal. The examples are river rafting, rock climbing, mountain climbing, everyone hiking blindfolded while holding on the same rope, team scavenger hunts, friendly competitions between company departments, etc. Corporate retreats can be customized to fit the company’s need. They can make the employees learn about what the temporary retreat goals are, as well as the long-term results that the company is striving for. Why corporate retreats can increase productivity? This is because organizations can derive some valuable skills from corporate retreats. These Continue reading

Collective Bargaining and the Negotiation Process

Collective bargaining is accurately an automated relations apparatus or tool, and is an aspect of negotiation, applicable to the application relationship. As a process, the two are in essence the same, and the attempt applicative to negotiations is participation ant to aggregate bargaining as well. However, some differences charge to be noted. In aggregate bargaining the abutment consistently have an aggregate absorption back the negotiations are for the account of several employees. Area aggregate bargaining is not for one employer but for several, aggregate interests become affection for both parties to the bargaining process. In negotiations in non-employment situations, aggregate interests are less, or non-existent, except when states accommodate with anniversary other. Further, in labor relations, negotiations absorb the public absorption such as area negotiations are on accomplishment, which can papules on prices. This is around accustomed back an affair or the parties seek the abutment of the public, especially Continue reading