How to Manage Your Contingent Workforce: Part-Timers, Temps, Leased Employees, and Independent Contractors

Book Description

The essential premise of this book is that theory and practice are equally important in describing financial modeling. In it the authors try to strike a balance in their discussions between theories that provide foundations for financial models and the institutional details that provide the context for applications of the models. The book presents the financial models of stock and bond options, exotic options, investment grade and high-yield bonds, convertible bonds, mortgage-backed securities, liabilities of financial institutions -- the business model and the corporate model. It also describes the applications of the models to corporate finance. Furthermore, it relates the models to financial statements, risk management for an enterprise, and asset/liability management with illiquid instruments. The financial models are progressively presented from option pricing in the securities markets to firm valuation in corporate finance, following a format to emphasize the three aspects of a model: the set of assumptions, the model specification, and the model applications. Generally, financial modeling books segment the world of finance as "investments," "financial institutions," "corporate finance," and "securities analysis," and in so doing they rarely emphasize the relationships between the subjects. This unique book successfully ties the thought processes and applications of the financial models together and describes them as one process that provides business solutions. Created as a companion website to the book readers can visit www.thomasho.com to gain deeper understanding of the book's financial models. Interested readers can build and test the models described in the book using Excel, and they can submit their models to the site. Readers can also use the site's forum to discuss the models and can browse server based models to gain insights into the applications of the models. For those using the book in meetings or class settings the site provides Power Point descriptions of the chapters. Students can use available question banks on the chapters for studying.

Customer Reviews:

Not recommended.......2007-09-17

"Hodge-podge" is the first term that comes to mind after reading this book. The breadth of topics is notable, but the material itself is far from satisfactory as applied to the real world. If someone offers to pay you to read this book, it would be worth reading. Also, please note that several five-star reviews were written professionally for promotional purposes.

Much worse than Hull's book.......2005-05-20

Ho and Lee's book is not bad, but not as good as Hull's book. First, this book tries to include everything, making it not easy to learn for beginners. Second, the definition in this book is not very clear as hull's book. Third, after reading the book, I really don't know what are models for and how to implement these models; hence, I still have to refer these model from Hull's book.

Excellent Book.......2004-10-07

The field of quantitative financial modeling, young as it is, has seen a massive explosion of published books in recent times. While it may appear that there is now a wealth of literature on financial modeling out there, the sad reality is it has become very difficult to find well-written comprehensive books. Dr T. S. Y. Ho and Prof S. B. Lee's book is in my opinion the most comprehsive book on financial modeling since J. Hull's book. Their book even takes a big step further than John Hull in setting a mathematical framework for consistent valuation of derivatives, corporate liabilities and valuation of firms (Corporate Finance).
This is a an excellent book for researchers, practitioners and students alike. Readers will benefit from a wealth of academic and industrial experience of the two authors, which is very well portrayed in every section of the book. In addition to the book they provide a free interactive website (www.thomasho.com) where one can be more intimate with the financial models discussed in book. One may recall that Dr Ho and Prof Lee are the authors of the Ho-Lee model.

Fake reviewers.......2004-07-17

I am afraid that the 3 reviewrs before me are the same person.
Amazon makes it quite easy for promotional wizards to do that so sales can be increased.
So far there is not even one review that tackes or critisizes this book. Are we all that perfect or should we become a victims of made up book?

Brilliant educational project.......2004-04-04

Most textbooks on financial modeling are devoted to describing specific models, such as those for stocks, bonds, or options, or to their specific applications such as arbitrage trading and portfolio management. Few books describe the financial principles behind the models and tie the models to business solutions.

The Oxford Guide to Financial Modeling by Thomas S.Y. Ho and Sang Bin Lee (yes, the authors of the Ho-Lee model, the first arbitrage-free interest rate model) successfully ties the thought processes and applications of the financial models together and describes them as one process which provides business solutions. The authors very ably explain all the models used in finance, take the financial theory and modeling to the next level and develop a business model framework that integrate the fields of corporate finance, fixed income, derivatives, and Asset & Liability management.

Each chapter begins by introducing a practical problem. The financial models that provide solutions to the problem are then described. The chapter concludes with how the models can be applied. Because of the nature of the material on financial models, the book presents many results as mathematical formulations, yet the text is very enjoyable as the more rigorous mathematical derivations are deferred to the appendices and to the epilogue.

What really makes The Oxford Guide to Financial Modeling a brilliant educational project and just not another excellent textbook is the companion web site that serves as an interactive workbook designed specifically for the book. The site is designed to further enhance understanding of the use and applications of the models referred to in the book and it is accessible free of charge.

Book Description

Aimed at ecologists, soil science, and forestry researchers as well as environmental managers concerned with the protection of forest resources, this book examines the indirect, soil-mediated effects acidic deposition are compared with historical trends and those in other regions. The authors discuss the geomorphology and major types of soil involved, assess their sensitivity and the effect of changing nutrient supplies, present simulation models, and offer recommendations for future research and environmental policy.

Handbook of Soil Acidity (Books in Soils, Plants, and the Environment)

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Handbook of Soil Acidity (Books in Soils, Plants, and the Environment)

Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Soil Science | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0824708903

Book Description

This handbook offers effective strategies to modify and adjust crop production processes to decrease the toxicity of soil contaminants, balance soil pH, improve root growth and nutrient uptake, and increase agricultural yield. The Handbook of Soil Acidity provides methods to, measure soil acidity, determine the major causes of soil acidification, calculate acidification rates for specific crop sequences, identify high-risk areas for soil acidification, and model acidification phenomena. This is an essential resource for plant, crop, soil, and environmental scientists, plant and crop physiologists, botanists, agronomists, agriculturists, and upper-level undergraduate, graduate, and continuing-education students in these disciplines.

Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH (Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences)

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Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH (Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH: Principles and Management (Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences)

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Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH: Principles and Management (Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0792331982

Book Description

The understanding of plant-soil interactions in acid soils is important for improved food production in many parts of the world. The context of the book touches on basic and applied aspects of the physics, chemistry and biology of acid soils and their effect on growth of plants. It contains a large section on management of acid soils for plant (food) production and on socioeconomic aspects of management of acid soils. This is important because a large portion of the world's acid soils occurs in less developed countries.
Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH: Principles and Management contains a substantial number of papers, including nine invited reviews, presented at the Third International Symposium of Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH. The major themes include chemistry and physics of acid soils, microbial and faunal activity in acid soils, mechanisms of acid tolerance of plants, selection and breeding of acid-tolerant plants, diagnosis and correction of acid soil infertility, socioeconomic aspects of acid soil management and management systems for agriculture, horticulture and forestry on acid soils.

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Soil Acidity
Bernhard Ulrich
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Soil Acidity and Liming (Agronomy)

Manufacturer: Amer Society of Agronomy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Soil acidity and liming, (Agronomy, a series of monographs)

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Soil acidity and liming, (Agronomy, a series of monographs)
Robert W Pearson
Manufacturer: American Society of Agronomy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006BR2XG

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Soil Acidity and Plant Growth

Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
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Complementary ability of three European earthworms (Lumbricidae) to bury lime and increase pasture production in acidic soils of south-eastern Australia [An article from: Applied Soil Ecology]

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Complementary ability of three European earthworms (Lumbricidae) to bury lime and increase pasture production in acidic soils of south-eastern Australia [An article from: Applied Soil Ecology]
K. Chan , G. Baker , M. Conyers , B. Scott , and K. Munro
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000RQZW5A

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Applied Soil Ecology, published by Elsevier in 2004. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Mechanical incorporation of surface-applied lime (CaCO"3) to ameliorate subsoil acidity is often not feasible because of damage to plants and erosion hazards. This paper presents results of a field cage experiment comparing the influences of three exotic European earthworm species (Aporrectodea longa, A. caliginosa and A. trapezoides) on lime incorporation and pasture production over two seasons, on two acidic soil types under pastures on the central tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. A. trapezoides was least effective in increasing pH of soil below 2.5cm and survived poorly compared with A. caliginosa. The latter was most effective at 2.5-10cm whilst A. longa was more effective at 10-15cm depth. Similar complementary increases in the level of mineralisable nitrogen (MN) by both earthworm species were also observed. There was evidence suggesting that the survival of A. longa was improved by the presence of A. caliginosa. Earthworms improved pasture growth at only one site.

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There's a belief that the rise of technology will make cities obsolete, as more people live where they choose and telecommute to work. The advent of portable cell phones, easy air travel, and hotel time-sharing encourages a sense of "placelessness"--and that bodes ill for urban clusters. But Joel Kotkin thinks this conventional wisdom is unwise: "The importance of geography is not dwindling to nothing in the digital era; in fact, quite the opposite. In reality, place--geography--matters now more than ever before," he writes. Cities will no longer be industrial or corporate centers, but rather magnets for intelligence and talent in a way they haven't been for quite some time. The paradigm is an old one:

Like the postindustrial metropolis, the preindustrial city, existing before the era dominated by mass production of goods and services, flourished by capitalizing on functions--such as cross-cultural trades, the arts, and specialized craft-based production--that could not be adequately performed by the far more numerically superior hinterland.

In this sense, the future city may have more in common with Venice during the Renaissance than Detroit during the Henry Ford era.

Kotkin does not believe all cities will thrive in this environment. He's particularly down on what he calls the "midopolis"--suburbs built mainly in the 1950s and 1960s to service the old-city model. They are now afflicted by crumbling infrastructures, rising crime rates, and declining schools. He cites Long Island and the San Fernando Valley as examples. New forms of city--Kotkin calls then "nerdistans"--are already rising in their place. They are self-contained suburbs that have few of the problems associated with urban cores, and they attract companies and workers tuned into the technological revolution. He names Austin, Texas, and Raleigh, North Carolina, as prototypes. Kotkin is a veteran business journalist who writes for The New York Times and other publications. He's written several other books, including Tribes, but The New Geography is his best yet: a smart combination of the reportage one expects from a top-drawer magazine article and the thoughtfulness one expects from a book. It may come to be remembered as a classic, an information-age groundbreaker with the influence of Jane Jacobs's The Death and Life of Great American Cities. --John J. Miller

Book Description

In the blink of an eye, vast economic forces have created new types of communities and reinvented old ones. In The New Geography, acclaimed forecaster Joel Kotkin decodes the changes, and provides the first clear road map for where Americans will live and work in the decades to come, and why. He examines the new role of cities in America and takes us into the new American neighborhood. The New Geography is a brilliant and indispensable guidebook to a fundamentally new landscape.

Download Description

In the blink of an eye, vast economic forces have created new types of communities and reinvented old ones.

In The New Geography, acclaimed forecaster Joel Kotkin decodes the changes, and provides the first clear road map for where Americans will live and work in the decades to come, and why. He examines the new role of cities in America and takes us into the new American neighborhood.

The New Geography is a brilliant and indispensable guidebook to a fundamentally new landscape.

Customer Reviews:

20/20 foresight.......2005-05-11

This book is a better read in 2005 than it was when it came out in 2000 because it's easier to understand the map Kotkin was drawing now that we can see it played out across the country. Creative and artistic people are just now moving into downtown Los Angeles; the traffic in Austin is awful because they didn't plan on the kind of growth they got; Detroit still has not cohesive plan in place for growth.

But the book also puts these changes into historical context, so we know that our change isn't the first of its kind and will likely not be the last.

Could sprawl be dying?.......2003-09-08

A thoughtful analysis of technology's impact on society with some ideas that are worth acting upon.

While the premise of this book is not new, Kotkin's thoughtful analysis of how technology has and is changing our geography puts this book securely in the "must read" category.

Kotkin's premise is that technology is changing America's landscape as much or more than did the Industrial Revolution. While, in some respects, technology has de-personalized our society (and there are many tangible examples; the malling and sprawling of America with "category killer" retail and soulless master planned communities), it has also emerged as a great unifier causing people to seek more connection, not less. Moreover, technology has enabled more choices, particularly on where one chooses to live and work. Consequently, the notion of "place" is more important than in the past and consumers of place are more demanding and sophisticated.

What all this means is that we are seeing a very positive evolution back to "Renaissance" type cites (populated by artisans, small business and niche players enabled with technology) where place and commerce are wed. Conversely, we are also experiencing the segregation of the "haves" of technology and subsequent wealth from the "have-nots". Further segregation, Kotkin argues, will erode the very positives that are emerging.

Kotkin takes pains to organize his argument and does so by citing both historical markers (i.e.-Fall of Rome, the Dark Ages and The Enlightenment/Renaissance) with geographical categories that describe our emerging urban landscape (ie-Valhallas, Nerdistans, Urban Cores and Midopolis).

My one complaint is that Kotkin didn't give enough airtime to the issues around how the segregation of the classes will potentially erode the more positive impacts of technology. This subject emerges only toward the end of the book with poignant comparisons to the Fall of Rome.

While some of the rosy "Internet Era" optimism (copyright 2000) is evident here, the gist of the message remains completely valid. This is an excellent book. This "New Geography" is worth thinking about and acting upon. Kotkin's last two lines are illustrative; "As people and advanced industries hunt the globe for locations, they will not necessarily seek out those places that are the biggest, the cheapest, or the most well favored by location. Instead they will seek out a new kind of geography, one that appeals to their sense of values and their hearts, and it is there that the successful communities of the digital age will be found." Do you live in one of these communities or not? Bravo!

Good book but heavy with PC stuff.......2003-05-05

Interesting and good book but he keeps telling us how wonderful immigrants are and how they revitalize cities. He mentions orientals and the businesses they start over and over but never about the Mexicans that are so much more common, with large families paying relatively little in taxes but putting a tremendous burden on local governments which in turn tax more and drive taxpayers to less "diverse" jurisdictions. Just look at California, the state with the largest portion of its population foreign born. Its a financial basket case. And New York can show you two smoking holes in the ground where mighty towers once stood. I wonder what Kotkin thinks about these immigrants' contribution to the new geography?

Fine book, but a little euphemistic.......2002-04-22

This is an even-handed, non-cheerleading account of how people are moving to different locations in America based on their "skill level" (by which I think Joel primarily means IQ): e.g., Nerds are moving to Nerdistans like Silicon Valley and Research Triangle, while Rich Nerds are moving to Valhallas like Aspen. Lots of good insights, although his celebrations of how immigrants are reviving cities kept me wondering how who caused them to die out. Reading Joel is kind of like talking to some wealthy liberal who has just bought a house in an all-white suburb but can't quite ever mention the name of the people who he's trying to get away from.

The new economy + new urbanism = new geography.......2001-07-14

You've heard it said that location is everything. City planning, urban geography, explanations of agricultural patterns, and the theory of industrial location all owe their existence to German geographers who were the pioneers of location theory; men such as von Thunen, Weber and Christaller. Edward Ullman introduced the concept of central-place theory to the US before WWII. The idea then has a long history of explaining the way things are.

All that will come to an end if it's up to Joel Kotkin. He sees the new economy with its emphasis on communication and technology as permanently seperating us from our dependance on place. This isn't revolutionary, or even a new idea. The belief that technology is more important than any physical space or location has long been the mantra of the netheads of the new economy. What else are we doing but proving the reality of this when we submit and read reviews at Amazon, and participate in a community that only exists in cyberspace?

Book Description

North and South America share similar human and ecological histories and, increasingly, economic and social linkages. As such, issues of ecosystem functions and disruptions form a common thread among these cultures. This volume synthesizes the perspectives of several disciplines, such as ecology, anthropology, economy, and conservation biology. The chief goal is to gain an understanding of how human and ecological processes interact to affect ecosystem functions and species in the Americas. Throughout the text the emphasis is placed on habitat fragmentation. At the same time, the book provides an overview of current theory, methods, and approaches used in the analysis of ecosystem disruptions and fragmentation.

How To Landscape Your Planting Strip (and Change the World)

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Very informative and helpful book!

How To Landscape Your Planting Strip (and Change the World)
Jon Shemerdiak
Manufacturer: WBC Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Landscape | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0967024404

Book Description

Is there anyone who does not want more attractive, friendlier, safer, and cleaner streets? With these qualities in mind, this booklet focuses on landscaping the planting strip between the sidewalk and the street. It will show you how to easily transform this planting strip into something that is valuable and beautiful for the homeowner and for the community. This can be accomplished by any homeowner for very little expense. There are six main reasons to utilize this booklet and improve your planting strip:

*Aesthetic improvement,
*Environmental improvement,
*Lower maintenance,
*Increased value,
*Social value,
*Earned income.

This booklet will inspire people to actually incorporate a landscape design for their planting strips, greatly enhancing their yards, streets, and neighborhoods.

Customer Reviews:

Very informative and helpful book!.......2000-06-21

I've often noticed how some planting strips in my neighborhood have been improved, and thought it was a great idea, but wasn't sure how to go about it myself, not having a green thumb. I stumbled across this booklet, and it contains everything I need to get started. There's information on the best plants to use, how to irrigate them, how to come up with a good design, and more. Plenty of illustrations and pictures make following the ideas in the book easy, and the writing is easy to understand and thought provoking. I may have a humble house, but soon I'm gonna have an awesome planting strip in front of it!

How to landscape your planting strip & change the world: A step-by-step process to enhance your property through low-cost, do-it-yourself methods : with illustrations and photographs

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How to landscape your planting strip & change the world: A step-by-step process to enhance your property through low-cost, do-it-yourself methods : with illustrations and photographs
Jon Shemerdiak
Manufacturer: WCB Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Landscape | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006RGJ3O

Book Description

This biography on Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695) describes in detail how he arrived at discoveries and inventions often wrongly ascribed to Newton. The great seventeenth-century Dutch mathematician and physicist played a key role in the 'scientific revolution' and the Huygens Principle on the wave theory of light helped establish his reputation. Moreover, the discovery of Saturn's rings and the invention of the pendulum clock made him so famous that he was invited to be the first director of the French Academy of Science.

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