An Introduction to Credit Risk Modeling (Chapman & Hall/Crc Financial Mathematics Series)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • read this before going for it
  • a very good book
  • good combination of math and finance
  • Clear and comprehensive
  • A good read!
An Introduction to Credit Risk Modeling (Chapman & Hall/Crc Financial Mathematics Series)
Christian Bluhm , Ludger Overbeck , and Christoph Wagner
Manufacturer: Chapman & Hall/CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 158488326X

Book Description

In today's increasingly competitive financial world, successful risk management, portfolio management, and financial structuring demand more than up-to-date financial know-how. They also call for quantitative expertise, including the ability to effectively apply mathematical modeling tools and techniques. An Introduction to Credit Risk Modeling supplies both the bricks and the mortar of risk management. In a gentle and concise lecture-note style, it introduces the fundamentals of credit risk management, provides a broad treatment of the related modeling theory and methods, and explores their application to credit portfolio securitization, credit risk in a trading portfolio, and credit derivatives risk. The presentation is thorough but refreshingly accessible, foregoing unnecessary technical details yet remaining mathematically precise. Whether you are a risk manager looking for a more quantitative approach to credit risk or you are planning a move from the academic arena to a career in professional credit risk management, An Introduction to Credit Risk Modeling is the book you've been looking for. It will bring you quickly up to speed with information needed to resolve the questions and quandaries encountered in practice.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars read this before going for it.......2007-04-23

Well first off I would like to tell anyone who doesn't have a solid working knowledge of calculus (including multivariate) to avoid this book as it requires multiple integrals and infinite series and sequences. Now onto the good and the bad:

THE GOOD:

This text explains concepts very well and is FULL of examples. I mean literally 3/4 of the book, maybe more, is examples. Every chapter also has a section of problems that have partial solutions, which can come in very handy. This is pretty much all that is good about this text, but keep in mind that explaination is the most important part of any textbook.

THE BAD:

The proofs skip plenty of steps. And I mean plenty, so much that a proof in the book would take 5 lines but when my professor proved it in class it would take him nearly 15. Also while there are tonnes of examples, too many are theoretical and very hard. The book costs a hefty amount of change and is suprisingly small, Author couldl have given few more examples to make it interesting. However the worst thing about this book is how the author leaves important things in with the text often. However most these things are small, and overall the text is a good intro to probability theory.

5 out of 5 stars a very good book.......2006-10-31

The authors wanted to write the book that they themselves would have liked to read before starting a profession in risk management. I am working for a treasury consultancy firm. This book was the best of the five I bought. The text is very clear yet does not assume too much prior knowledge. It covers theory as well as industry practice. The book contains much advanced statistics and readers must have some background in order to handle this. The authors keep it simple but not too simple. Their approach is pragmatic throughout. I am really happy to have read this book when I started doing work in credit risk management.

4 out of 5 stars good combination of math and finance.......2006-02-22

As indicated on the back of the book, the authors are aiming at audience who have some knowledge in both math and finance but may be weak in one and strong in another. Either way, this is a good book to read on credit risk.

5 out of 5 stars Clear and comprehensive.......2005-10-27

This book clearly articulates basic concepts of credit risk modeling. At the same time it is mathematically rigorous. This book enables non mathematician with some (basic) knowledge in probability statistic to better understand and develop his risk management skills.

5 out of 5 stars A good read!.......2004-08-19

Easy to understand with not a tremendous amount of complicated math to dicipher. Just what the doctor ordered.
Introduction to Credit Risk Modeling, Second Edition (Chapman & Hall/Crc Financial Mathematics Series)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Introduction to Credit Risk Modeling, Second Edition (Chapman & Hall/Crc Financial Mathematics Series)
    Christian Bluhm , Ludger Overbeck , and Christoph Wagner
    Manufacturer: Chapman & Hall/CRC
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 1584889926

    Book Description

    Illustrating mathematical models for structured credit with practical examples, Introduction to Credit Risk Modeling provides an accessible introduction to the foundations of structured credit portfolio modeling. Updated and expanded, this second edition features additional material on estimation of asset correlations, benchmark correlations based on securitizations of benchmark portfolios in the market, risk contributions and spectral risk measures, nonhomogeneous Markov chain approaches, multi-year models, current agency models, single-tranche CDOs, index tranches, as well as new developments in synthetics. The text also includes new exercises and a supporting website.

    Treasury Diagnostic Toolkit (World Bank Working Papers)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Treasury Diagnostic Toolkit (World Bank Working Papers)
      Ali Hashim , and Allister J. Moon
      Manufacturer: World Bank Publications
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      Money & Monetary PolicyMoney & Monetary Policy | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
      Public FinancePublic Finance | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 0821356631

      Download Description

      Treasury Diagnostic Toolkit is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank's ongoing research and to stimulate public discussion. Improvement in the management of public finances in developing countries has been an increasingly important focus of World Bank and IMF assistance to member countries. A key element of such assistance is the development of effective treasury systems, which form the backbone for recording and processing all financial transactions related to government budgets. The establishment of an effective, integrated treasury system helps manage public monies with greater financial control, improved monitoring, better planning, better fiscal reporting, and better data for budget formulation, while also improving transparency and accountability of government. This toolkit consists of three parts: (1) a treasury systems questionnaire to be used as a diagnostic tool in assessing the status of treasury functions, (2) a costing model using information in the aforementioned questionnaire to estimate the likely costs of a comprehensive investment program, and (3) an application software questionnaire intended to help managers select appropriate application software, focusing on treasury-specific requirements.

      Civil Servants and Their Constitutions
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Civil Servants and Their Constitutions
        John A. Rohr
        Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        ConstitutionsConstitutions | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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        5. The Case for Bureaucracy: A Public Administration Polemic The Case for Bureaucracy: A Public Administration Polemic

        ASIN: 0700611630

        Book Description

        Public administration as an American profession originated in the early twentieth century with urban reformers advocating the application of scientific and business practices to rehabilitate corrupt city governments. That approach transformed governance in the United States but also guaranteed recurrent debate over the proper role of public administrators, who must balance the often contradictory demands of efficiency and politically defined notions of the public good. Currently the business approach holds sway. Legitimated by Al Gore's National Performance Review, the New Public Management movement promotes entrepreneurs over civil servants, performance over process, decentralization over centralization, and flexibility over rules.

        John Rohr demurs, arguing that the movement goes too far in downplaying the distinctively American challenges arising from the separated powers principle. Consequently, the NPM alienates public management from its natural home--a nation-state established within a constitutional order. According to Rohr, "nothing is more fundamental to governance than a constitution; and therefore to stress the constitutional character of administration is to establish the proper role of administration as governance that includes management but transcends it as well."

        This is not a novel argument for Rohr, who was recognized in 1999 by the Louis Brownlow Committee of the National Academy of Public Administration for his lifetime contributions on the "constitutional underpinnings" of public administration. But this new version of his rule-of-law critique directly addresses the NPM's excesses, framed convincingly as a comparative study of cases found in four countries spanning three centuries.

        The first half of the book examines the linkages between constitutions and administrations in France, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The second half of the book examines American cases in three categories: separation of powers, individual rights, and federalism.

        American administrative law, Rohr concludes, has structured safeguards to protect the integrity of administrative decision-making while also holding it accountable. He summarizes his findings from the case studies by saying that the constitutional role of American civil servants comes not only from specific American experiences but also from the very nature of civil service.

        Ths book is part of the Studies in Government and Public Policy series.
        Civil Servants and Their Constitutions.(Book Review) (book review): An article from: Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Civil Servants and Their Constitutions.(Book Review) (book review): An article from: Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory
          Matthew, Jr. Holden
          Manufacturer: University of Kansas
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Digital

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          ASIN: B0009FX558
          Release Date: 2005-07-31

          Book Description

          This digital document is an article from Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, published by University of Kansas on January 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1776 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

          Citation Details
          Title: Civil Servants and Their Constitutions.(Book Review) (book review)
          Author: Matthew, Jr. Holden
          Publication: Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory (Refereed)
          Date: January 1, 2003
          Publisher: University of Kansas
          Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Page: 112(4)

          Article Type: Book Review

          Distributed by Thomson Gale
          Civil wrongs and their legal remedies,: Including the law of torts, master and servant, railways, portions from the Constitution of India, such as the ... enforcement of decrees, orders, awards, etc
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Civil wrongs and their legal remedies,: Including the law of torts, master and servant, railways, portions from the Constitution of India, such as the ... enforcement of decrees, orders, awards, etc
            M. J Sethna
            Manufacturer: D.B. Taraporevala Sons
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Unknown Binding

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            ASIN: B0007JHUXE

            Food Security and Food Inventories in Developing Countries (Cabi Publishing)
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              Food Security and Food Inventories in Developing Countries (Cabi Publishing)

              Manufacturer: CABI
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              Binding: Hardcover

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              ASIN: 0851988105

              Book Description

              This volume reviews the food problem in developing countries and evaluates policy alternatives both at the macro (economy-wide) level and at the micro (individual farmer and household) level. The issues at the macro level include definitions of food security, mapping policy alternatives over food vis-a-vis other national objectives, modelling food security policies, and quantifying the effects of policy on the various sectors of the economy. At the micro level, they include methods of on-farm storage and factors leading to their adoption, the health consequences of transitional malnutrition, methods of controlling quality of stored grain, etc. The book also reviews practical issues involved in the design of a successful strategy to cope with food insecurity. It will interest economists, those concerned with stored products and nutritional policy, and others involved in feeding the growing populations of less developed countries.

              Role of Free Radicals in Biological Systems
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                Role of Free Radicals in Biological Systems

                Manufacturer: Akademiai Kiado
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover

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                Geology of the Country Around Barnard Castle (Explanation of One-Inch Geological Sheet 32, (New Series))
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                  Geology of the Country Around Barnard Castle (Explanation of One-Inch Geological Sheet 32, (New Series))
                  D. A. C. Mills
                  Manufacturer: HMSO Books
                  ProductGroup: Book
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                  Introduction to Random Time and Quantum Randomness (Monographs of the Portuguese Mathematical Society, V. 1)
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                    Introduction to Random Time and Quantum Randomness (Monographs of the Portuguese Mathematical Society, V. 1)
                    Kai Lai Chung , and Jean-Claude Zambrini
                    Manufacturer: World Scientific Publishing Company
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

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                    ASIN: 9812384154

                    Book Description

                    This book is made up of two essays on the role of time in probability and quantum physics. In the first one, K L Chung explains why, in his view, probability theory starts where random time appears. This idea is illustrated in various probability schemes and the deep impact of those random times on the theory of the stochastic process is shown.

                    In the second essay J-C Zambrini shows why quantum physics is not a regular probabilistic theory, but also why stochastic analysis provides new tools for analyzing further the meaning of Feynman's path integral approach and a number of foundational issues of quantum physics far beyond what is generally considered. The role of the time parameter, in this theory, is critically re-examined and a fresh way to approach the long-standing problem of the quantum time observable is suggested.

                    Being Committed: A Novel
                    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                    • Very fun book
                    • Anna Maxted's best novel yet.
                    • not particularly engrossing
                    • She Does it Again
                    • Fun, witty and insightful...
                    Being Committed: A Novel
                    Anna Maxted
                    Manufacturer: Avon A
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

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                    ASIN: 0060096705
                    Release Date: 2005-07-26

                    Book Description

                    A hopeless unromantic gets a
                    crash course in love in the fourth
                    hilarious novel from bestselling
                    author Anna Maxted

                    After her disaster of a marriage ends when she is just twenty, Hannah is convinced you have to be out of your mind (or desperate) to tie the knot. And life without a husband at thirty-one is just fine, thank you very much. She has a steady job working as a private investigator (albeit a mediocre one); a devoted boyfriend of five years, Jason; and a wonderful relationship with her dad (it's a shame her mother is such a lost cause). Then, on a romantic weekend retreat to a faux-ancient castle, Jason proposes marriage, leaving Hannah with no choice but the obvious: to turn him down cold.

                    Much to her horror, four weeks later, Jason becomes engaged to his next-door neighbor, a fine baker and "proficient seamstress." Has Hannah blown her last chance at a solid relationship as her family claims? Jason agrees to give her another chance -- but only if she meets his terms, among them a promise to dust off the many skeletons in her closet.

                    Brimming with her characteristic blend of humor and heartache, Anna Maxted's Being Committed is a perceptive look at intimacy (and its substitutes), commitment phobia, and the power others have over us.

                    Download Description

                    >

                    A hopeless unromantic gets a
                    crash course in love in the fourth
                    hilarious novel from bestselling
                    author Anna Maxted

                    After her disaster of a marriage ends when she is just twenty, Hannah is convinced you have to be out of your mind (or desperate) to tie the knot. And life without a husband at thirty-one is just fine, thank you very much. She has a steady job working as a private investigator (albeit a mediocre one); a devoted boyfriend of five years, Jason; and a wonderful relationship with her dad (it's a shame her mother is such a lost cause). Then, on a romantic weekend retreat to a faux-ancient castle, Jason proposes marriage, leaving Hannah with no choice but the obvious: to turn him down cold.

                    Much to her horror, four weeks later, Jason becomes engaged to his next-door neighbor, a fine baker and ""proficient seamstress."" Has Hannah blown her last chance at a solid relationship as her family claims? Jason agrees to give her another chance -- but only if she meets his terms, among them a promise to dust off the many skeletons in her closet.

                    Brimming with her characteristic blend of humor and heartache, Anna Maxted's Being Committed is a perceptive look at intimacy (and its substitutes), commitment phobia, and the power others have over us.

                    "

                    Customer Reviews:

                    4 out of 5 stars Very fun book.......2007-09-03

                    I'm not the biggest fan of what I consider "women's lit", however, I really did enjoy this book! The characters were fun. Many situations had me laughing outloud- and that I don't say often.

                    I've also read Getting Over it by Maxted and enjoyed that book as well. I'd recommend her to a friend, as her books have so far always been fun, interesting reads.

                    5 out of 5 stars Anna Maxted's best novel yet........2007-07-07

                    Being Committed: A Novel by chick-lit goddess, Anna Maxted is her most intriguing and engrossing book to date. I love the wacky and unpredictable relationship between Hannah and her ex-husband Jack. This book was so fun to read about two summers ago. This is the book I always go back to every now and then. I love, love, love it and so will you. I highly recommend checking this romantic novel out.

                    2 out of 5 stars not particularly engrossing.......2006-01-19

                    For Hannah Lovekin, life's been going fairly well, when her boyfriend of 5 years, Jason, goes and ruins everything by proposing. Hannah, embittered by her first marriage, says no, only to change her mind after Jason promptly becomes engaged to someone else. Jason agrees to take her back, but only after she fulfills a list of requirements including confronting her ex-husband, Jack. Eventually, the we find that Hannah's true issues with commitment (hence the title) lay not with her first husband, but with her relationship with her parents.

                    As you can tell from the stars, this book didn't impress me much. While Hannah, the commitment phobic main character, did score a few points with her sardonic wit, overall, I didn't find her particularly likable. And I never understood why Jason, initally drawn as a nice, down-to-earth kind of guy, would have so quickly begun to see someone else after the inital break up. Also, as has happened before with Anna Maxted's books, (particularly Running In Heels) the whole plot is tied up a little too neatly in the end. Maxted would like me to believe that Hannah's issues, which have been generating for 30 years, took, oh, about a month to resolve so that Hannah could be happy ever after. Sorry, didn't buy it.

                    You know it's a problem when books from this genre (generally designed to be quick, fun reads to make you smile in recognition and/or laugh out loud) take weeks to read because, although you're a fast reader, you're just not that engrossed in the novel.

                    Right after I finished this book, I started reading another chic book, "Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin. I read it quickly, only putting it down when I had to go to work or sleep (damn this needing-to-earn-a-living thing!). Which makes "Being Committed" that much more disappointing.

                    5 out of 5 stars She Does it Again.......2005-10-25

                    Anna Maxted never fails me. She is...profound and funny, and tells a damn good story. She knows how to get you involved in her story and characters. She allows you to feel what they feel, and all the while, Anna connects with you by giving you insight and wisdom. As an author of my own book, She Is..., Anna Maxted's books always inspired me to write better. I'd find myself reading her books and suddenly jumping up to continue creating my own cast of characters in my novel. She taught me the meaning of adding depth to the characters' emotions and personalities. She is by far one of the best chick-lit authors around!

                    4 out of 5 stars Fun, witty and insightful..........2005-09-22

                    Anna Maxted is one of my favorite Brit-chick-lit authors. I loved Getting Over It and Behaving Like Adults and looked forward to reading Being Committed. Hannah is a thirty-something private investigator with commitment issues. Jason, her boyfriend of five years, proposes marriage and she says no. When she discovers that he is engaged to another woman just a few weeks after breaking up with her, she tries to get back with him. He accepts, but under one condition: that she attends therapy sessions with him and seeks closure with her ex-husband Jack. As Hannah tries to figure out her feelings for Jack and Jason, she discovers many things about herself and about secrets behind the marriage and infidelities between her mother and her father. There are various fun twists throughout the novel.

                    Again, Maxted creates a fun story that has quite some poignant storylines that make her novel have more depth than the average chick-lit. The author has always mixed dark issues with lighthearted language, making the novel entertaining as well as thought-provoking. In here, Maxted does a deep study of romantic relationships and commitment issues. The lines are full of wit and insight. My favorite passage is: "There are certain men who need to get married, for whom the woman is almost incidental to proceedings. The woman is the tedious yet necessary ingredient, similar to yeast in bread. This sort of man fixes on his target rather like a pit bull, and any girl who can't run fast enough is at risk." Witty remarks such as this one occur throughout the novel. I love Hannah's dry humor. The part where she talks about waxing, er, certain embarrassing parts is hilarious! I laughed aloud many times, sometimes in public, much to other people's puzzlement. This is a novel that will make you laugh, nod in agreement with Hanna's musings and move you with the poignant developments. Anna Maxted has quite a unique voice and I recommend this gem.

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