Public Budgeting in Search for an Identity: State of the Art and Future Challenges provides a state-of-the-art reflection on current trends in international public budgeting, representing an important pillar in the accumulation of knowledge on public sector budgeting processes, contents, evolutions and critical issues.

Budgeting is central in public sector organizations. It performs a complex variety of functions, being the arena where multiple actors, cultures and professional identities interact, making it an extremely fascinating field and topic of investigation. There is a significant need and scope for exploring budgeting processes in the public sector today, as a consequence of the managerial waves of reforms that have taken place over the last few decades and the implementation of austerity programmes - as well as in light of current trends, including emerging challenges related to community care and wellbeing, rising inequality, people flows, climate change, pandemics, and the persistence of democratic deficits. The chapters in this volume address critical issues on this broad topic, offering new perspectives on current evolutions in public budgeting, including, among others, participatory budgeting, performance budgeting, the budgetary slack resources and the need to ensure balance between budget control and flexibility. These contributions show that public budgeting can, and must remain, the subject of enduring interest in our studies.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Public Management Review.

Explains the mathematics, theory, and methods of Big Data as applied to finance and investing

Data science has fundamentally changed Wall Street-applied mathematics and software code are increasingly driving finance and investment-decision tools. Big Data Science in Finance examines the mathematics, theory, and practical use of the revolutionary techniques that are transforming the industry. Designed for mathematically-advanced students and discerning financial practitioners alike, this energizing book presents new, cutting-edge content based on world-class research taught in the leading Financial Mathematics and Engineering programs in the world. Marco Avellaneda, a leader in quantitative finance, and quantitative methodology author Irene Aldridge help readers harness the power of Big Data.

Comprehensive in scope, this book offers in-depth instruction on how to separate signal from noise, how to deal with missing data values, and how to utilize Big Data techniques in decision-making. Key topics include data clustering, data storage optimization, Big Data dynamics, Monte Carlo methods and their applications in Big Data analysis, and more. This valuable book:

• Provides a complete account of Big Data that includes proofs, step-by-step applications, and code samples
• Explains the difference between Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)
• Covers vital topics in the field in a clear, straightforward manner
• Compares, contrasts, and discusses Big Data and Small Data
• Includes Cornell University-tested educational materials such as lesson plans, end-of-chapter questions, and downloadable lecture slides

Big Data Science in Finance: Mathematics and Applications is an important, up-to-date resource for students in economics, econometrics, finance, applied mathematics, industrial engineering, and business courses, and for investment managers, quantitative traders, risk and portfolio managers, and other financial practitioners.

This Key Concept pivot explores the trajectory of the semantic generation and evolution of two core concepts of ancient Chinese Confucianism, 'Zhong' (middle) and 'Zhongyong' (golden mean). In the pre-Qin period, Confucius advocated 'middle line' and 'golden mean' as the highest standards for gentlemanly behaviour and culture. In The Doctrine of the Mean the Confucian classic of the late Warring States Period, 'middle' obtained the ontological meaning of 'great fundamental virtues of the world', due to the influence of Taoism and Yinyang School. It became not only the norm of human behaviours, but also the law governing the operation of heaven and earth. Since then, idealist Confucian scholars of the Song and Ming dynasties have developed the meaning of 'middle' from the perspective of the relationships between heaven and man, a fundamental norm of Confucian ethics.

This book examines selected actions and investments of the European Central Bank (ECB) from a climate and sustainability standpoint. Shedding new light on the topic from various angles - ethical, philosophical, political, economical and legal - it situates sustainability mainstreaming in the finance and investment field at all levels. The former ECB President Mario Draghi once said that he considered sustainable development and an intact environment to be human rights, and therefore enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The acting ECB President Christine Lagarde added that the future path for the climate is uncertain, but it would remain within our power to influence it. However, with all that in mind the ECB's policy of buying assets as securities is often questionable. This volume analyzes these actions in connection with sustainability, and puts forward practical recommendations for improving the ECB's investment strategy on its way creating a sustainable financial market.

This book clarifies some misunderstandings about money by tying the concept of money to the goods and services sector of the economy. In addition, it demystifies the process of money creation on the part of central banks.

The phenomenon of money is ubiquitous; it has been around for tens of thousands of years, if not longer. Indeed, no modern economy could function without money. For many, however, the concept of money remains elusive. Worse still, misinformation abounds, which leaves the uninitiated vulnerable to fraud. This lack of understanding has serious policy implications as well. When policymakers lack a firm grasp of the concept, policy is likely to be flawed and its effects are likely to be detrimental to the body politic.

After providing a brief history of money, the author details the role of money in the division of labor and specialization, in economic growth, and in an interconnected world. Throughout the book, he points out the pitfalls of fallacious thinking. In recent policy debates, such thinking has led to proposals ranging from the re-institution of the gold standard to supplying limitless money as suggested by Modern Monetary Theory.

The banking and financial landscape has been inundated with technology over the last decade, with FinTech, InsurTech and RegTech being just some of the new applications within finance. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), FinTech is yet to -find its feet despite several digital transformation drives initiated by the regional governments in the UAE and Bahrain. In comparison to conventional -finance, the use of FinTech within Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) in GCC countries is still in its very early stages. However, the potential disruption that technology may cause for the Islamic -finance sector within this region cannot be underestimated. Aiming to highlight, examine and address key strategic, operational and regulatory issues facing IFIs as they make an effort to keep up with the FinTech revolution, this book explores the market positioning, product structure and placement, delivery channels and customer requirements within the GCC market. The authors evaluate thecurrent situation and look forward to future regulation surrounding technology and financial institutions within the GCC. Scholars and students researching Islamic finance and financial technology will find this book an insightful and valuable read, as well as those interested in international finance more generally.

This book sheds new light on if and why, between 2009 and 2015, European governments succeeded or failed in initiating and actually realizing some of the farthest-reaching austerity plans in modern history. The author analyzes the economic and political context and the underlying causes of austerity and economic adjustment packages during the Euro crisis. In doing so, he shows that austerity has its roots in an institutional mismatch between capitalist diversity in the Eurozone on the one hand, and an ill-conceived common economic regime on the other. In this context, austerity trumped politics, and even democracy itself. The book will appeal to scholars of political science and comparative political economy, as well as governmental policymakers and practitioners in the finance sector.

This volume discusses the development of the Mexican manufacturing sector during the NAFTA era. This book pursues several objectives simultaneously. Firstly, it gives continuity to and revitalizes the structuralist economic perspective and debate proposed by Latin American development theory. Secondly, it analyzes the trend of structural heterogeneity in Mexico from 1994-2008 using the manufacturing sector as a case study. Lastly, it uses methodologies established by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) to provide an in-depth statistical evaluation of the effects of economic liberalization on structural change, labor productivity, production concentration, and dynamic competitiveness in the main industries of the sector: food, beverages, and tobacco; textiles and apparel; chemistry; electromechanics.

Providing historical context for the evolution of Mexico's economy after trade liberalization, this volume will be of interest to students, scholars, and researchers of industrial economics, economic development, Latin-American studies, developing studies, international economics, international relations, political science, and economic geography.

With a focus on Chile, Pinochet's Economic Accomplices: An Unequal Country by
Force uses theoretical arguments and empirical studies to argue that focusing on
the behavior of economic actors of the dictatorship is crucial to achieve basic objectives
in terms of justice, memory, reparation, and non-repetition measures. This
book makes visible a number of cases of economic complicity with the Chilean
dictatorship and explains their links with the radical inequalities the country has
today while proposing a theoretical framework for their study. Scholars of Latin
American studies, history, sociology, economics, business, and human rights will
find this book particularly useful.

This edited volume studies the relationship between big business and the Latin American dictatorial regimes during the Cold War. The first section provides a general background about the contemporary history of business corporations and dictatorships in the twentieth century at the international level. The second section comprises chapters that analyze five national cases (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Peru), as well as a comparative analysis of the banking sector in the Southern Cone (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay). The third section presents six case studies of large companies in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Central America. This book is crucial reading because it provides the first comprehensive analysis of a key yet understudied topic in Cold War history in Latin America.

Providing a thorough examination of distributive justice, Distributive Justice and Taxation presents and discusses different theories of what constitutes a just society, and how goods should be distributed in such a society.

The distribution of goods in society has direct and serious consequences on the lives of the people. There are therefore important questions to be asked regarding the justice of that distribution: Is it just that some people inherit large fortunes while others inherit nothing? Do rich people have additional access to political power because of their wealth? If so, is that just? And should the ambition for economic policies be to combat poverty, or to reduce inequality? This book explores these questions and a number of others through the analysis of related theories, spanning from strong egalitarian theories on the left to right-wing libertarianism. The chapters also explicitly examine the case of taxation - one of the most important and controversial measures of distribution of goods in society. Placing emphasis on the case of Norway and using data from both the UK and USA as a point of comparison, the work details and explores the key features of the tax system. It concludes by presenting and evaluating arguments for and against taxes such as income tax, wealth tax, and inheritance tax.

This book is essential reading for those interested in distributive justice, as well as students and scholars of philosophy, law, political science, and economics.

It is essential all auditors performing Yellow Book audits understand the recently revised concepts and standards of generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS). This book provides a baseline of information for accountants to gain an understanding of the new Yellow Book (2018 revision of Government Auditing Standards).

Featuring new guidance related to independence and peer review, this book will increase your knowledge of the requirements and application guidance related to:

• Ethics
• Independence
• Standards for financial audits
• Attestation engagements
• Performance audits

Key topics covered include:

• Foundation and principles for the use and application of generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS)
• General requirements for complying with the Yellow Book
• Ethics, independence, and professional judgment
• Competence and continuing professional education
• Quality control and peer review
• Standards for financial audits
• Standards for attestation engagements and reviews of financial statements
• Fieldwork standards for performance audits
• Reporting standards for performance audits

This book provides cutting-edge insights into factors, issues and instruments that foster entrepreneurship and innovation in its various guises ,in India - the fastest growing economy in the world today. India's future is predicated upon the capabilities of its people and organisations to identify and develop new products, services, types of organization and new forms of economic and social engagement with producers, consumers, institutions,and her citizens.

The book addresses four critical factors - people, technology, organisations and society. It evaluates how Indian entrepreneurs utilise their range of key skills and entrepreneurial competencies in local and transnational environments. It explores how software and technological development, and the reorganisation of the public research infrastructure, are leading to a transformation of our organisations and our capacity to develop new ones. Further, it examines the role of socially-unity-driven entrepreneurship and community-based innovation centred round the arts and culture in urban and rural settings, in promoting socially oriented transformation. The book aims to offer a small but rich portfolio of India's unique entrepreneurial capabilities.

This book revisits some of the persisting challenges of development of India, which remain unresolved even after twenty-five years of economic reforms and almost fifteen years of high growth rate. These include defining purpose of development, inequality, labour, work, unemployment, agrarian distress and migration. The book questions the overemphasis on growth to the extent of neglecting basic issues of development. With a number of contributions re-imagining development and its political economy, the book discusses above mentioned issues in light of new data and more recent conceptions of the issues. The contributors of this volume are eminent researchers in their respective field. Presenting primary as well as secondary data, the book considers the latest advances and research and also addresses new challenges like the global reorganization of production and the consequences for labour and the world of work, along with skills question. World of work has received detailed investigation in this book. This is a timely addition in existing literature especially in context of pandemic and lockdown. Informality and un/employment question is addressed in this context. Relationship among poverty, inequality and growth is examined in light of newer understanding. Agrarian distress is looked in a broader context. A number of papers are examining migration question by expanding coverage of migration and including labour mobility as apart of migration debate. The present crisis of migrant labour and absence of social security for these workers is also discussed.