This paper presents evidence on the failed initial public offerings that used best efforts contracts. Out of 732 best efforts IPOs attempted in 1980-84, 186 IPOs (about one fourth) failed to meet minimum sales requirement and were subsequently withdrawn. Offerings with greater uncertainty about...

This study compares the profitability, operational efficiency, and firm value over the 1985-1990 period of 100 firms that had IPOs in 1985 compared to a matched sample of similar firms which had their IPO before 1980. We find that the 1985 IPO firms were more profitable, operationally more...

Asset pricing models with atomistic agents typically relax assumptions concerning rationality and/or homogenous information in order to track endogenous bubbles. In this model, identically informed rational agents hold a Perceived Law of Motion (PLM) for a single new technology asset at IPO, yet...

Previous research on IPOs has identified several factors or issue characteristics that play a role in the level of short term underpricing of initial public offerings. Some of those issue features are the firm size, market trend, size of the offer, investment banker reputation, method of...

We empirically examine a sample of over 350 entrepreneurial firms that successfully receive an SBA guaranteed loan. The first portion of the paper contains descriptive statistics that lend anecdotal evidence concerning the organization type of borrowers, the incidence of collateral, the reasons...

The close link between the personal financial affairs of a small business owner and his or her firm has been noted in prior research. This article compares attitudes toward risk on the part of small business owners (SBOs) and non-small business owners (NSBOs). In addition, it compares the...

The importance of an accurate sales forecast to financial management in general is well documented. Although large firms' forecasting practices as they relate to financial management have been surveyed, this is the first such study on small (manufacturing) firms. Surprisingly, the two groups are...

This paper contains a review of issues pertaining to the valuation of privately held businesses, noting significant inconsistencies in the rationale and approaches taken in the valuation process. In addition to suggesting that appraisers stay with the "tried and true" rather than testing the...

This paper attempts to extend the Certification Paradigm--mainly used in the literature as an explanation for IPO underpricings--to provide guidelines to entrepreneurs in their efforts to secure funding for new ventures. After extending the model to cases of pre-venture-capital start-up firms,...

This paper draws the attention of the new researchers to what has been going on in the Behavioral Finance front and how we can draw from and expand upon such works. By doing so, we hope to find more convincing answers to the key questions that continue to define our fascinating academic niche.