We empirically distinguish between three possible roles of venture backing in IPOs: certification, where venture-backed IPOs are priced closer to intrinsic firm value than non-venture backed IPOs due to venture capitalists' concern for their reputation; screening and monitoring, where VCs are...

AlpInvest was created in 1999 as a joint venture between Dutch pension funds ABP and PGGM to create a strong platform for their private equity investments This case study examines the strategic rationale for setting up this private equity joint venture, and evaluates the pros and cons. We...

Growth expectations and institutional settings in Central Eastern Europe are considered favorable for the establishment of a vibrant venture capital and private equity market. Despite this, there is a lack of risk capital. We examine the obstacles to institutional investments in the region...

There is an extensive literature documenting a mutual fund performance deficit, whereby a large number of mutual funds underperform the market index. One possible cause is conflicts of interest between mutual funds and investors. I explore the consequences of a new regulation prohibiting funds...

After the 1980's, LBO projects have dramatically increased on the American and European markets. Despite the high level of debt, they provide significant gains and they improve the productivity of the acquired firms. First, we describe the evolution of this industry on these markets, we focus...

Private equity funds and hedge funds are both alternative asset classes that are continuously growing in importance. Although they have different focuses, they share some characteristics. First of all, both have or allegedly have a significant impact on the economy as well as the financial...

Which investor class causes stock price anomalies? Are individual investors responsible for prices that deviate from fundamental value? We address these questions in the context of a specific anomaly, that of stock price 'bubbles.' Using data from the Australian Stock Exchange Clearinghouse...

This paper empirically examines the effects of LBO regulations on the structure of LBO transactions based on data from Italy from 1999-2006. We show that rendering LBOs illegal prior to 2004 reduced the frequency of LBOs in Italy but did not exclude them altogether. Rather, it inhibited...

We address the attractiveness of Central Eastern European countries for VC/PE investors by the construction of a composite index. For the index's composition we refer to the results of numerous prior research papers that investigate relevant parameters determining entrepreneurial activity and/or...

This paper examines whether the human capital of first-time venture capital fund management teams can predict fund performance and finds that it can. I find that fund management teams with more task-specific human capital, as measured by more managers having past experience as venture...