Abstract
This paper examines certain workplace issues of satisfaction, including job security, fair wage and salary levels, equitable distribution of benefits, training and career enhancement opportunities that integrate to create an environment that fosters both motivation and high performance and attempts through that to maximize productivity. The purpose of this research is to review the psychology behind the factors that contribute to employee stress as a result of organizational change, environmental and economic factors. The author attempts to analyze these concepts and examine how they contribute to worker's stress levels, thereby revealing the type of training and coping skills that organization's can attempt to provide. This paper addresses this problem specifically in the investment banking industry, with reference to the firm of Goldman Sachs. The author looks at the the financial services industry that has been characterized by ongoing and ever-increasing merger and acquisition activity and expansion with focus on change in technology, organizational settings, workforce and management. The author investigates how these changes may effect employee anxiety and stress levels with focus on the causes of stress and their possible psychological and physiological effects. The author provides recommendations as to how to achieve economies of scale and efficiencies through innovation and welcoming of change that is planned and appropriately dealt with and how to deal with the possible stress that may emerge through training, leadership, support, work teams, increased employee decision making and involvement, communication, change in reward systems and enforcement of a culture of change, innovation and challenge.

From the Paper
"While the profitability of corporations is typically measured in dollars, overall success can be measured in terms of profitability plus the attainment of organizational goals. This success derives from a synergy of inputs, including the work of employees who are dedicated, skilled and knowledgeable, and a management team that understands how to inspire competent and motivated performance through sensitive and responsive management of a continually changing workplace. The cost of socially-responsible management is an investment: the workplace environment directly impacts the motivation and productivity of the workforce. Simply put: happy, secure workers are productive workers. Companies are responsible for creating and maintaining a positive and supportive workplace environment through ethically responsible policies, fair compensation and proactive management. While not quantifiable as a line item, an attitude of responsibility to workers and to the workplace environment has a noticeable effect on the corporate bottom line. According to Alan Reder in his book In Pursuit of Principle and Profit (1994), responsible policies ensure that every quality of a company will emerge over time and greatly increase a company's chances of long-term success. Workplace issues of employee satisfaction include job security, fair wage and salary levels, equitable distribution of benefits, training and career enhancement opportunities that integrate to create an environment that fosters motivation, high performance and maximized productivity."

Tags:stress, cope, satisfaction, motivation, support, communication, decision, making, rewards, training, management, involvement, innovation, challenge, change, culture

Abstract
This sixteen-page undergraduate paper is in the form of a report on three career options: Financial Planner, Investment Banker, and Credit Analyst. The report provides the knowledge to make an educated decision on which career option to start out in, and discusses the skills needed to be successful, including the work environment of each career option, the amount of advancement possibilities, salary and how it changes with experience, and the future growth or lack of growth in the career option.

Abstract
The paper discusses the requirements for an individual to major in finance and succeed in this career. The paper outlines three lucrative careers open to finance majors, namely, financial analysts, financial consultants and working in commercial banking. The paper predicts that now is a good time to receive an education in finance, because by the time a student graduates, the current economic woes will likely have abated.

Outline:
Requirements for the Major
Finance Careers
Outlook

From the Paper
"To major in finance and succeed in finance as a career path requires more than a desire to simply 'make money'--it requires a genuine enthusiasm for working with people as well as numbers. Ideally, an employee with high aspirations in the finance industry will have a strong background in accounting combined with a personality that is "outgoing and inquisitive by nature" (Nich 2003). A good finance curriculum should provide a student with financial management tools "to succeed in analyzing and executing the financial aspects of managerial decisions" and the candidate's own charisma must convey to the client how certain decisions will enable the client to meet certain goals, using all of the realistic resources and options available."

Tags:analyst, consultant, commercial, banking, investment, accounting, insurance

Abstract
The overturning of the Glass-Steagall Act has spawned numerous discussions and debates concerning the resulting effects. This paper reviews literature aimed at explaining the effects the FSMA has had on the values of commercial banks, investment banks, and thrifts, as well as the of effect of deregulation on corporate customers and the conflict of interest versus certification of value debates pertaining to commercial banks operating in the securities market.

From the Paper
"Studies done to date, in respect to the deregulation of commercial banks, are not sufficient and in some cases may have missed the boat. For instance, the study conducted by Czyrnik and Klein included thrift stocks (a variable of seemingly little importance) and excluded corporate customers. It would be interesting to see the results of a similar study concerning FSMA's effect on the value of corporations who use investment banks compared to those who use commercial banks for underwriting IPOs. A study of this nature would serve well to examine the possible effects of commercial banks tying investment banking to credit offerings. Another possibility for a future study would be to interview investors with question regarding their perceptions concerning conflict of interest or certification of value that may or may not attribute to commercial banks engaging in underwriting securities."

Tags:market, glass-steagall, stocks

Abstract
This study investigates the question: Do investment banks, because of their internal culture, lend themselves to the acts of fraudulent behaviors by some employees? This question is investigated through the testing of a related hypothesis. The HoHA research approach is followed in the formulation and testing of the hypothesis. The hypotheses are as follows:
Ho: There is no relationship between investment banking culture and acts of fraudulent behavior on the part of some employees of investment banks.
HA: The investment banking culture both facilitates and encourages some employees of investment banks to engage in acts of fraudulent behavior.
The hypothesis is tested and the research question is investigated through a review of high profile event in the investment banking industry over the past few decades. Investment banking is reviewed briefly in the following section, and this review is followed by a review of investment banking culture as reflected in selected high profile cases, including those of Michael Milken, Ivan Boesky, Nicholas Leeson, and Toshihide Iguchi.

From the Paper
"The major operational functions of investment banking firms are underwriting, dealing, brokerage, and the provision of financial advice. The underwriting function involves origination, risk bearing, and distribution. Origination is concerned with defining the essential characteristics of an investment offering (debt or equity, pricing, timing, method of distribution, and so forth). Risk bearing on the part of an investment bank involves the purchase by a bank at a fixed price of a new securities issue, for eventual sale to the investing public (Pugel & White, 1995). In this context, the investment bank is at risk until the new issue is sold. Distribution is the act of selling the issue to the investing public. The provision of financial advice accompanies the underwriting function, although financial advice is also provided in other instances, such as, in conjunction with merger and acquisition decisions."

Tags:milken, boesky, leeson, iguchi, embezzlement, theft

Abstract
A paper that outlines why and how investment banking mergers happen.

From the Paper
"Investment banking is governed by numerous regulations, most set forth and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several of these laws are discussed below.

Rule 144A is a restriction placed on buyers of privately placed securities so that these securities cannot be sold for two years after acquisition. This means there is no liquidity in the market over that period of time. Buyers of privately placed securities must be compensated for this lack of liquidity. SEC Rule 144A went into effect in April 1990. The rule eliminated the two-year holding period and permitted large institutions instead to trade securities acquired in a private placement among themselves without having to register these securities with the SEC. A large institution is defined as one that holds at least $100 million of the security."

Abstract
This study examines the nature and effects of race and gender on managerial progression within the investment banking industry. It attempts to prove that race and gender have the potential to negatively impact a minority's ability to progress in the industry. Successful advancement opportunities, in theory, should be contingent upon an individual's skills, abilities and work history; unfortunately, time and time again, this theory has been disproved by statistical data, which indicates that race and gender do, in fact, impact on employees' potential for achievement. The study focuses on the managerial progression of candidates, both male and female, of minority and non-minority descent within the U.S. and the U.K. It also details the importance of developing more comprehensive recruiting and promotional activities targeted specifically toward these populations. The paper concludes that equality measures implemented thus far have not been efficient in attracting and promoting candidates.

Table of Contents
Abstract
List of Tables
List of Figures
Chapter I: Introduction
Problem Statement (or Purpose)
Significance of the Study
Assumptions
Limitations
Definitions (or Acronyms)
Chapter II: Review of Relevant Literature and Research
Chapter III: Research Methodology
Research Technique
Research Design
Survey Population
Sources of Data
The Data Gathering Instrument
Distribution Method
Reliability
Validity
Treatment of Data and Procedures
Chapter IV: Results
Chapter V: Discussion
Chapter VI: Conclusions
Chapter VII: Recommendations
Appendixes: Bibliography, Tables, Interview Questions

From the Paper
"Research also reveals that at least within the United States, finding African American presence among the highest levels of responsibility at Wall Street firms including financial institutions and investment banks is not nearly as difficult in modern times as in historical times (McCoy, 1992). Black finance professionals have actually "built impressive track records with their own investment firms" (McCoy, 1992).
The good news however is tempered by statistics that reveal that in general there are still very few African-Americans and like minded minorities working in managerial positions overall within the nation's leading investment banks (McCoy, 1992). This is even truer for minority women, who often face double discrimination, being an ethnic minority and being a woman. Statistics also reveal that few black finance professionals are currently "coming through the pipeline" to help statistics (McCoy, 1992)."

Tags:corporate, governance, Civil, Rights, Act, ECEO

Abstract
The following paper discusses the concept of personal financial planning, including a brief definition of the term. It then gives a short but succinct history of the rise of personal computing, and the Internet, in the late 20th century, and early 21st century. Finally it discusses how the personal computer has impacted personal financial planning, including both positive and negative effects. Several concepts, including budgeting, investing, taxes, personal banking, retirement and estate planning, insurance purchases and career planning are examined.

From the Paper
"To begin, I will discuss the concept of personal financial planning, including a brief definition of personal financial planning. In simple terms, personal finance planning refers to the process of managing personal assets in order to achieve personal economic satisfaction. Personal financial planning can encompass a wide variety of strategies, including budgeting, investing, insurance, career planning, and perhaps the most obvious of all retirement planning. Given the breadth of personal financial planning, a wide variety of areas must be considered, and several complex and interrelated decisions must be made in the process of individual financial planning. Perhaps not surprisingly, the personal computer has begun to be a key, important tool in the process of personal financial planning.;

Tags:complex, assessments, computer, software, aid, tax, income, taxes