A heuristic approach to Asian hedge fund allocation

The article offers information about hedge funds, which refers to pooled investments that are privately organized and professionally managed by investment managers. It examines the statistical properties of the 70 Asian hedge funds and shows the inappropriateness of the traditional mean-variance optimizer to form optimal hedge fund portfolios. The article also introduces a practical heuristic approach using the senti-variance as a measure for downside risk, and describes the risk measures and the methodology to generate optimal hedge fund portfolio.

Future Asian space : projecting the urban space of new East Asia

The idea of "Asian space" is undergoing a transformation as a result of rapid technological, economic, social and cultural changes. Following the shift to a global economy and an urban population explosion, Asian cities have been presented as a mainstay of progress, national pride, identity, and positioning on the global stage. The extraordinary pace and intensity of the changes have created a situation unique in the history of urban development. Despite the immense diversity of Asian countries, "Asia-ness" is often treated as a distinctive quality that has emerged from unique recent circumstances affecting Asian urbanizations as a whole. In Future Asian Space, 15 authors explore broad concepts relating to the creation and re-creation of "Asian space" and contemporary Asian identity, and their examination of different sites and research approaches highlights the difficulty of pinpointing what Asia-ness is, or might become. Appropriate design and planning of cities is a critical element in building a sustainable future and coping with environmental, social and cultural problems. Future Asian Space is designed to stimulate interest and engagement in discussions of the Asian city, and its trajectories in architecture and urbanism. The authors' conclusions are important for academics, theorists and practitioners, but they will also intrigue anyone interested in the future of cities and urban life in Asia.

Future Asian space : introduction

At the turn of this century, the rise of urban development had become a global phenomenon. Rapid urbanization had been at its most dramatic since the Industrial Revolution. With the emergence of global economies, innovative technologies, communication, global migration, rise of population, etc., as well as growing awareness of climate and environmental issues, our world is once again challenged to rethink its future with great urgency. All aspects of our lives are unpredictably becoming altered at an incredible pace and complexity that, indeed, one may argue that "nothing about cities in the 21st century is insignificant. These numerous and unpredictable changes affect everyone, both in the developed and developing regions of the world. In fact, as David N. Buck argues, the speed of change is so rapid that old definitions of developed and developing worlds do not seem to be relevant anymore.

Early Connections : reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian temples

Temples were constructed across Southeast Asia following the spread of Brahmanic/Hindu culture between the fifth to eight centuries CE. Epigraphic evidence, architectural and stylistic similarities between temples in the region are strongly indicative of historic cross cultural links between the traditions. This paper presents the findings of a research project that pieces together fragments of evidence from early temple sites in Southeast Asia to establish the linkages between the Southeast Asian temple building traditions. The focus of the paper is on tracing the canonical connections between these traditions through an examination of temple sites in Cambodia and Java respectively. The legacy of this ancient diasporic movement remains celebrated today in the admiration of Southeast Asian monuments such as Angkor Wat and Prambanan. However this architecture evolved over time through a process of long experimentation with philosophies, world-views, and methods. . In order to permit a deeper examination of canonical connections, the authors use methods such as photogrammetry, digital and physical models to reconstruct the architectural forms. A detailed analysis of the canonical geometry and compositional form of these temples is undertaken with reference to Indic texts and temples. Comparing the relationships between cosmology, geometry and physical form in this earlier sites with both Indian and developed Southeast Asian models, it is intended that its generative role within Southeast Asian architectural historiography can be clarified and more fully celebrated.

Book review : The history of the Central Asian republics

Review of Peter L. Roudik, The History of the Central Asian Republics. The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations. London & Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2007, xixþ212 pp., £25.95 h/b.

Body image and self-esteem among Asian, Pacific Islander, and white college students in Hawaii and Australia

Body image and its relationship to self-esteem was examined among Asian, Pacific Islander, and White women and men from Hawaii and Australia (n = 172). Although Pacific Islander and White participants had higher body mass indices than Asians, Pacific Islanders were more satisfied than Asians with their health and more satisfied than Asians and Whites with their appearance. Thus, higher body weight and greater body satisfaction may co-occur among Pacific Islanders, whereas lower weight and lower body satisfaction may co-occur among Asians. The findings suggest different levels of risk for body image dissatisfaction, and its associated psychological consequences, across ethnic groups.

Sustaining the international competitive advantage of Asian firms : a conceptual framework and research propositions

The sudden loss of export markets by many Asian firms during the Asian financial crisis (AFC) has raised important questions on how firms in the region can regain and sustain their competitive advantage in international markets. This paper develops a conceptual model which focuses on certain key elements of a firm's internal resources as critical sources of competitive advantage and offers research propositions. It is argued that Asian firms can enhance their international competitive advantage by leveraging their internal resources within an external environment generally conducive to growth.

Doing business in China : getting ready for the Asian century

Although this book has a specific focus on Australian firms doing business in China, the important and unique contribution this book makes will help you and anyone in an organization that is considering doing business in China. China maintains a high growth economy and is currently the second largest in the world. This book, which includes results from research interviews conducted with business executives from 40 organizations, will assist in preparing to do business in China. This book takes you through the various elements associated with doing business in China, including the opportunities that are available and the obstacles that organizations can face, supported by data from real businesses internationalizing to China. It examines key areas including the foreign direct investment and trade framework, Chinese culture, political and legal frameworks, intellectual property regulations, motivations for internationalization, market entry strategy, and human resource management issues.