Presentation Summary - A Systematic Approach to Finance

The current crisis in the financial services sector has had and will continue to have a profound impact on both the U.S. and the global economy. Financial experts and policy makers should have expected the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market and its ripple effects throughout the financial services sector. While some analysts foresaw the collapse, their warnings were not heeded. Indeed, the crisis demonstrates parallels to several earlier failures, begging the question why were the lessons of past failures not learned? In this session we present cutting edge research that is a radically different perspective in financial research although the methodologies have been well known for over 50 years. In particular, we examine the crisis from a system thinking perspective and illustrate how a systemic approach helps to explain recent events and their relationship to past financial crises.

Biography

Alan A. Stephens is an associate professor of finance in the Jon M. Huntsman School at Utah State University. He just finished a stint as the Department Head of the Business Administration Department prior to the reorganization of the Huntsman School. Dr. Stephens’ primary areas of expertise are in corporate finance, and investments. He is currently participating in research concerning systemic thinking, systems thinking in finance, as well as other financial markets research. He has been retained in a broad variety of consulting engagements with private firms, governmental entities, and individuals. These engagements have dealt with many different types of financial and economic analyses, engineering and land-use studies, actuarial analysis and advice, and matters in litigation.