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This second edition of Stochastic Dominance is devoted to investment decision making under uncertainty. The book covers four basic approaches to this process: a) The stochastic dominance (SD) approach, developed on the foundation of von-Neumann and Morgenstem^ expected utiHty paradigm. b) The mean-variance approach developed by Markowitz^ on the foundation of von-Neumann and Morgenstern's expected utility or simply on the assumption of a utility function based on mean and variance. c) The "almost" stochastic dominance (ASD) rules and the "almost" me- variance rule (AMV). No matter whether one employs objective or subjective probabilities, the common stochastic dominance criteria and the mean variance rule may lead to paradoxes: they are unable to rank prospect A w^hich yields $1 with a probability of 0.01 and a million dollars with probability of 0.99, and prospect B which yields $2 with certainty. This is an absurdity as in any sample of subjects one takes, 100% of subjects choose A. The "almost" stochastic dominance criteria and "almost" mean variance rule, which have been recently been developed by Leshno and Levy in 2002^, suggest a remedy to such paradoxes.
List of contents
On the Measurement of Risk.- Expected Utility Theory.- Stochastic Dominance Decision Rules.- Stochastic Dominance: The Quantile.- Algorithms for Stochastic Dominance.- Stochastic Dominance with Specific Distributions.- The Empirical Studies.- Applications of Stochastic Dominance Rules.- Stochastic Dominance and Risk Measures.- Stochastic Dominance and Diversification.- Decision Making and the Investment Horizon.- The CAMP and Stochastic Dominance.- Almost Stochastic Dominance (ASD).- Non-Expected Utility and Stochastic Dominance.- Stochastic Dominance and Prospect Theory.- Future Research.
About the author
Haim Levy is Miles Robinson Professor of Business Administration at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Dean of the Academic Center of Law and Business, Israel. The author of hundreds of articles in leading academic journals and about 20 books, he has obtained the ranking of the most prolific researcher in finance in the world covering the 40 years through 1986 and the most prolific researcher in finance in the world in the core 16 finance journals covering the 50-year period through 2005. He has also developed economic models for equilibrium asset pricing in an imperfect market. Professor Levy received the Hebrew University's Prize for Excellence in Research in 1996 and the Emet Prize in 2006. He has served as economic adviser to the Bank of Israel and held a University Professor position at the University of Florida and visiting academic positions at the University of California, Berkeley and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He received his Ph.D. from the Hebrew University in 1969 and has held a full professorship there since 1976.
Summary
This second edition of Stochastic Dominance is devoted to investment decision making under uncertainty. The book covers four basic approaches to this process: a) The stochastic dominance (SD) approach, developed on the foundation of von-Neumann and Morgenstem^ expected utiHty paradigm. b) The mean-variance approach developed by Markowitz^ on the foundation of von-Neumann and Morgenstern's expected utility or simply on the assumption of a utility function based on mean and variance. c) The "almost" stochastic dominance (ASD) rules and the "almost" me- variance rule (AMV). No matter whether one employs objective or subjective probabilities, the common stochastic dominance criteria and the mean variance rule may lead to paradoxes: they are unable to rank prospect A w^hich yields $1 with a probability of 0.01 and a million dollars with probability of 0.99, and prospect B which yields $2 with certainty. This is an absurdity as in any sample of subjects one takes, 100% of subjects choose A. The "almost" stochastic dominance criteria and "almost" mean variance rule, which have been recently been developed by Leshno and Levy in 2002^, suggest a remedy to such paradoxes.
Additional text
From the reviews of the second edition:
"This book is an economics book about stochastic dominance. … is certainly a valuable reference for graduate students interested in decision making under uncertainty. It investigates and compares different approaches and presents many examples. Moreover, empirical studies and experimental results play an important role in this book, which makes it interesting to read." (Nicole Bäuerle, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2007 d)
Report
From the reviews of the second edition:
"This book is an economics book about stochastic dominance. ... is certainly a valuable reference for graduate students interested in decision making under uncertainty. It investigates and compares different approaches and presents many examples. Moreover, empirical studies and experimental results play an important role in this book, which makes it interesting to read." (Nicole Bäuerle, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2007 d)
