Credit risk plays a crucial role in most financial transactions in one form or another and therefore contributes to various different layers of economic activity. Three key elements in the analysis of credit risk can be distinguished, namely: (1) the lender-borrower relationship, which is at the core of the entire discussion on credit risk; (2) the pricing of credit risk in financial markets; and (3) the relevance of financial stability and regulation related to the occurrence of credit risk. This book captures these areas in a comprehensive way by highlighting some of the current issues and related questions.

This book examines the transgressions of the credit rating agencies before, during and after the recent financial crisis. It proposes that by restricting the agencies’ ability to offer ancillary services there stands the opportunity to limit, in an achievable and practical manner, the potentially negative effect that the Big Three rating agencies – Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch – may have upon the financial sector and society moreover. The book contains an extensive and in-depth discussion about how the agencies ascended to their current position, why they were able to do so and ultimately their behaviour once their position was cemented. This work offers a new framework for the reader to follow, suggesting that investors, issuers and the state have a ‘desired’ version of the agencies in their thinking and operate upon that basis when, in fact, those imagined agencies do not exist, as demonstrated by the ‘actual’ conduct of the agencies. The book primarily aims to uncover this divergence and reveal the ‘real’ credit rating agencies, and then on that basis propose a real and potentially achievable reform to limit the negative effects that result from poor performance in this Industry. It addresses the topics with regard to financial regulation and the financial crisis, and will be of interest to legal scholars interested in the intersection between business and he law as well as researchers, academics, policymakers, industry and professional associations and students in the fields of corporate law, banking and finance law, financial regulation, corporate governance and corporate finance.

This book presents selected peer-reviewed papers from the International Conference on Mechanical and Energy Technologies, which was held on October 28–29, 2021, at Galgotias College of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida, India. The book reports on the latest developments in the field of mechanical and energy technology in contributions prepared by experts from academia and industry. The broad range of topics covered includes aerodynamics and fluid mechanics, artificial intelligence, nonmaterial and nonmanufacturing technologies, rapid manufacturing technologies and prototyping, remanufacturing, renewable energies technologies, metrology and computer-aided inspection, etc. Accordingly, the book offers a valuable resource for researchers in various fields, especially mechanical and industrial engineering, and energy technologies.

This book features selected research papers presented at the Second International Conference on Computing, Communications, and Cyber-Security (IC4S 2020), organized in Krishna Engineering College (KEC), Ghaziabad, India, along with Academic Associates; Southern Federal University, Russia; IAC Educational, India; and ITS Mohan Nagar, Ghaziabad, India during 3–4 October 2020. It includes innovative work from researchers, leading innovators, and professionals in the area of communication and network technologies, advanced computing technologies, data analytics and intelligent learning, the latest electrical and electronics trends, and security and privacy issues.

This book includes papers in the research area of artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, IoT smart agriculture, data analysis and cloud computing, communication and technology, and signal and natural language processing. The book is a collection of research papers presented at the First International Conference on Fourth Industrial Revolution and Beyond (IC4IR 2021) organized by University Grants Commission of Bangladesh in association with IEEE Computer Society Bangladesh Chapter and Bangladesh Computer Society during December 10–11, 2021.

This book examines how business, the social sciences, science and technology will impact the future of ASEAN. Following the ASEAN VISION 2020, it analyses the issues faced by ASEAN countries, which are diverse, while also positioning ASEAN as a competitive entity through partnerships. On the 30th anniversary of ASEAN, all ASEAN leaders agreed to the establishment of the ASEAN VISION 2020, which delineates the formation of a peaceful, stable and dynamically developed region while maintaining a community of caring societies in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. In keeping with this aspiration, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UitM) Perlis took the initial steps to organise conferences and activities that highlight the role of the ASEAN region. The Second International Conference on the Future of ASEAN (ICoFA) 2017 was organised by the Office of Academic Affairs, Universiti Teknologi MARA Perlis, to promote more comprehensive integration among ASEAN members. This book, divided into two volumes, offers a useful guide for all those engaged in research on business, the social sciences, science and technology. It will also benefit researchers worldwide who want to gain more knowledge about ASEAN countries.