The Oxford Handbook of Hedge Funds

Book excerpt: The Oxford Handbook of Hedge Funds provides a comprehensive overview of the hedge fund industry from a global perspective, bringing together insights from theoretical and applied research. The book seeks to both introduce the industry and what it does to scholars and practitioners new to the area, and to provide more advanced insights to those with extensive expertise in the area. The handbook explains the main context in which hedge funds operate, how the raise capital, and their structure and governance. It evaluates the main factors that have affected the operation of hedge funds, including competition from mutual funds, the market environment, and financial regulation, explains key concepts such as hedge fund flows, and core issues of practice, such as hedge fund manager fees. This volume provides insights into the principle head fund strategies and how these have changed over the years. The behavioural dimensions of hedge fund behaviour are evaluated, as are fintech's consequences. The volume evaluates the effects of hedge funds on the firms they invest in, in terms of internal governance, strategy and practice. Furthermore, it explores a range of ethical issues around the operation of hedge funds, how they fit within the wider political economy, and changes in hedge fund regulation and taxation strategies.