M.Sc. Financial Engineering Thesis Defense, Funda Sever

PRODUCT DIFFERANTIATION AS A TOOL OF SUSTAINABILITY AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE  

Funda Sever, M.Sc. Financial Engineering

Date: November 20, 2019

Time: 14:00

Location:  Özyeğin University Financial Engineering Center, Altunizade, İstanbul 

Thesis Committee:

Dr. Levent Güntay, Advisor, Özyeğin University

Dr. Muzaffer Akat, Özyeğin University

Dr. Erkan Yönder, Concordia University 

Abstract:

Sustainable product differentiation has been distinguished essential factors to assist environmental balance of ecosystem, gain growth to sustainable future. Defining sustainable product differentiation is initiated with ecological and environmental innovations and sustaining on market. This paper focus on environmental product differentiation aspect on sustainability. Analysis examines the relationship between sustainable product differentiation and financial performance employing the companies in WRDS as sample. Within this frame, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Rating and Environment Score and WRDS Global Financial Statement dataset are obtained. The analysis which is made with 7 years samples on 43 companies which is from different sectors put some essential points: Which dimension of ESG rating does initiated with companies’ financial performance? Is environment score sufficient to explain increase in financial performance in companies?

Bio:

Funda Sever received the B. A. in  International Trade and Finance  and Business Administration (Double Major), İzmir university of Economics, İzmir, Turkey in June 2016. She is pursuing a M.Sc. in Financial Engineering at Özyeğin University under the supervision of Dr. Levent Güntay.  She worked as a Corporate, Specialized and Project Loans Associate in Garanti BBVA. She is planning to apply a PhD program in Business.