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OR PRACTICE---Assisting Defined-Benefit Pension Plans

Author

Listed:
  • John M. Mulvey

    (Department of Operations Research and Financial Engineering, Bendheim Center for Finance, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544)

  • Koray D. Simsek

    (Faculty of Management, Sabanci University, Orhanli, 34956 Tuzla, Istanbul, Turkey)

  • Zhuojuan Zhang

    (BlackRock Financial Management Inc., New York, New York 10055)

  • Frank J. Fabozzi

    (School of Management, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511)

  • William R. Pauling

    (Hartford Investment Management, Hartford, Connecticut 06105)

Abstract

The defined-benefit pension system poses substantial, long-term risks for the U.S. economy. We describe a flexible asset-liability management (ALM) system for pension planning. The primary goals are to improve the performance and survivability of the pension trust. We first employ a stochastic program for enhancing investment strategies in light of company and other goals and pension risk constraints. The results are linked with a policy simulator for further analysis. We illustrate the concepts via two disparate real-world companies. The first is a slowly growing auto company, and the second a profitable pharmaceutical enterprise. We show that a stochastic program can help in the process of discovering sound policy rules. The ALM system has been employed extensively throughout the world by a large global actuarial firm.

Suggested Citation

  • John M. Mulvey & Koray D. Simsek & Zhuojuan Zhang & Frank J. Fabozzi & William R. Pauling, 2008. "OR PRACTICE---Assisting Defined-Benefit Pension Plans," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 56(5), pages 1066-1078, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:oropre:v:56:y:2008:i:5:p:1066-1078
    DOI: 10.1287/opre.1080.0526
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ziemba,William T. & Mulvey,John M. (ed.), 1998. "Worldwide Asset and Liability Modeling," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521571876.
    2. Zvi Bodie & Alan J. Marcus & Robert C. Merton, 1988. "Defined Benefit versus Defined Contribution Pension Plans: What are the Real Trade-offs?," NBER Chapters, in: Pensions in the U.S. Economy, pages 139-162, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    8. John M. Mulvey & Gordon Gould & Clive Morgan, 2000. "An Asset and Liability Management System for Towers Perrin-Tillinghast," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 30(1), pages 96-114, February.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Hong‐Chih Huang, 2010. "Optimal Multiperiod Asset Allocation: Matching Assets to Liabilities in a Discrete Model," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 77(2), pages 451-472, June.
    2. Agnieszka Karolina Konicz & David Pisinger & Alex Weissensteiner, 2016. "Optimal retirement planning with a focus on single and joint life annuities," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 275-295, February.
    3. Černý, Aleš & Melicherčík, Igor, 2020. "Simple explicit formula for near-optimal stochastic lifestyling," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 284(2), pages 769-778.
    4. Sebastiano Vitali & Vittorio Moriggia & Miloš Kopa, 2017. "Optimal pension fund composition for an Italian private pension plan sponsor," Computational Management Science, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 135-160, January.
    5. Sebastiano Vitali & Vittorio Moriggia, 2021. "Pension fund management with investment certificates and stochastic dominance," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 299(1), pages 273-292, April.
    6. Gerrard, Russell & Hiabu, Munir & Kyriakou, Ioannis & Nielsen, Jens Perch, 2019. "Communication and personal selection of pension saver’s financial risk," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 274(3), pages 1102-1111.
    7. Willem Klein Haneveld & Matthijs Streutker & Maarten Vlerk, 2010. "An ALM model for pension funds using integrated chance constraints," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 177(1), pages 47-62, June.
    8. Moriggia, Vittorio & Kopa, Miloš & Vitali, Sebastiano, 2019. "Pension fund management with hedging derivatives, stochastic dominance and nodal contamination," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 127-141.
    9. John M Mulvey & Woo Chang Kim & Yi Ma, 2010. "Duration-enhancing overlay strategies for defined benefit pension plans," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(2), pages 136-162, June.

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