Geoffrey C. Friesen

Dr. Friesen's current research focus is on the role of Finance in creating economic value, promoting human flourishing and the pursuing common goods.  His research examines not only how the financial system does work or how the financial system should work, but how the financial system can work.  Dr. Friesen is particularly interested in how financial models form worldviews and influence financial decisions.

Dr. Geoffrey Friesen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Finance for the College of Business.  Friesen earned his Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Iowa, and his B.S. in Mathematics and Actuarial Science from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Prior to Nebraska, Friesen was an Assistant Professor at Iowa State University and also spent several years working as an actuary in the insurance industry.   His research interests include Behavioral Finance, Mutual Fund Performance, the Intellectual History of Finance, Business Ethics and the application of Catholic Social Teaching to economics and finance.  

Several past publications include “Heterogeneous Beliefs and Risk-Neutral Skewness,” Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and “Mutual Fund Flows and Investor Returns: An Empirical Examination of Mutual Fund Investor Timing Ability,” in The Journal of Banking and Finance.

Working Papers

• Mutual Fund Investor Learning and the Cost of Seeking Alpha (2019), with V. Nguyen
• Finance and the Human Person (2020)
• The History and Intellectual Foundations of Shareholder-centered Thinking in Finance (2020)
• Finance, Human Flourishing and the Logic of Stakeholder Engagement (2020)
• Distributive Justice, Inequality and the Paradox of Firm Value (2020)

Selected Presentations

• Mutual Fund Investor Learning and the Cost of Seeking Alpha
  • Midwest Finance Association (2019), FMA Asia/Pacific (2019*), VICIF (2019*)
• Finance and the Human Person
  • Catholic University of America (2019), Notre Dame Kellogg Institute for International Studies (2020), University of Nebraksa-Lincoln (2020), Creighton University (2020, scheduled), Future of Work Conference (2020, scheduled)

Past Publications

• Payne, B., J. Tresl and G. Friesen, 2018, “Sentiment and Stock Returns: Anticipating
  Major Sports Events”, Journal of Sports Economics, 19 (6).
• Feng, Shu, Yi Zhang (former PhD Student) and Geoffrey Friesen, 2015, “The relationship between the option-implied volatility smile, stock returns and heterogeneous beliefs”, International Review of Financial Analysis, 41, 62-73.
• Dunham, Lee (former PhD Student) and Geoffrey Friesen, 2012, “Building a Better Mousetrap: Enhanced Dollar Cost Averaging,” The Journal of Wealth Management, 15(1), 41-50.
• Friesen, Geoffrey, Yi Zhang (UNL PhD Student) and Tom Zorn, 2012, “Heterogeneous Beliefs and Risk-Neutral Skewness,” Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, 47 (4), 851-872.
• Friesen, Geoffrey and Chris Swift (UNL PhD Student), 2009, “Investor Behavior in the Thrift IPO Aftermarket,” Journal of Banking and Finance, 33(7), 1285-1298.
• Friesen, Geoffrey, Paul Weller and Lee Dunham (UNL PhD Student), 2009, “Price Trends and Patterns in Technical Analysis: A Theoretical and Empirical Examination,” Journal of Banking and Finance, 33 (6), 1089-1100.
• Farrell, Kathy, Geoffrey Friesen and Phil Hersch, 2008, “How Do Firms Adjust Director Compensation?,” The Journal of Corporate Finance, 14(2), 153-162.
• Friesen, Geoffrey and Travis Sapp. 2007. “Mutual Fund Flows and Investor Returns: An Empirical Examination of Mutual Fund Investor Timing Ability,” The Journal of Banking and Finance, 31(9), 2796-2816.
• Friesen, Geoffrey. 2007, “On the Lack of Participating Policy Usage by Stock Insurers,” Journal of Risk and Insurance, 74(1), 225-246.
• Dunham, Lee (UNL PhD Student) and Geoffrey Friesen, 2007, “An Empirical Examination of Jump Risk in U.S Equity and Bond Markets,” The North American Actuarial Journal, 76-90.
• Friesen, Geoffrey and Paul Weller, 2006 (lead article). “Quantifying Cognitive Biases in
  Analyst Earnings Forecasts,” Journal of Financial Markets, 9(4), 333-365.

Graduate Courses

Managerial Economics (GRBA 812) - Economic analysis applied to business decisions.  Key modules include history of capitalism, economic costs & benefits, marginal analysis, simple & complex pricing, international economics, financial market bubbles, price discrimination strategies, game theory & bargaining, adverse selection and moral hazard.

Advanced Financial Theory (FIN 961) - Introductory PhD seminar focused on foundations of financial theory applied to asset pricing and corporate finance.

Undergraduate Courses

Investments (FIN 363)

Security Analysis (FIN 463)

Options & Futures (FIN 467)

Portfolio Practicum (FIN 468)  

Teaching Interests

• Investments
• Advanced Financial Theory
• Managerial Economics
• Great Books, Catholic Social Teaching & Economic Thought
• Business Ethics and The Gospel

Other Courses

Institutional Service

• Finance PhD Program Director
• Finance Search Committee chair
• CoB PhD Committee
• UNL Graduate Council
• UNL Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Consortium Advisory Board Member