This book describes the principles of model building in financial engineering and explains those models as designs and working implementations for Java-based applications. The book provides software professionals with an accessible source of numerical methods or ready-to-use code for use in business applications. It is the first book to cover the topic of Java implementations for finance/investment applications and is written specifically to be accessible to software practitioners without prior accountancy/finance training. Throughout the book a series of packaged classes are developed to address a wide range of financial applications. The classes and methods are explained and designed in a way which allows the financial engineer complete flexibility. The classes can be used as off-the-shelf working solutions or the innovative developer can re-arrange and modify methods to create new products.
Phil Barker has considerable experience in both software engineering and in finance and investment having taught courses at the National Alvey HCI centre, a government funded organisation transferring university based research into commercial applications. Prior to this he lectured at Heriot-Watt University where he taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in computer science and accountancy. His research focused on neural networks and cognitive modelling involving the use of software simulations. He is currently an independent consultant to the financial and investment sector.