In 1933 and 1956, the United States sharply limited the kinds of securities activities, commercial activities, and insurance activities banks could engage in. The regulations imposed on banks back then remain in place despite profound changes in the economic environment, in the structure of the national and international financial markets, and in technology. In this span of time many industries, especially those confronting global competition, have transformed themselves dramatically in their efforts to survive and prosper. Not so in the American financial services sector, banks have largely remained stuck in an antiquated regulatory structure which has placed the burden of responding to the needs of market-driven structural change on the shoulders of the regulators and the courts in a constant search for loopholes in the law. The purpose of this book is to evaluate the case for and against eliminating the barriers that have so long existed between banking and other types of financial services in the United States. Universal Banking in the United States studies the consequences of bank regulation in the U.S. as it relates to competition in international financial markets. Anthony Saunders and Ingo Walter examine universal banking systems in other countries, especially Germany, Switzerland, and the U.K., and how they work. They then apply the lessons to U.S. banking, paying particular attention to the benchmarks of stability, equity, efficiency, and competitiveness against which the performance of national financial systems should be measured. In the end, the authors propose the outlines of a level playing field on which any number of forms of organization can grow in the financial services sector, in which universal banking is one of the permitted structures, and where regulation is linked to function.

Universal Banking in the United States: What Could We Gain? What Could We Lose?

Business & Money

Saunders,Anthony

Walter, Ingo

Economics

Oxford University Press

Few sectors of the global economy equal banking and financial services in dynamism or structural change. In the mid-1980s, regulatory and technological change were the main catalysts for the transformation of the industry, making entrenched competitive structures obsolete and mandating the development of new products, new processes, new strategies, and new public policies toward the industry. In Global Banking, authors Roy C. Smith and Ingo Walter assess the transformation that is taking place worldwide in the financial industry--its causes, its course, and its consequences. Beginning with an overview of recent developments, the authors consider the major dimensions of international commercial banking, including the issues of cross-border risk evaluation and exposure management and the creation of a viable regulatory framework in a global competitive context. They link the field of international commercial banking with international investment banking, and identify the factors that distinguish winners from losers in each activity of global banking. The book concludes with a section on the problems of strategic position and execution.

Global Banking

Smith, Roy C.

This is a revision of the business of global banking. With the increased globalization of the world economy few sectors are the equal of banking and financial services in dynamism or structural change. Roy C. Smith and Ingo Walter assess this transformation-its causes, its course and its consequences. They begon by examining international commercial banking, including the issue of cross-border risk evaluation and exposure management, and the creation of a viable regulatory framework in a global competitive context. hey then undertake a parallel assessment of international investment banking, linking the two by means of a bridge chapter. Finally, they focus on the factors that determine winners and losers in these markets and explore the problems of strategic position and execution.

This book is intended to lay out, in a clear and intuitive as well as comprehensive way, what we know - or think we know - about mergers and acquisitions in the financial services sector. It evaluates their underlying drivers, factual evidence as to whether or not the basic economic concepts and strategic precepts are correct. It looks closely at the managerial dimensions in terms of the efficacy of merger implementation, notably the merger integration process. The focus is on enhancing shareholder value creation and the execution of strategies for the successful management of mergers. It also has a strong public-policy component in this "special" industry where successes can pay dividends and failures can cause serious problems that reach well beyond the financial services industry itself. The financial services sector is about halfway through one of the most dramatic periods of restructuring ever undergone by a major global industry. The impact of the restructuring has carried well beyond shareholders of the firms and involved into the domain of regulation and public policy as well as global competitive performance and economic growth. Financial services are a center of gravity of economic restructuring activity. M&amp;A transactions in the financial sector comprise a surprisingly large share of the value of merger activity worldwide -- including only deals valued in excess of $100 million, during the period 1985-2000 there were approximately 233,700 M&amp;A transactions worldwide in all industries, for a total volume of $15.8 trillion. Of this total, there were 166,200 mergers in the financial services industry (49.7%), valued at $8.5 trillion (54%). In all of restructuring frenzy, the financial sector has probably had far more than its share of strategic transactions that have failed or performed far below potential because of mistakes in basic strategy or mistakes in post-merger integration. It has also had its share of rousing successes. This book considers the key managerial issues, focusing on M&amp;A transactions as a key tool of business strategy - "doing the right thing" to augment shareholder value. But in addition, the degree of integration required and the historic development of integration capabilities on the part of the acquiring firm, disruptions in human resources and firm leadership, cultural issues, timeliness of decision-making and interface management have co-equal importance - "doing it right."

Mergers and Acquisitions in Banking and Finance: What Works, What Fails, and Why (Economics & Finance)

Nearly seventy years after the last great stock market bubble and crash, another bubble emerged and burst, despite a thick layer of regulation designed since the 1930s to prevent such things. This time the bubble was enormous, reflecting nearly twenty years of double-digit stock market growth, and its bursting had painful consequence. The search for culprits soon began, and many were discovered, including not only a number of overreaching corporations, but also their auditors, investment bankers, lawyers and indeed, their investors. In Governing the Modern Corporation, Smith and Walter analyze the structure of market capitalism to see what went wrong. They begin by examining the developments that have made modern financial markets--now capitalized globally at about $70 trillion--so enormous, so volatile and such a source of wealth (and temptation) for all players. Then they report on the evolving role and function of the business corporation, the duties of its officers and directors and the power of its Chief Executive Officer who seeks to manage the company to achieve as favorable a stock price as possible. They next turn to the investing market itself, which comprises mainly financial institutions that own about two-thirds of all American stocks and trade about 90% of these stocks. These investors are well informed, highly trained professionals capable of making intelligent investment decisions on behalf of their clients, yet the best and brightest ultimately succumbed to the bubble and failed to carry out an appropriate governance role. In what follows, the roles and business practices of the principal financial intermediaries--notably auditors and bankers--are examined in detail. All, corporations, investors and intermediaries, are found to have been infected by deep-seated conflicts of interest, which add significant agency costs to the free-market system. The imperfect, politicized role of the regulators is also explored, with disappointing results. The entire system is seen to have been compromised by a variety of bacteria that crept in, little by little, over the years and were virtually invisible during the bubble years. These issues are now being addressed, in part by new regulation, in part by prosecutions and class action lawsuits, and in part by market forces responding to revelations of misconduct. But the authors note that all of the market's professional players--executives, investors, experts and intermediaries themselves--carry fiduciary obligations to the shareholders, clients, and investors whom they represent. More has to be done to find ways for these fiduciaries to be held accountable for the correct discharge of their duties.

Governing the Modern Corporation: Capital Markets, Corporate Control, and Economic Performance

Few sectors of the global economy have experienced the dynamic and structural change that has occurred over the past several decades in banking and financial services or as much turbulence and damage to the economy and to ordinary people. Regulatory and technological changes have been among the main catalysts of change in the financial industry worldwide, making entrenched competitive structures obsolete and mandating the development of new products, new processes, new strategies, and new public policies toward the industry. This third edition of Global Banking reassess the continuing transformational process of global banking and finance--its causes, its course, and its consequences. It begins with an overview of the most recent developments and goes on to examine the major dimensions of international commercial and investment banking, including money and foreign exchange markets, debt capital markets, international bank lending, derivatives, asset-based and project financing, and equity capital markets. Later, the various advisory businesses--mergers and acquisitions, privatizations, institutional asset management, and private banking--are analyzed. In each case, the factors that distinguish the winners from the losers are identified. This is brought together in the final section of the book, which deals with problems of strategic positioning and execution, as well as critical risk issues and regulations.

DeLong, Gayle

Political Economy of Financial Integration in Europe: The Battle of the Systems

Few aspects of the great European integration project have been as difficult and fraught with political conflict as the creation of a single financial market and monetary union. However, it is clear that monetary union and financial integration are now on the front-burner in Europe, and will remain so until at least the year 2000. This timely volume traces the political, financial and economic steps toward financial unions in Europe, focusing on the dynamics of a Europe of sovereign states. Authoritative, comprehensive and accessible, the volume is essential reading for students, researchers, policy-makers, journalists and anyone who needs to know about financial integration in Europe.

Story, Jonathan

Mit Pr

This timely volume traces the political, financial, and economicsteps toward financial union in Europe, focusing on the politicaleconomy of the process—notably the dynamics of a Europe ofsovereign states.
Few aspects of the great European integration project have been as difficult and fraught with political conflict as the creation of a single financial market and monetary union. It is clear, however, that monetary union and financial integration are now on the front-burner in Europe, and will remain so until at least the year 2000. This timely volume traces the political, financial, and economic steps toward financial union in Europe, focusing on the political economy of the process--notably the dynamics of a Europe of sovereign states. It is the first integrated view of the issue, combining political, economic, and financial perspectives. Authoritative, comprehensive, and accessible, the volume is essential reading for students, researchers, policy makers, journalists, and anyone who needs to know about financial integration in Europe.

MIT Press]

Provides the reader both an up-to-date description of investment banking in Europe and a well-argued discussion of the way that it is likely to develop. Addresses the changes that have taken place in the European market and investigates the resulting competitive structure of the finance industry.

High Finance in the Euro-Zone: Competing in the New European Capital Market

Smith, Roy

International

Pearson/Education

International economics of pollution (Problems of economic integration)

Macmillan

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Walter, Ingo. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Walter, Ingo

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Walter, Ingo. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Universal Banking in the United States: What Could We Gain? What Could We Lose?

Global Banking

Global Banking

Mergers and Acquisitions in Banking and Finance: What Works, What Fails, and Why (Economics & Finance)

Governing the Modern Corporation: Capital Markets, Corporate Control, and Economic Performance

Global Banking

Political Economy of Financial Integration in Europe: The Battle of the Systems

Political Economy of Financial Integration in Europe: The Battle of the Systems

High Finance in the Euro-Zone: Competing in the New European Capital Market

International economics of pollution (Problems of economic integration)