European Banking - Efficiency, Technology and Growth

Author: John A. Goddard
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Over the past decade or so, European banking, particularly retail banking, has undergone significant changes. The creation of the European Single Market has led to deregulation, information technology advancements have made economies of scale and scope possible, and economic globalization have all intensified competition in the European financial services sector. Based on classical economic theories of competition and firms and their application to the banking industry, this book analyzes the changes in the market structure of European banking and some recent important trends. At the same time, the book incorporates many perspectives and techniques developed by researchers studying industrial structures, providing a comprehensive review of economic analysis of the banking sector, such as the relationship between banking concentration and profitability, the sources of efficiency and inefficiency within banking firms, the nature of barriers to entry and exit in banking, the degree of market contestability in banking, and the determinants of banking concentration and market structure, among others. This book is an outstanding contribution to research on European banking. It is a must-read for senior and middle-level managers in commercial banks and is also suitable for anyone interested in European banking and capital markets, including investors, bankers, as well as students, teachers, and researchers in finance programs at financial institutions across the country.