This study traces the patterns of competition, strategic orientations, and the differential risk/return profiles associated with various business strategies in the banking industry. It addresses the unresolved questions of strategic groups existence, stability, and performance effects by examining two contrasting models of strategic group formation/identification. It extends the literature conceptually by proposing that strategic groups be identified using firm resource bundles/capabilities in addition to observed product market strategies. Further, it tests an expanded model of strategy-performance linkage, and draws several empirical implications for the resource based view. In the longitudinal facet, using data from the Bank Compustat database, eleven scope and resource deployment variables were employed to identify strategic groups at the corporate strategy level, using a two stage clustering algorithm, over a fifteen year period (1974-1988). The impact of discontinuous environmental change such as deregulation on strategic group dynamics and firm level risk-return relationship was examined. In addition, performance and risk differences both across and within groups were investigated. In the cross-sectional facet, scores obtained from an expert panel of leading bank analysts on ten key resources during semi-structured interviews, were used to identify strategic groups. The study found that strategic groups characterized competition in the banking industry both before and after deregulation. Some support was found for the underlying stability of the strategic groups, despite the profound changes characterizing the banking industry. Environmental discontinuity was found to enhance inter-group mobility and strengthen the negative risk-return relationship prevalent in this industry. Across-group performance differences were found on economic and risk dimensions, but not on risk-adjusted dimensions except in the last time period. Within-group performance differences were found, but risk differences within groups existed in only 45% of the tests. A model of firm performance which included strategic group membership along with firm resources was found to have a significantly greater explanatory power than a model which omitted firm resources. Finally, resource based groupings appeared to be a empirically viable representation of industry rivalry and these groups were meaningful predictors of economic performance.

A growing body of evidence has accumulated on the behavior of volatility for pricing data on a variety of different financial assets. Twenty-four-hour currency markets are a particularly useful vehicle for examining the relationship between information and asset volatility--in part because the distinction between public and private information is clearly defined in the foreign exchange market. This study provides a comprehensive examination of the effect of public news on inter- and intra-day exchange-rate return variances. Unlike previous studies, the impacts of both U.S. and foreign macroeconomic news announcements are examined in the spot and futures currency markets--for the yen, pound, and mark. The relationship between news and volatility is first examined using variance ratio tests over trading and non-trading periods. Second, diffusion and jump-diffusion process models are developed which contain parameters conditional on the release of news. These models are estimated using the method of maximum likelihood and are compared to equivalent unconditional models using likelihood ratio tests. Results from this study provide insight into the relationship between public information and currency market volatility. Variance ratio tests indicate that U.S. news releases have a greater impact on currency variance than foreign news releases. In addition, trading/non-trading variance patterns are found to differ between the spot and futures markets--particularly for the yen. Market liquidity differences and the timing of public news announcements are shown to be factors which can explain whether the spot or futures markets reflect the arrival of public information first. The impact of public macroeconomic news releases on volatility is also shown to be concentrated in the period immediately surrounding the announcement. Maximum-likelihood estimation of diffusion and jump-diffusion process models reveals that simple models, conditional on ex ante macroeconomic news announcements, better explain the currency return generating process than equivalent unconditional models. Over the period studied, merchandise trade balance and industrial production announcements had a greater impact on volatility than money supply or inflation announcements. Finally, the correlation between the yen, pound, and mark was highest on days of U.S. macroeconomic news.

This is an exploratory study into the role commercial banks play in triggering recognition of failure in a declining firm and the nature of the bank's responses. Management literature has excluded important issues in the critical phase intervening decline and turnaround such as how the recognition of failure takes place, and the possible external influences on the turnaround strategy. Commercial banks being an influential external agency are ideally placed to perform this role. The study covered four banks in Canada and six banks in the US. The data collection comprised of qualitative sources (27 in-depth interviews with bank officers) and quantitative sources (questionnaire to loan officers seeking information pertaining to specific problem loan firms). Information on 34 cases in the US and 146 in Canada was obtained. The quantitative data was studied using correlational analysis, factor analysis, and a multiple regression model to help explain the bank's response strategies. The study shows that acting out of self-interest, the banks are a source of triggering early recognition of failure in the firms and attempt to distinguish between decline in performance and impending failure. The variables explaining the response strategy of the bank include: the causes (internal/external) for decline, extent of security coverage, severity of the decline, the extent of cooperation with the bank, size, and the bank's judgement on the ability of the firm to turnaround. The bank's response should be considered at two levels: the initial efforts of the loan officer and the subsequent institutional response of the bank. While there were only a few major differences between US and Canadian banks on several aspects of recognition and response, they exhibited different correlation structures. While both US and Canadian officers preferred a workout to an exit strategy, the US officers had a bias towards a financial approach including additional financial coverage, and the Canadian officers showed a managerial approach including managerial changes. From the perspective of strategic management, this study shows the importance of a source outside the firm in triggering recognition of failure and its influence on the turnaround strategy of the firm.

After the financial tsunami in 2008, banking businesses took advantage in the economic recovery to attract investors back. For the past two or three years, financial institutions have generated considerable revenue from wealth management businesses, which was growing at a two-digit rate. Since financial consultants determine the success of customer relation management, which is the key factor to wealth management business, it has become essential for human resource research in banks to investigate the characteristics of financial consultants. This study investigates whether there exists a positive correlation between key factors, such as the financial consultants¡¦ seniority in banking business, developing expertise, work attitude, and organizational climate, and their performance achievement. It is hoped that financial consultants, whether recruited from local branches or from outside of the bank, when equipped with related banking experience, developed expertise, better work attitude and supporting organizational climate can achieve their performance goals. This study is based on questionnaire results from the 172 financial consultants in Bank S. A total of 114 valid questionnaires were returned, yielding a return rate of 66.28%. Statistical analysis shows the following results: 1. There is a significant positive correlation between seniority in banking business, developing expertise, and performance achievement. 2. Higher levels of seniority in banking business and developing expertise, lead to higher levels of performance. Based on the results, this study suggests that for future human resource recruiting and training, the wealth management division should strengthen trainings in financial services provided especially for high net worth clients, in addition to the recruitment of experienced employees from local branches. Competent financial consultants, with required certifications, should provide timely suggestions on stop-loss and stop-gain to clients to secure their trust and recognition. Only when the clients become stable assets of the bank can wealth management business be sustainable.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii, 2000. / "May 2000." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 276-294).

L’e-learning, porte en lui le potentiel et surtout l’espoir d’une efficience nouvelle que l’on prête généralement à l’introduction des TIC dans les organisations. Toutefois l’adoption de ce type de technologies fait face à de nombreux défis. Cette recherche a pour objet, d’identifier les facteurs individuels et organisationnels, affectant l’acceptation du e-learning au sein d’une entreprise bancaire. Basé sur une théorie intégratrice de l’acceptation et de l’usage des technologies (UTAUT), nous revisitons le modèle en y intégrant trois nouveaux construits: l’influence de la direction générale, l’implication et l’influence du manager. Des données d’une enquête, menée sur un échantillon de salariés d’une entreprise bancaire (n=512), furent collectées pour tester leur intention d’utiliser ‘e learning. Les résultats montrent que la performance escomptée et les efforts requis sont des facteurs déterminants de l’intention d’utiliser. Cependant, ils nous montrent également que les nouveaux construits introduits ont un effet significatif et positif sur leur intention d’utiliser l’e-learning. / The e-learning carnes in him the potential and especially the hope of a new efficiency which we lend generally to the introduction of ICTS in organizations. However adoption of such technology still facing various challénges. This research aims at identifying the influence of the individual and organizational factors on e-learning technology acceptance in a banking company. Based on the UTAUT model, the revised model includes three particular constructs: executive management influence, immediate une manager influence and involvement. We will also investigate the moderating effects of sociodemographic factors in a banking context. Survey data were collected from a sample of employees (n=512) in s French banking company in order to test their intention to use the e-learning. Results show the performance expectancy and perceived ease of use as key determinants of Intention to use. However, the results also show, the new constructs have a significant and positive direct effect on intention to use the e-Iearning.

This diploma thesis is trying to analyze the monetary policy of The Federal Reserve System in context of the economic process in the period 1913 -- 1929 and its reverse influence on the economy of The United States. In an effort to expose incompetence of the central control of money stock it brings more complex view including preceding development from the end of 18 century, trough the foundation The Federal Reserve System in the year 1913, the period of the world war I., trough era of prosperity of the twenties to the beginning of The Great Depression. In the theoretical part it brings monetary centralism face to face with liberalism of the Austrian school. Theoretical ground is based on the Austrian theory of business cycle which considers the reasons of economic fluctuation to be inflationary character of the commercial banking system at the head of central bank.

In this thesis, I want to explore present (y. 2012/2013) modern trends in Business Intelligence and focus specifically on the rapidly evolving and, in my (and not only) opinion, a very perspective area of analysis and use of Big Data in large enterprises. The first, introductory part contains general information and the formal conditions as aims of the work, on whom the work is oriented and where it could be used. Then there are described inputs and outputs, structure, methods to achieve the objectives, potential benefits and limitations in this part. Because at the same time I work as a data analyst in the largest bank Czech Republic, Czech Savings Bank, I focused on the using of Big Data in the banking, because I think, that it is possible to achieve great benefits from collecting and analyzing Big Data in this area. The thesis itself is divided into 3 parts (chapters 2, 3-4, 5). In the second chapter you will learn, how developed the area of BI, how it evolved historically, what is BI today and what future is predicted to the BI by the experts like the world famous and respected analyst firm Gartner. In the third chapter I will focus on Big Data itself, what this term means, how Big Data differs from traditional business information available from ERP, ECM, DMS and other enterprise systems. You will learn about ways to store and process this type of data, as well as about the existing and applicable technologies, focused on Big Data analysis. In the fourth chapter I focus on the using of Big Data in business, information in this chapter will reflect my personal views on the potential of Big Data, based on my experience during practice in Czech Savings Bank. The final part will summarize this thesis, assess, how I fulfilled the objectives defined at the beginning, and express my opinion on perspective of the trend of Big Data analytics, based to the analyzed during the writing this thesis information and knowledge.

The international banking industry has paid much attention to private banking business because of its high profit. Although this business has hundreds of years of history in the United States and Europe, by contrast, it is still on the primary stage in China. Not until 2007 have more and more domestic bankers started to participant in this field. In recent years, China’s economy has maintained the rapid growth regarding the performance of GDP, stock market, real estate, etc. Benefit from the strong economy, the wealthy population and their wealth volume has been increased, those provide a good foundation for development of this business. At the meantime, with the continuously opening of China’s financial market and the demands for improvement of profit structure, this business has become a core strategy for domestic banks become to eager to develop. Under the incentive of market potential and pressure of external competition, China’s domestic banks still need to overcome some difficulties at the present stage to enjoy high profit from this business. Those obstacles includes the immature demands for financial services, the inadequate the external financial environment and lack of internal criteria within banks. Hence, on the one hand, the government should create a fine financial environment to help bankers to develop more advanced products or services to meet the clients’ demands. On the other hand, and bankers themselves should enhance the staff’s qualify and utilize the modern customers management techniques and information system to distinguish the target clients and their demands. / The international banking industry has paid much attention to private banking business because of its high profit. Although this business has hundreds of years of history in the United States and Europe, by contrast, it is still on the primary stage in China. Not until 2007 have more and more domestic bankers started to participant in this field. In recent years, China’s economy has maintained the rapid growth regarding the performance of GDP, stock market, real estate, etc. Benefit from the strong economy, the wealthy population and their wealth volume has been increased, those provide a good foundation for development of this business. At the meantime, with the continuously opening of China’s financial market and the demands for improvement of profit structure, this business has become a core strategy for domestic banks become to eager to develop. Under the incentive of market potential and pressure of external competition, China’s domestic banks still need to overcome some difficulties at the present stage to enjoy high profit from this business. Those obstacles includes the immature demands for financial services, the inadequate the external financial environment and lack of internal criteria within banks. Hence, on the one hand, the government should create a fine financial environment to help bankers to develop more advanced products or services to meet the clients’ demands. On the other hand, and bankers themselves should enhance the staff’s qualify and utilize the modern customers management techniques and information system to distinguish the target clients and their demands.