Cybercash refers to the creation and circulation of online money. Guttman applies economic analysis to this electronic money to understand how it will enable the internet to re-establish itself as the dynamic center of the new economy and how this new money form will become the dominant payment mechanism rivaling cash, paper checks or credit cards. This will be the first book to look at the coming era of electronic money within the broader context of the economy.

Given the critical role played by banks and their behaviour during the global financial and sovereign debt crises, this excellent book on Balancing the Regulation and Taxation of Banking by Sajid M. Chaudhry, Andrew W. Mullineux and Natasha Agarwal could not be more timely. It provides an excellent in-depth analysis of how banks are taxed and regulated in various countries - including financial transaction taxes, VAT and other fiscal treatments. It also provides thought provoking recommendations on how tax and fairness of treatment of banks should be balanced.' - Philip Molyneux, Bangor University, UKThis concise book gives a unique overview of bank taxation as an alternative or a compliment to prudential regulation or non-revenue taxation. Existing bank taxation is reviewed with a view to eliminating distortions in the tax system, which have incentivized banks to engage in risky activities in the past. The authors analyse the taxation of financial instruments trading, as well as the taxation of banking products and services to gauge whether this could finance resolution mechanisms and also help to ensure the stability of banks. In this respect, the authors put forward several arguments. Firstly, they contend that a financial transaction tax is economically inefficient, potentially costly for the economy, but if set at an appropriately low rate may be used to assure banks make a 'true and fair contribution' to their implicit insurance by taxpayers. Secondly, they show that a bank levy used to finance deposit guarantee and bank resolution mechanisms is potentially useful for financial stability, but that it poses the threat of double taxation, together with the proposed Basel III liquidity ratios. Thirdly, the authors argue in favour of the elimination of exemption from value added tax (VAT) for financial services in order to provide banks with a level playing field, whilst retaining exemption for basic payment services that are infrastructural. This is expected to improve efficiency by reducing the wasteful use of financial services. This book is an invaluable resource to students, academics and researchers in the fields of banking regulation and taxation. Policymakers and those with a wider interest in the issues will find it both topical and enlightening.

This book presents an overview of corporate governance and risk management, analyzing their interdependence and particularly their relevance in banking. It discusses current trends in corporate governance, such as stakeholder management, financial performance and the cost of equity, compensation schemes, board structures and shareholder activism. Further, it reviews some of the most important regulatory changes introduced since the latest financial crisis and highlights their impact on the annual reports of the banks under analysis. Lastly, the book assesses and compares major banks in Brazil and Germany with special emphasis on the aspects mentioned above, revealing surprising similarities between the banking systems of these otherwise disparate countries.

Demographic change is affecting societies and organizations alike. Although ageing is relevant to all, there is still a tendency for more negative stereotypes to be attributed to older individuals, while positive stereotypes are mainly associated with younger individuals. Further, there are indications of gendered ageism, showing that age prejudices are more likely to affect women. This book argues that, through holistic measures, human resources management is of fundamental importance to an age-friendly and non-age-discriminatory culture. It can be assumed that awareness-raising on age issues also takes into account the gender issue. Drawing on qualitative interviews with employees in the Austrian banking industry and using an analytical framework, the author provides suggestions and implications for organizations to address this situation.

The authors examine various aspects of Japanese financial markets. This analysis is interspersed with the relevant institutional/historical background on Japanese financial markets necessary for the non-specialist. Principal chapters include: an institutional overview, a chapter on comparative cost of capital (both internationally and among Japanese firms); causes and implications of the high degree of financial intermediation in Japan and an invaluable analysis of the most recent trends in the Japanese/Asian financial markets.

Why did European policy-makers introduce the Banking Union? Which are its main features? How does it affect banks and their customers? This book tries to answer these questions, by providing a clear description of the building blocks of the banking union, and by discussing the issues that still remain unanswered.

The Florida land boom was an outgrowth of the industrialization of America, the onset of World War I, and the special natural environment of the state. A place for forts and ports since the days of the Spanish Empire, the presence of military aviation in Florida served to bring attention to the state. Florida came to attract tourists, winter residents, as well as promoters, developers, and speculators. Rich in documentation and illustrated with photographs, this work is an effort to give serious theoretical and factual treatment to one of the great speculation booms in history.

Lawyer, judge, banker, classics professor, and councilman, Thomas Mellon greatly influenced the fortunes of his hometown, Pittsburgh, throughout the nineteenth century. In the process, he became one of the city's most important business leaders, and he laid the foundation for a family that would contribute considerably to the city's growth and welfare for much of the next hundred years, becoming one of the world's most recognizable names in industry, innovation, and philanthropy. Through his in-depth examination of the extensive Mellon family archives, in "The Judge "James Mellon--a direct descendent of Thomas Mellon--has fashioned an incisive portrait of the elder Mellon that presents the man in full. Offering a singular and insightful characterization of the Scotch-Irish value system that governed the patriarch's work and life, James Mellon captures the judge's complexities and contradictions, revealing him as a truly human figure.

Among the recent biographies of Pittsburgh's famous businessmen, "The Judge" stands apart from the pack because of the author's unique perspective and his objective and scholarly approach to his subject.

The authors consider the opportunities for foreign participants in the rapidly evolving People's Republic of China across all sectors of economic activity: banking, securities markets, infrastructure, and business investment. In each case, government regulation, legal structure, market organization, and recent trends are analyzed. Consideration is given to central government strategies to modify policies to achieve particular goals. The foreign participant must be aware of these policy changes and the strategies that guide them. Special attention is given to the foreign exchange system as it affects the foreign participant, and the several reforms undertaken in the foreign exchange sector.

This book presents the reader with a complete and comprehensive picture of what is happening today in banks and other financial institutions in terms of expert systems implementation. In addition it helps in refining the reader's thoughts on how to build an environment for the successful implementation of expert systems in banking - and how to sell this concept to management including risks and opportunities.

By the 1930s, banks in America had transformed themselves from passive responders to aggressive seekers of business, converting toward a market orientation by developments in service philosophy, segmentation of customers, and by transformation of staff. Bankers focused on building confidence among the populace, increasing transaction speed, and increasing security of operations. They also developed special marketing mixes based on gender, age, and affinity groups. They were also aware of the need to develop a positive spirit among the bank staff to increase productivity and to create better customer relations.

An overview of present day thought on the very topical subject of financial stability and central banking. The papers, written by leading researchers, provide a highly informed account of contemporary policy issues and explore the legal, regulatory, managerial and economic issues that affect central banks.

An overview of present day thought on the very topical subject of financial stability and central banking. The papers, written by leading researchers, provide a highly informed account of contemporary policy issues and explore the legal, regulatory, managerial and economic issues that affect central banks.

The book shows the fundaments of the shadow banking system and its entities, operations and risks. Focusing on the regulatory aspects, it provides an original view that is able to demonstrate that the lack of supervision is a market failure.

This comprehensive addition to the debate on sustainable development has been produced in order to take a global pulse on how the financial services sector is responding to the growing challenge of shareholder and stakeholder expectations on social and environmental performance. In the opinion of many commentators in this new book, given the intermediary role banks play within economies, their potential contribution toward sustainable development is enormous. Indeed, for banks, the conclusion that corporate sustainability has become an investable concept that increases long-term shareholder value is becoming difficult to deny.To date, banks have been relatively slow to examine their exposure to risk (the environmental and social performance of their clients) and the business opportunities of sustainable development (the products and services they offer). Not before time, Sustainable Banking concludes that this is beginning to change, with both risk and opportunity becoming established elements in banking policies towards environmental sustainability. In addition, banks have now begun to take notice of and address their own environmental performance. Through the use of case studies and detailed analysis, the book examines the environmental policies of banks, the importance of transparency and communication with their stakeholders, environmental and ethical investment funds, current practice by the providers of financial services with regard to environmental risk management and, finally, the key role of government, NGOs and multilateral banks in delivering sustainability.Sustainable banking has not, however, been achieved and nor will it be in the immediate future. As globalisation proceeds apace, Sustainable Banking argues that improvements are necessary in banks' attitudes toward transparency and accountability with regard to their lending policies. In addition, in order to promote best practice, the leading banks need to start measuring their customers' environmental performance in order to persuade polluting clients that minimum compliance to regulations will no longer suffice. The book finds many shining examples in the co-operative, mutual and social sectors for the big players to emulate. Environmental and ethical considerations in such loan portfolios have proven to be profitable and "best-in-class" larger banks are now also reaping benefits.The unprecedented scope of the book has attracted contributors from four continents including Deloitte & Touche, Rabobank, The World Bank, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, The United Nations Environment Programme, The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, UBS, Henderson Investors, KPMG, The World Resources Institute and SAM Sustainability.

This text explains how Islamic banking works and what it offers as an alternative model of financial intermediation. Important questions addressed include: Why Islamic banking started and where it is going; who the main players are at present and whom it will attract in future; what its strengths and weaknesses are; whether Islamic banks will survive in highly competitive and globalized financial markets; what their prospects and potentials are; and how the relative performance and efficiency of Islamic banks compares to conventional banks?

The analysis of any monetary policy framework necessarily extends beyond the confinements of the central bank. A country's monetary framework can depend on many factors such as: its form of government; its legal system; the level of expertise in monetary policy matters that exists inside and outside the central bank; the country's financial institutions; as well as wider characteristics including the political system and level of literacy. This broad ranging collection focuses on the monetary policy frameworks used by central banks and governments in their attempt to achieve their various goals, of which price stability has become increasingly unpopular. It assesses the links between targets and central bank independence, accountability and the transparency of monetary policy. Based on data collected through a questionnaire completed by over 70 central banks in industrialized, transitional and developing economies, the analysis shows how the detailed characteristics of a monetary framework depend upon: structural differences; varying degrees of indexation and other nominal rigidities that affect the speed of transmission from monetary policy to inflation; and institutional arrangem

One of the major financial market events of the 1980s was the precipitous rise of depository institution failures including banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions. Not since the 1930s has there been a similar period of turmoil in these industries. The events of the 1980s have inspired a renewed interest in the causes and cost of financial institution failure and several questions that had seldom been asked in the post-World War II economics literature have resurfaced Why do financial institutions fail? What are the costs of their failure? How do they differ from other firms and industries? What are the implications for financial market regulation? The Causes and Costs of Depository Institution Failures critically surveys and extends previous analyses of these questions. Audience: Scholars and researchers in the areas of money and banking, financial institutions, and financial markets, as well as regulators and policymakers.

This book arises from an event on the future of banking which included leading figures in the industry. It addresses current trends influencing competition including globalization, market structure, technology, and demographics and how these will impact upon companies and their organization, business opportunities, revenue streams, branding, and customer behavior. It will also show banks how to develop strategic initiatives for future competition. This will represent essential thinking for the banking and financial services industry.

Risk-based capital standards presume a need for common capital standards across countries. The details of forging an agreement were left to the staffs of the primary bank regulators in each country, and compromises were inevitable. Although domestic constituencies' reactions to the proposals were invited, the arduous negotiations that led to the proposals generated intense pressure on the principals not to make changes. The European Community's approach to financial integration seems to be driven by a political desire to achieve an integrated market within Europe, despite significant institution al differences among countries. Underlying that desire is a belief that the market pressures that result from different regulatory systems operating in the same market will produce the right answer . The financial provisions of the U .S.-Canada free-trade agreement take a direction that, in my judgment, is more productive. The provisions are more limited in scope than are those of the European initiative. National treatment and national sovereignty are preserved. However, the delicate issue of national responsibility for failing institutions, and its relationship to monetary policies, is not addressed. A Better Alternative A productive basis for international regulation can be formulated around three principles: 1. free entry for foreign-owned subsidiaries chartered under the laws of the host country; 2. national treatment for those subsidiaries; and 3. national responsibility for (a) monetary policy, (b) prevention of unwarranted financial panics in domestically chartered institutions, whether foreign or domestically owned, and (c) supervision of all domestically chartered institutions, regardless of ownership.

The calculus of IT support for the banking, securities, and insurance industries has changed dramatically and rapidly over the past few years. Consolidation and deregulation are creating opportunities and challenges never before seen. Unheard of just a few years ago, e-commerce has given birth to new infrastructures and departments needed to support them. And the Internet/Intranet/Extranet triple-whammy is the most critical component of most financial IT shops. At the same time, new intelligent agents stand ready to take on such diverse functions as customer profiling and data mining.
Get a handle on all these new and newer ripples with Financial Services Information Systems. Here, in this exhaustive new guide and reference book, industry guru Jessica Keyes gives you the no-nonsense scoop on not just the tried and true IT tools of today, but also the up-and-coming "hot" technologies of tomorrow, and how to plan for them.
Financial Services Information Systems addresses challenges and solutions associated with:
o supporting the self-service revolution by servicing kiosks and ATMs efficiently and economically,
o straight-through processing for the securities industry,
o outsourcing business communications in the insurance industry,
o distributed integration as a cost-effective alternative to data warehousing, and
o putting inbound fax automation to work in financial organizations.

Robert W. Clower has had a profound effect on the theory and practice of economics. The distinguished group of contributors to this book celebrates his seminal contribution to economic methodology and theory by providing key accounts of important themes in the area of money, markets and method. The volume begins with a number of papers dealing with Robert Clower's work and his views on methodology. The contributors then discuss Keynes's General Theory and its relationship to conventional Keynesian macroeconomic theory as well as the origins of the General Theory itself, a subject that has been central to Clower's writings. The analysis is then expanded to concentrate on how institutions matter in thin markets. Finally, the authors analyse ways in which adaptive behaviour influences the stability of markets in the context of trading relationships, repeated games and retail stores.

In this book leading financial professionals and academics examine the prospects for the European single currency. The impact of the Euro is assessed in terms of risks and opportunities for financial intermediaries, challenges for monetary and supervisory authorities and issues for portfolio management and corporate finance.

eBook available with sample pages: 020346236X