Although an emerging technology, blockchain is here to stay. Since its inception, imaginative thinkers have identified new ways for this powerful technology to bring innovative solutions to problems in the business world. Considered by many as an extreme and disruptive change, how can business leaders overcome resistance to the implementation of blockchain solutions and maximize its potential? The Emerald Handbook of Blockchain for Business equips academics, practitioners, and students with a broad understanding of the cutting-edge developments and applications of emerging blockchain technology. Covering the basic concepts while also showcasing practical applications in intricate real-world situations, this handbook bridges the gap between theory and practice, providing a useful balance of detailed and user-friendly coverage. Facilitating readers with a working knowledge of how blockchain functions and integrates within the business world, this handbook is essential reading for academics looking for a springboard for further research and practitioners needing a go-to resource for navigating the implementation of this fast-moving new technology.

The Global Financial Crisis made its first appearance in Britain towards the end of 2007 with the failure of the Northern Rock Bank. It then reached an unparalleled intensity a year later when the government was forced to intervene to prevent the collapse of Lloyds/HBOS and RBS/Natwest. Before these events the British banking system possessed a long established reputation for resilience and competence that made it one of the most admired and trusted in the world. The financial crisis of 2007/8, and the subsequent revelations about the behaviour of bankers, destroyed that reputation and drove a desire for a complete reform of the British banking system. Forgotten in this headlong rush towards radical restructuring were the reasons why the British banking system had become so admired and trusted. The aim of this book is to explain why the British banking system gained its reputation for resilience and competence, maintained it for over 100 years, and then lost it in such a rapid and spectacular fashion. To achieve that aim requires a study of the entire banking system. Banks are key components of a complex financial system continually interacting with each other, and constantly changing over time, This makes the conventional distinctions drawn between different types of banks, including those specialising in international finance, savings and loans, corporate lending, and retail deposits and borrowing, inappropriate for any long-term analysis. The distinctions between different types of banks were neither absolute nor permanent but relative and temporary. Banks were also central to both the payments system and the money market without which no modern economy could function. What this book is about is the development of the British banking system as a whole over more than three centuries. Only with such an understanding is it possible to appreciate what the British banking system achieved and then maintained from the middle of the 19th century onwards, why it was lost in such a short space of time, and what needs to be done to return it to the position it once occupied. Without such an understanding the mistakes of the recent past are destined to be repeated time and gain.

The establishment of Banking Union represents a major development in European economic governance and European integration history more generally. Banking Union is also significant because not all European Union (EU) member states have joined, which has increased the trend towards differentiated integration in the EU, posing a major challenge to the EU as a whole and to the opt-out countries. This book is informed by two main empirical questions. Why was Banking Union - presented by proponents as a crucial move to 'complete' Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) - proposed only in 2012, over twenty years after the adoption of the Maastricht Treaty? Why has a certain design for Banking Union been agreed and some elements of this design prioritized over others? A two-step explanation is articulated in this study. First, it explains why euro area member state governments moved to consider Banking Union by building on the concept of the 'financial trilemma', and examining the implications of the single currency for euro area member state banking systems. Second, it explains the design of Banking Union by examining the preferences of member state governments on the core components of Banking Union and developing a comparative political economy analysis focused on the configuration of national banking systems and varying national concern for the moral hazard facing banks and sovereigns created by euro level support mechanisms.

Macroprudential policies, tools and supervision have become important since the last financial crisis. This book addresses general and methodological issues and provides a framework for the analysis of macroprudential policies and supervision in insurance. It focuses on policy related issues and global level aspects of macroprudential in insurance.

This book presents an analysis of the role of UK building societies, their strengths and weaknesses, and their contribution to the industry, at a time where public confidence in banking is low. Chapters present the results of an empirical analysis of the comparative performance of UK building societies, since the large-scale demutualisation process ended in the year 2000. The authors highlight the substantial impact of the financial crisis on the sector, with 2008 and 2009 being particularly difficult years. The book discusses banks and building societies in the context of the improving economy and show that both groups have recovered some profitability, although not at the pre-crisis level. The reader will discover that building societies in particular have recovered well from the financial turmoil and they appear less risky than banks on a variety of measures.

The presence of sound corporate governance in a financial institution is important in maintaining the confidence of both the market and the public. The power that corporate governance holds over the success of some of the largest financial institutions in the world is not to be downplayed. This book methodically assesses the quality of corporate governance and mechanisms of accountability disclosures to various stakeholders. It is further intended to provide fresh insights into some specific corporate governance recommendations to help improve good governance in financial institutions, particularly in the United Kingdom and the EU but will also be applicable to other major economies. It explores what, when and how corporate governance has changed the financial institution functions and corporate executive behaviour by critically reviewing the pre- and post-financial crisis theoretical and empirical literature. Increasingly driven by the nature of complications, complexities and opacity in the operations of financial systems, corporate governance reporting plays an important role in the financial sector. It will provide insights into corporate governance disclosures over a long-term basis. This book should be a valuable asset to support the research of practitioners, students and all academics due to its stimulating and reflective insights into this fascinating topic.

Development finance institutions (DFIs), also known as public development banks (PDBs) are public financial institutions initiated and steered by governments with explicit official missions to promote public policy objectives, and public development banks (PDBs) are the main category. DFIs are experiencing a renaissance worldwide, but there is limited academic research examining their roles, operations, and effectiveness. This book attempts to fill this gap by bringing together world-renowned scholars who discuss in detail the economics and the social consequences of both development banks and public banks. Combining together, the chapters in this volume discuss topics from sustainability, development impact of financial instruments, a new development financial architecture, and the interaction with existing international rules like the Basel Accord. This book will be of particular interest to students, scholars, and researchers of development finance, global governance, and international political economy. The chapters in this book were originally published in the Review of Political Economy.

Banks are frequently considered usurers. Is it possible to talk about ethics when you analyse banking activity? This book focuses on this question and starts with the history and the philosophy. Philosophers like Aristotle, Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill proposed different theories about the need for ethics in finance. If we accept Mill's thought, the production of wealth in society is driven by the personal pursuit of profit. But - unfortunately - this does not, on its own, ensure collective well-being. It must be guided by a superior mechanism which transforms it into wealth for all. This introduces the role of financial institutions, which often have to comply with legal obligations. The book focuses on the role that these institutions have in supporting the 'ethical' use of money. The author analyses a number of cases in banks and the financial industry and discusses topics like anti-money laundering, anti-usury, islamic finance, microcredit and bank rescue systems, including not only best practices but also examples of unethical financial management.

"This edited volume contains essential readings for financial analysts and market practitioners working at Central Banks and Sovereign Wealth Funds. It presents the reader with state-of-the-art methods that are directly implementable, and industry 'best-practices' as followed by leading institutions in their field"--Provided by publisher.

Interstate banking, which has been the subject of increasingly heated debate, seems to be arriving at a faster pace than previously imagined. Recognizing the burgeoning interest in this controversial subject, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta invited a blue-ribbon panel of financial industry experts, regulatory authorities, and analysts to participate in a forum that addressed the potential economic impact of interstate banking on both the banking system and the public and also explored alternative strategies for large and small banks for dealing with these challenges. Participants close to the situation summarized recent developments, assessed their implications, and discussed strategies that smaller institutions can adopt to assure that they won't be trampled by huge competitors.

At the beginning of the transition process, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe faced the task of creating a functioning financial system where none had existed before. A decade later, high-level practitioners and well-known experts take stock of banking and monetary policy in the region, centering on: the governance of banks; the spread of financial crisis; and, perspectives for monetary policy and banking sector development.

Banking, Projecting, and Politicking uncovers a previously understudied and unacknowledged financial institution in late-seventeenth-century England known as Thompson and Company. Whilst the institution has been briefly mentioned in literary studies focusing on the poet and politician Andrew Marvell, it has never been the sole focus of an economic, financial, commercial, or political study in its own right. As such, nothing is known of how it operated, where it sits in the history of English finance, why it collapsed, or what it can tell us about wider Restoration society and its economic and political culture. Through a microhistorical study, the book reconstructs the institution of Thompson and Company, the social networks of its partners, the identity of its creditors, and the events and circumstances that led to its collapse. The book situates the reconstructed institution within its economic, commercial, financial, and political contexts, using the evidence accrued to question the traditional narrative of financial and commercial development, credit systems, the relationship between economics, finance, commerce and politics, and the place of risk and strategy in gendered relations, credit, and social status. The book will be of interest to academics and students in economic history, financial and business history.

Money is mysterious. You can hardly touch it, and yet it rules the world. We love it, we hate it, but few people can tell you what the heck it really is. Wouldn't it be good to get out of the fog? This book can bring you clarity. It can help you see money for what it is, understand the way it works, and how to leverage its power. The authors take you on an illuminating journey from your piggy bank to the Federal Reserve, without any pesky jargon or complex math. Once you see money clearly, life will never be the same. You'll know what really goes on in banks, and what the cash in your wallet represents. You'll know how government really spends, and why it can't run out of money. You'll know what money can actually do-- and how we can make it work for us.

Reverse stress testing was introduced in risk management as a regulatory tool for financial institutions more than a decade ago. The recent Covid-19 crisis illustrates its relevance and highlights the need for a systematic re-thinking of tail risks in the banking sector. This book addresses the need for practical guidance describing the entire reverse stress testing process. Reverse Stress Testing in Banking features contributions from a diverse range of established practitioners and academics. Organized in six parts, the book presents a series of contributions providing an in-depth understanding of: Regulatory requirements and ways to address them Quantitative and qualitative approaches to apply reverse stress testing at different levels - from investment portfolios and individual banks to the entire banking system The use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum computing to gain insights into and address banks' structural weaknesses Opportunities to co-integrate reverse stress testing with recovery and resolution planning Governance and processes for board members and C-suite executives Readers will benefit from the case studies, use cases from practitioners, discussion questions, recommendations and innovative practices provided in this insightful and pioneering book.

The book looks at the issues Indian banks are facing, pre- and post-pandemic. Technology, big data, and use of artificial intelligence are slowly influencing not merely management practices but are also changing customer demands and methods of operation. Obviously newer risks problems like cybercrimes, remote working, disruptions in operations are aggravating the situation. Authors in the book recommend a hard relook at the bank business model.

"Bank Performance, Risk and Securitisation" brings together the latest research on banking, financial markets, and the recent financial crisis. Written by a group of leading scholars, it offers both empirical and theoretical perspectives on topics such as Basel III and bank efficiency; microcredit securitization; asset-backed securitization and credit risk; asset management issues in sovereign wealth funds. It also examines the impact of the new structural liquidity rules on the profitability of EU banks and examines China's controlled potential property bubble and its economic slowdown. The book provides state-of-the-art scholarly research on bank performance, risk and securitisation and is essential reading for scholars, researchers, graduate students and consulting firms interested in banking and financial markets.

Free banking is a term that refers to the total deregulation of the banking industry. It signifies an absence of such constraints as reserve requirements, capital requirements, government deposit insurance, and limitations on branching. Above all, it means that private banks would be allowed to issue their own currency. This book takes a fresh approach to that controversial topic. Sechrest proposes that free banking constitutes the final vindication of Say's Law, that the optimal monetary goal, monetary equilibrium, can only be achieved under free banking, that the monetarist and Austrian business cycle theories are complementary, and that the most likely form of free banking will be that in which banks issue specie-convertible notes and hold fractional reserves.

After defining free banking the author explains why he adopts the well known White-Selgin model. He then discusses the key characteristics of laissez-faire banks, which form the basis for a formal model, complete with graphs, which may be used in the classroom. The unique relationship between the market for money and the market for time that exists under free banking suggests that business cycles will be minimized under such a regime. That relationship also leads to the insight that the Austrian and monetarist cycle theories are really two sides of the same coin. New evidence is presented that leads the author to the conclusion that both Lawrence White's portrayal of Scottish free banking and the traditional image of American free banking are exaggerated. Three different basic models of free banking are then reviewed in detail and critiqued. Finally, the author suggests both some possible topics for future research and that free banking is desirable socially and politically as well as economically.

This book examines new issues in financial markets and institutions raised by the global economic crisis that began in 2007. The four main themes are: management, innovation and technology in banking; efficiency and productivity; consolidation; and corporate governance issues.

In the next wave of conduct regulation in financial markets, from 2021 conduct regulators in the UK and elsewhere expect firms to produce evidence on how they are improving behaviour and culture. Facing this, many practitioners are anxious that their current reporting and management information (MI) are irrelevant to meeting as-yet unclear regulatory expectations. This book provides the insights and tools firms need to report on culture, securing both enhanced business value and the regulator's approval. Culture is now seen as a key contributor to good governance, feeding into existing discourse on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and the emerging dialogue on 'non-financial (mis)conduct', but conventional measures of business quality are unfit for the new reporting agenda. Culture Audit in Financial Services follows the arc of 'behavioural regulation' to examine what the regulator really wants, before offering guidance on how culture audit differs from conventional auditing, how to put the latest pure-research findings to work, and the key features of well-designed conduct and culture reports. Written by an impartial author and a variety of contributors with extensive experience working with practitioners, regulators, and many of the world's finest academic initiatives, this book is filled with practical, grounded advice on how best to approach this new challenge and avoid infractions.

Rigged exposes a cover-up at the highest level on both sides of the Atlantic, upending the official story of the biggest scandal since the global financial crisis. It picks up where The Big Short leaves off, as the dark clouds of the financial crisis gather. Banks’ health is judged by an interest rate called Libor (the London Interbank Offered Rate). The higher the Libor, the worse off the bank; too high and it’s goodnight Vienna. Libor is heading skywards. To save themselves from collapse, nationalisation and loss of bonuses, banks instruct traders to manipulate Libor down – a criminal practice known as lowballing. Outraged, traders turn whistleblowers, alerting the authorities. As Rigged reveals, their instructions come first from top bosses – then from central banks and governments. But when the scandal explodes into the news, prosecutors allow banks to cover up the evidence pointing to the top. Instead, they accuse 37 traders of another kind of interest rate ‘rigging’ that no-one had seen as a crime. In nine trials from 2015 to 2019, nineteen are convicted and sentenced. Rigged exclusively shows why all the defendants are innocent, and how any real culprits go unpunished. How could this happen? Turns out, it’s not just the market that’s rigged. It’s the entire system.

This collection critically explores the use of financial technology (FinTech) and artificial intelligence (AI) in the financial sector and discusses effective regulation and the prevention of crime. Focusing on crypto-assets, InsureTech and the digitisation of financial dispute resolution, the book examines the strategic and ethical aspects of incorporating AI into the financial sector. The volume adopts a comparative legal approach to: critically evaluate the strategic and ethical benefits and challenges of AI in the financial sector; critically analyse the role, values and challenges of FinTech in society; make recommendations on protecting vulnerable customers without restricting financial innovation; and to make recommendations on effective regulation and prevention of crime in these areas. The book will be of interest to teachers and students of banking and financial regulation related modules, researchers in computer science, corporate governance, and business and economics. It will also be a valuable resource for policy makers including government departments, law enforcement agencies, financial regulatory agencies, people employed within the financial services sector, and professional services such as law, and technology.

Consumer Credit and the American Economy examines the economics, behavioral science, sociology, history, institutions, law, and regulation of consumer credit in the United States.
After discussing the origins and various kinds of consumer credit available in today's marketplace, this book reviews at some length the long run growth of consumer credit to explore the widely held belief that somehow consumer credit has risen "too fast for too long." It then turns to demand and supply with chapters discussing neoclassical theories of demand, new behavioral economics, and evidence on production costs and why consumer credit might seem expensive compared to some other kinds of credit like government finance. This discussion includes review of the economics of risk management and funding sources, as well discussion of the economic theory of why some people might be limited in their credit search, the phenomenon of credit rationing. This examination includes review of issues of risk management through mathematical methods of borrower screening known as credit scoring and financial market sources of funding for offerings of consumer credit.
The book then discusses technological change in credit granting. It examines how modern automated information systems called credit reporting agencies, or more popularly "credit bureaus," reduce the costs of information acquisition and permit greater credit availability at less cost. This discussion is followed by examination of the logical offspring of technology, the ubiquitous credit card that permits consumers access to both payments and credit services worldwide virtually instantly.
After a chapter on institutions that have arisen to supply credit to individuals for whom mainstream credit is often unavailable, including "payday loans" and other small dollar sources of loans, discussion turns to legal structure and the regulation of consumer credit. There are separate chapters on the theories behind the two main thrusts of federal regulation to this point, fairness for all and financial disclosure. Following these chapters, there is another on state regulation that has long focused on marketplace access and pricing.
Before a final concluding chapter, another chapter focuses on two noncredit marketplace products that are closely related to credit. The first of them, debt protection including credit insurance and other forms of credit protection, is economically a complement. The second product, consumer leasing, is a substitute for credit use in many situations, especially involving acquisition of automobiles. This chapter is followed by a full review of consumer bankruptcy, what happens in the worst of cases when consumers find themselves unable to repay their loans.
Because of the importance of consumer credit in consumers' financial affairs, the intended audience includes anyone interested in these issues, not only specialists who spend much of their time focused on them. For this reason, the authors have carefully avoided academic jargon and the mathematics that is the modern language of economics. It also examines the psychological, sociological, historical, and especially legal traditions that go into fully understanding what has led to the demand for consumer credit and to what the markets and institutions that provide these products have become today.

The collapse of Lehman Brothers, the oldest and fourth-largest US investment bank, in September 2008 precipitated the global financial crisis. This deepened the contraction in economic activity that had already started in December 2007 and has become known as the Great Recession. Following a sluggish and uneven period of recovery, levels of private debt have recently been on the rise again making another financial crisis almost inevitable. This book answers the key question: can anything be done to prevent a new financial crisis or minimize its impact? The book opens with an analysis of the main elements responsible for the 2007/2009 financial crisis and assesses the extent to which they are still present in todays financial system. The responses to the financial crises - particularly the Dodd-Frank Act, the establishment of the Financial Stability Board, and attempts to regulate shadow banking - are evaluated for their effectiveness. It is found that there is a high risk of a new bubble developing, there remains a lack of transparency in the financial industry, and risk-taking continues to be incentivised among bankers and investors. Proposals are put forward to ameliorate the risks, arguing for the need for an international lender of last resort, recalling Keynes' idea for an International Clearing Union. This book will be of significant interest to scholars and students of financial crises, financial stability, and alternative approaches to finance and economics.