This book explores consumer protection in the major financial markets in the world and provides an international comparison among the countries of different cultural background and economic development. Each chapter describes the major issues of financial consumption in the selected country and the efforts to counter the problems of financial consumption. The innovation and renovation in the financial institutions and the public policies for consumer protection are also analyzed for their potential impacts on the future development of financial markets.

This book explores the formation and evolution of Scandinavian central banks. It begins by defining the nature of "central banking" in general, before moving on to investigate how and when it became meaningful to regard today's Scandinavian central banks as such. It also explores how Scandinavian central banks have conformed to the defined ideals of "central banks" over the last 100 years, clarifying the distinctions between commercial banks and central banks, and between central banks and departments of governments. The author shows how the outbreak of the Great War was the catalyst which fundamentally transformed the originally purely commercial banks into "central banks". The book also analyses how different the three Scandinavian central banks are, how these differences can be explained by the different political and economic circumstances surrounding their original formation, and the differences in the political environments in which they later developed.

Industry 4.0 has spread globally since its inception in 2011, now encompassing many sectors, including its diffusion in the field of financial services. By combining information technology and automation, it is now canvassing the insurance sector, which is in dire need of digital transformation. This book presents a business model of Insurance 4.0 by detailing its implementation in processes, platforms, persons, and partnerships of the insurance companies alongside looking at future developments. Filled with business cases in insurance companies and financial services, this book will be of interest to those academics and researchers of insurance, financial technology, and digital transformation, alongside executives and managers of insurance companies.

This book is a simple and concise text on the subject of security analysis and portfolio management. It is targeted towards those who do not have prior background in finance, and hence the text veers away from rather complicated formulations and discussions. The course 'Security Analysis and Portfolio Management' is usually taught as an elective for students specialising in financial management, and the authors have an experience of teaching this course for more than two decades. The book contains real empirical evidence and examples in terms of returns, risk and price multiples from the Indian equity markets (over the past two decades) that are a result of the analysis undertaken by the authors themselves. This empirical evidence and analysis help the reader in understanding basic concepts through real data of the Indian stock market. To drive home concepts, each chapter has many illustrations and case-lets citing real-life examples and sections called 'points to ponder' to encourage independent thinking and critical examination. For practice, each chapter has many numericals, questions, and assignments

This second edition further explores the regulatory landscape of cryptocurrency, highlighting the rise of Bitcoin, which is based on blockchain technology, and some of the many types of coins and tokens that emerged thereafter. Although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have made national and international news with their dramatic rise and decline in value, nevertheless the underlying technology is being adopted by both industry and governments, which have noted the benefits of speed, cost efficiency, and protection from hacking. Based on numerous downloaded articles, laws, cases, and other materials, the book discusses the digital transformation, the types of cryptocurrencies, key actors, and the benefits and risks. It also addresses legal issues of digital technology and the evolving U.S. federal regulation. The varying treatment by individual U.S. states is reviewed together with attempts by organizations to arrive at a uniform regulatory regime. Both civil and criminal prosecutions are highlighted with an examination of the major cases that have arisen. This second edition specifically explores the creation of stablecoins, governments issuance of their own versions of digital currencies, new regulations that have been enacted and promulgated, and a clearer examination of futuristic evolutions that potentially will have a major impact upon the current cited technologies.

Reinhard H. Schmidt The impressive development of the finance literature with its emphasis on asset pricing and the formal modeling of incentive systems during the past three decades, has largely relegated the business and operational aspects of banking as an industry from the agenda of academic research. Though this is understandable, it is especially regrettable in view of the dynamic dev- opments in the banking industry which have started about a decade ago and are currently in full swing. Fortunately, there are now signs of a change to the effect that banking is back on the research agenda. The p- sent book by Professor De Laurentis and his co-authors is a highly inno- tive and interesting manifestation of this reorientation. Banking is an important part of any financial system, and it is especially important in the financial systems of the countries of Continental Europe, such as Italy, France, and Germany, which have been bank-based for d- ades and which are, in my view, likely to remain bank-based for the fo- seeable future. There are many reasons, based on empirical and theoretical considerations, to believe that strong banks are not only important for the banking industry itself, but also for the respective national economies.

"Written by leading academics, researchers and insurance industry experts, this book offers a diversified perspective on how the regulatory and supervisory framework for the insurance sector will develop over the coming years. It is supported by The Geneva Association, the world-leading insurance think-tank of the private industry"-- Provided by publisher.

The current banking crisis has tested every dimension of banking and created maximum uncertainty for its future - yet banks must plan for this future. Author of a number of books on best practice in bank management, Steven Davis has interviewed 25 senior bank executives, management consultants, regulators, rating agencies and analysts to understand how the strategies of the leading banks might evolve in the future. Its unique research, case studies of success, and conclusions for the future should be of interest to senior bank management as well as their advisors, regulators and analysts.

Collected here for the first time in English, this comprehensive book, written by an experienced insider privy to the inner workings of China's vigorous financial reforms, examines China's most important markets (money, bonds, foreign exchange, and stock) and the policies that regulate them.

In this distinctive and valuable contribution to understanding organisational change, different levels and types of analysis are drawn on and connected. This is achieved through an exploration of the conditions, processes and outcomes of change in the field of UK financial services.

This handbook provides the first comprehensive overview of the fast-evolving alternative finance space and makes a timely and in-depth contribution to the literature in this area. Bringing together expert contributions in the field from both practitioners and academics, in one of the most dynamic parts of the financial sector, it provides a solid reference for this exciting discipline. Divided into six parts, Section 1 presents a high-level overview of the technologically-enabled finance space. It also offers a historical perspective on technological finance models and outlines different business models. Section 2 analyses digital currencies including guides to bitcoins, other cryptocurrencies, and blockchains. Section 3 addresses alternative payment systems such as digital money and asset tokenization. Section 4 deals with crowdfunding models from both a theoretical perspective and from a regulatory perspective. Section 5 discusses data-driven business models and includes a discussion of neural networks and deep learning. Finally, Section 6 discusses welfare implications of the technological finance revolution. This collection highlights the most current developments to date and the state-of-the-art in alternative finance, while also indicating areas of further potential. Acting as a roadmap for future research in this innovative and promising area of finance, this handbook is a solid reference work for academics and students whilst also appealing to industry practitioners, businesses and policy-makers.

This book reviews the latest methods of sustainable investing and financial profit making and describes how ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) analysis can identify future business opportunities and manage risk to achieve abnormal returns. Megatrends such as climate change, sustainable development and digitalisation increase uncertainty and information asymmetry and have an impact on the future returns on investments. From a profit perspective, it is largely about how ESG factors affect the long-term value added by companies and the valuation of companies in the financial markets. Although sustainability provides an opportunity for abnormal returns, this phenomenon must be considered in a critical light. The book describes the risks and limitations associated with the accountability and availability of ESG data and tools. This book provides both academic findings and practical models for assessing the sustainability of investees and introduces practical tools and methods to make ESG analysis practice. It focuses on the ESG analysis of equity investments and fund investments in institutional investment organizations and provides a handbook for all investment analysts who are involved with investment decisions. Readers will benefit from understanding the methods, opportunities and challenges that professionals use in their ESG analysis with cases, interviews and practical tools for both institutional and private investors.

This book describes and analyses the impact of the 2007-2008 financial crisis upon the working conditions of employees in the financial services sector in Britain. It tells the story of workers being made to pay the price for a crisis that was not of their own making, but nevertheless caused a deleterious impact on their employment security, remuneration and working conditions. Evidence of fighting back against this has been sparse so that the response of employees is best characterised as 'fright' (grudgingly working harder and longer), 'flight' (leaving the sector through redundancy), and 'falling in line' (accepting the diktat of performance managements systems). Through this book we learn the reasons behind this acquiescence, with its detailed attention to topics such as the stunted development of labour unionism, the prevalence of union-management partnerships, and the occurrence of employment insecurity and labour shedding. Providing a valuable insight into the effects of the financial crash, Employment Relations in Financial Services will be useful to academics, students and also trade unionists.

Entertainingly written, capturing the tribulations and triumphs of powerful investment bankers, The Elephant Hunters is based on years of in-depth research and hundreds of interviews with leading figures in the world of finance. With the 'Elephant' as the big deal and the 'Hunter' as the moneyman, this book examines the personal qualities and behaviour necessary to join a big name bank, then tracks down what it takes to acquire the kind of wealth that some can only dream of. Given special attention isone of the most powerful hunters of all, the woman -in the trade glowingly termed the 'powerbitch'. Her instinct to track her prey and close the deal is a feat of discipline, intellect and cunning.
If you want to know more about the people who drive our lives and can remould societies, read this book."

As interest in MBA programs and business schools more generally continues to grow, it is essential that teachers and students analyse their established strategy for decision making. The successful use of case studies in business schools shows the superior outcomes of an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving. Disappointingly, functional departmental silos within universities still exist and keep problem solvers from seeing all the effects of a given issue. In addition to providing teaching material, Decision Making in Marketing and Finance provides motives and strategies to break down functional silos in making informed and effective business and finance decisions. Koku achieves his goal by showing how value can be created for shareholders and other stakeholders, linking marketing and finance decision making, and providing much-needed teaching materials for an interdisciplinary approach to case analysis.

The rules for survival and success have never been so unclear, the choice of strategies so uncertain and the pressure to act quickly so immense. Achieving transformation and renewal in financial services focuses on
cases and concepts that describe how leading players in financial services have addressed the challenges of organizational transformation and renewal.
It is a practical handbook providing a rich and diverse set of case examples on how companies have been rethinking and reshaping their business operations to ensure they remain competitive into the 21st century.
Rohit Talwar also considers some of the strategic implications of competing in a continuously changing 'wired world' and how to survive and thrive in such a turbulent environment.

Tax Havens and Offshore Finance examines the subject of offshore finance centres.

This volume covers the proceedings of the ZAFIN Finance and Sustainability conference, organized by the Wroclaw University of Economics in cooperation with the Corvinus University of Budapest and the University of Economics in Prague. The authors analyze a variety of issues related to recent finance problems, including corporate finance, public finance, monetary and fiscal policy issues, and risk management. The book also discusses topics related to sustainable finance, the transition to green economies, corporate sustainability and sustainable development. The target audience for this book includes researchers at universities and research and policy institutions, graduate students, and practitioners in economics, finance and international economics working for private or government institutions.

This short monograph examines the tense relationship between central bank independence and democratic legitimation, which has changed as the European Central Bank (ECB) has been entrusted with new tasks and faced unprecedented challenges. The financial and sovereign debt crisis, in particular, has affected the ECB's position within the Economic and Monetary Union without substantial changes in the Union's legal framework. However, the evolution of an institution primarily obligated to maintain price stability into an actor involved in sustaining financial stability, performing banking supervision and supporting economic policy raises the question of whether the high level of autonomy granted to the ECB is justified with regard to the principle of democracy that demands adequate accountability and control. This book identifies requirements for the democratic legitimation of central bank action in relation to specific tasks. Further, it analyses other scales of independence encountered in EU law in order to allow readers to gain a better conceptual understanding of central bank independence.

This volume includes a selection of the contributions presented at the Wroclaw conference in Finance, covering a wide range of topics in the area of finance. The articles reflect the extent, diversity and richness of research areas in the field. Discussing both fundamental and applied finance, it offers a detailed analysis of current financial-market problems including specifics of Polish and Central European markets. It also examines the results of advanced financial modeling. These proceedings are a valuable resource for researchers in universities and research and policy institutions, graduate students and practitioners in economics, finance and international economics in both private and government institutions.

In an international economy where increasing attention is being focused upon global linkages, this book offers unique insights into the role that services provided by major international accounting firms are playing in such linkages and domestic expansion as a selection of Islamic economies in the Middle East. Highlighting Egypt, Saudia Arabia, Turkey, and the small gulf states, this book explores the issues and trends in regional growth and change. It provides a unique overview or assessment of how the accounting firms, through their service offerings, impact international linkages and developmental prospects in the Islamic nations that are featured.

This book examines the business models, performance, and decision-making approaches employed by financial institutions in Central and Southeast Europe. The respective contributions cover a wide range of industries, including banking, pharmaceuticals, and airline business services, and present both theoretical and empirical studies that highlight economy-wide risks and opportunities for European companies. The book is divided into four parts, the first of which provides a critical assessment of the competitiveness and performance of European companies, while the second examines decision-making approaches at financial institutions; the third and fourth parts address the macroeconomic risks and opportunities for business development in Europe. Intended for scholars, political decision-makers, and practitioners, the book offers new perspectives on Central and Southeast European financial and business research.

The book is extremely current and includes a discussion of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on equality. Uniquely combines expertise and research from finance, psychology and gender to demonstrate how the financial services industry arrived at its current state. Provides practical solutions for how institutions can implement more gender equal strategies.

This book argues that the 2007/08 financial crisis revealed fundamental flaws in how the financial sector had evolved over the previous three decades. While access to financial services has improved, the total stock of debt in the global economy has risen to more than twice the size of global GDP. Financial services now play a far bigger role in all economies, developed and developing, than in the 1960s. This development has produced few, if any, worthwhile benefits. The book concludes that the largely deregulated financial sector needs to be radically reformed. The first of these reforms would be to establish the pre-eminence of the public interest in how financial services operate. The second would involve breaking up financial institutions that have become much too big. Third, the phenomenon of financialization needs to be regulated and controlled. Finally, all countries need to work- both nationally and internationally- towards a more democratized, more robust, and less laissez faire system of socially progressive financial sector regulation to make it subservient to the needs of society rather than the other way round. This Palgrave Pivot will be of interest to economists, financiers and banking specialists, interested in an informed debate on the causes and consequences of the 2007/2008 financial crisis.