Deregulation, the Internet, and the competitive viability of large banks and community banks

Deregulation, technological change, and increased competitive rivalry are transforming U.S. commercial banking from an industry dominated by thousands of small, locally focused banks into an industry where a handful of large banks could potentially span the nation and control the majority of its bank deposits. This paper examines the comparative strengths and weaknesses of large and small banks in this new environment, and outlines the strategic opportunities and threats that new technology - especially the Internet - pose for U.S. banks. We begin by documenting recent trends in bank size, industry structure, competitive conditions, and bank product mix. We argue that these trends are consistent with a simple competitive strategy framework in which commercial banks choose between two profitable business strategies: (a) a community bank business model in which banks have a local focus, a high cost structure, and sell low volumes of personalized service at high margins, and (b) a global bank business model in which banks have a national or international focus, a low cost structure, and sell high volumes of standardized financial products at low margins. Finally, we discuss how Internet banking is likely to affect this strategic equilibrium. In particular, we analyze how a shift away from brick and mortar branches and toward the Internet delivery channel will reduce the switching costs that currently dissuade retail deposit customers from changing banks. Based on the foregoing analysis, we conclude that the number of small banks will continue to decline in the future - not because the community bank business model is flawed, but because most of the small banks that use this model are poorly run. In the long-run, our analysis suggests that well-run community banks should be able to adapt their business practices to technological change and profitably co-exist with large, globally focussed banks.Banks and banking ; Financial institutions

Vision 2020: The Role and Scope of Operations Research Models

In this theme article, we summarize the broad characteristics of Vision 2020 (a document which outlines the transformation process related to evolution of India as a developed nation by 2020) as envisaged by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. We discuss the enabling role of our discipline related to this critical national (social) transformation process. This theme article is organized in three segments. The first segment, which is drawn heavily based on the published work by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam introduces the salient features of Vision 2020 and a road map related to realizing this national dream. The second segment sketches the evolution of operations research as a scientific discipline in the international and Indian context. The third and final segment of the article relate OR tools and techniques that can facilitate the planning and implementation of several projects / activities / policies in the overall context of Vision 2020.

Shoe Last Customization: A Systematic Review

In recent years, there is an increase in research into shoe last customization and topic analysis methods. The work aims to systematically review the literature on the customization of shoe lasts. The method used in this work is to perform a five-phase systematic review algorithm. Data on the research performed are extracted and synthesized from each study: main research objectives, authors, date of publication, journal, or conference in which the article was published, and the quality of each article. The studies included in the review are published between 2018 and 2022. The results of the review are nineteen papers about the process of customization of the shoe last. The conclusions of the analysis indicate that the quality of research has not changed over time, in 2020 there was a decrease in work. Most often, researchers analyze the impact of anthropometric factors on the correct shoe last modeling and methods of shoe last parameterization

An analytical surver on customization at modular systems in the context of industrial design

Thesis (Master)--Izmir Institute of Technology, Industrial Design, Izmir, 2006Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 96-99)Text in English; Abstract: Turkish and Englishxi, 99 leavesEnterprises in all branches of industry are being required to become more user focused, yet, at the same time, increasing competitive pressure dictates that costs must also continue to decrease. Mass customization and modularity are strategies developed to address this challenge by producing goods and services meeting individual customer's needs with near mass production efficiency. However, while mass customization and modular systems have already been discussed in the literature, reports on practical implementation of the principles of mass customization in businesses can be found only within the last years. It is a challenge of manufacturing to produce variety of products with limited resources. As corporations strive to rationalize their manufacturing facilities and to produce a large variety of products at lower cost, modularity is becoming a focus of attention. Modular products and reconfigurable processes are crucial to agile manufacturing and provide a way to produce a variety of products that satisfy various customer requirements in time. This modular approach promises the benefits of high volume production (that arises from producing standard modules) and at the same time, the ability to produce a wide variety of products that are customized for individual customers. Such modular product design has been stated as being a goal of good design. Mass Customization target is the transformation of knowledge into "new" products or services, thus customizing and adapting first knowledge then the product itself. Customizing knowledge happens through instantiation and adaptation of design prototypes of the products or the component to fit the individual needs of the customer. This thesis. emphasis is placed on mass customization and modularity which can be seen as key strategies for making firms more customer centric. Furthermore, provide an introduction into principles, concepts, and demarcations, for mass customization and modularity. As the case study Aye Birsel.s resolve model for Herman Miller is a very good example for the relationship between mass customization and modularity

Bruce, the multi-function robot

In our daily life. It has becoming really busy, perhaps more than ever. And trying to do thing at personal time is nearly impossible. You would need an extra person to assist doing things you won\u27t have time for. Big issue is about trusting an extra person, we all need something we can easily trust. We could consider using robot that assist with several general chores, which we cannot cover while doing something else. This robot called, Bruce . Bruce is a simple robot that does the basic idea of helping people with carrying, cleaning and other task people apply to the robot. This can be done with several different kind of attachments that you can attach on to the robot to do specific functions. For example, snowplow, you can attach the plow on Bruce. The snow plow connection has a circuit inside that inform Bruce what kind of attachment it is connected to and look up at function program to execute this specific task. This task robot can cover wide range of different assignment or task that are required by the owner. It can perform vary task, like snowplow, vacuum house, carry equipment, plant seeds, keep eyes on children, carry injured victim, and walk the dog. Small jobs that we can\u27t find time to do. Main thing about this robot, Bruce is that it can adapt to different method of assisting people. This will greatly reduce the cost of buying individual robots for individual tasks. This robot can be divided into 3 different catalogues, domestic, agriculture, and military

Designing Scalable Business Models

Digital business models are often designed for rapid growth, and some relatively young companies have indeed achieved global scale. However despite the visibility and importance of this phenomenon, analysis of scale and scalability remains underdeveloped in management literature. When it is addressed, analysis of this phenomenon is often over-influenced by arguments about economies of scale in production and distribution. To redress this omission, this paper draws on economic, organization and technology management literature to provide a detailed examination of the sources of scaling in digital businesses. We propose three mechanisms by which digital business models attempt to gain scale: engaging both non- paying users and paying customers; organizing customer engagement to allow self- customization; and orchestrating networked value chains, such as platforms or multi-sided business models. Scaling conditions are discussed, and propositions developed and illustrated with examples of big data entrepreneurial firms

Understanding Digital Technology’s Evolution and the Path of Measured Productivity Growth: Present and Future in the Mirror of the Past

Three styles of explanation have been advanced by economists seeking to account for the so-called 'productivity paradox'. The coincidence of a persisting slowdown in the growth of measured total factor productivity (TFP) in the US, since the mid-1970's, with the wave of information technology (It) innovations, is said by some to be an illusion due to the mismeasurement of real output growth; by others to expose the mistaken expectations about the benefits of computerization; and by still others to reflect the amount of time, and the volume of intangible investments in 'learning', and the time required for ancillary innovations that allow the new digital technologies to be applied in ways that are reflected in measured productivity growth. This paper shows that rather than viewing these as competing hypotheses, the dynamics of the transition to a new technological and economic regime based upon a general purpose technology (GPT) should be understood to be likely to give rise to all three 'effects.' It more fully articulates and supports this thesis, which was first advanced in the 'computer and dynamo' papers by David (1990, 1991). The relevance of that historical experience is re-asserted and supported by further evidence rebutting skeptics who have argued that the diffusion of electrification and computerization have little in common. New evidence is produced about the links between IT use, mass customization, and the upward bias of output price deflators arising from the method used to 'chain in' new products prices. The measurement bias due to the exclusion of intangible investments from the scope of the official national product accounts also is examined. Further, it is argued that the development of the general-purpose PC delayed the re-organization of businesses along lines that would have more directly raised task productivity, even though the technologies yielded positive 'revenue productivity' gains for large companies. The paper concludes by indicating the emerging technical and organizational developments that are likely to deliver a sustained surge of measured TFP growth during the decades that lie immediately ahead.