The role of banks in the Brazilian Interbank Market: Does bank type matter?

This paper presents an empirical analysis of the Brazilian interbank network structure. The Brazilian interbank market clearly presents a topology that is compatible to the free-scale networks. This market is characterized by money centers, which have exposures to many banks and are the most important source of large amounts of lending. Therefore, they have important positions in the network taken into account by the minimal spanning tree and the power domination measures of the network. We also develop a methodology to compare di®erent banks and their relative importance in the network.

The Relationship Between Banking Market Competition and Risk-taking: Do Size and Capitalization Matter?

This paper aims to study the effect of banking competition on Latin American banks' risk-taking and whether capitalization and size changes this relationship. We conclude that: (1) competition affects risk in a non-linear manner: high/low (average) competition are related to more (less) stability; (2) bank's size explains the advantage from competition, while capitalization is only positive for larger banks in this case; (3) capital ratio explains the advantage from lower competition. These results are of uttermost importance for bank regulation, especially due to the recent turmoil in worldwide financial markets.

Profit, Cost and Scale Efficiency for Latin American Banks: Concentration-Performance Relationship

Using a sample of 495 Latin American banks over the period 2001-2008, this paper investigates how bank concentration influences cost and profit efficiency. We calculate scale efficiency to assess whether these banks are close to their optimal size. We find that banks are more inefficient in profits than in costs; concentration impairs cost efficiency; larger banks have higher performance, but this advantage decreases in concentrated markets; private and foreign banks are the most efficient; most banks are operating under increasing returns of scale, which contributes to the discussion on Basel III.

The impact of active workstations on workplace productivity and performance: a systematic review

Active workstations have been recommended for reducing sedentary behavior in the workplace. It is important to understand if the use of these workstations has an impact on worker productivity. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the effect of active workstations on workplace productivity and performance. A total of 3303 articles were initially identified by a systematic search and seven articles met eligibility criteria for inclusion. A quality appraisal was conducted to assess risk of bias, confounding, internal and external validity, and reporting. Most of the studies reported cognitive performance as opposed to productivity. Five studies assessed cognitive performance during use of an active workstation, usually in a single session. Sit-stand desks had no detrimental effect on performance, however, some studies with treadmill and cycling workstations identified potential decreases in performance. Many of the studies lacked the power required to achieve statistical significance. Three studies assessed workplace productivity after prolonged use of an active workstation for between 12 and 52 weeks. These studies reported no significant effect on productivity. Active workstations do not appear to decrease workplace performance