Internal organization and economic performance: the case of large U.S. commercial banks

Banks and banking - Costs ; Bank management

A Concise Account of the Kingdom of Pegu by William Hunter, edited by Michael W. Charney

This account, written by the surgeon, William Hunter, relates his experiences in Pegu in 1782-1783. The observations were made on a voyage that had been ordered by the British East India Company. The account was originally printed at Calcutta in 1785 by John Hay under the title of A Concise Account of the Kingdom of Pegu; Its Climate, Produce, Trade, and Government; The Manners and Customs of its Inhabitants. Interspersed with remarks Moral and Political. The additional appendices, one on “An Enquiry into the cause of the variety observable in the fleeces of sheep, in different climates,” and “A Description of the Caves at Elephanta, Ambola, and Canara” are unrelated to Burma and are thus not included in the text

Visual ageing of human faces in three dimensions using morphable models and projection to latent structures

We present an approach to synthesising the effects of ageing on human face images using three-dimensional modelling. We extract a set of three dimensional face models from a set of two-dimensional face images by fitting a Morphable Model. We propose a method to age these face models using Partial Least Squares to extract from the data-set those factors most related to ageing. These ageing related factors are used to train an individually weighted linear model. We show that this is an effective means of producing an aged face image and compare this method to two other linear ageing methods for ageing face models. This is demonstrated both quantitatively and with perceptual evaluation using human raters.Postprin

Thoughts on financial derivatives, systematic risk, and central banking: a review of some recent developments

This paper critically reviews the literature examining the role of central banks in addressing systemic risk. We focus on how the growth in derivatives markets might affect that role. Analysis of systemic risk policy is hampered by the lack of a consensus theory of systemic risk. We propose a set of criteria that theories of systemic risk should satisfy, and we critically discuss a number of theories proposed in the literature. We argue that concerns about systemic effects of derivatives appear somewhat overstated. In particular, derivative markets do not appear unduly prone to systemic disturbances. Furthermore, derivative trading may increase informational efficiency of financial markets and provide instruments for more effective risk management. Both of these effects tend to reduce the danger of systemic crises. However, the complexity of derivative contracts (in particular, their high implicit leverage and nonlinear payoffs) do complicate the process of regulatory oversight. In addition, derivatives may make the conduct of monetary policy more difficult. Most theories of systemic risk imply a critical role for central banks as the ultimate provider of liquidity. However, the countervailing danger of moral hazard must be recognized and addressed through vigilant supervision.Banks and banking, Central ; Derivative securities ; Risk

Management efficiency in minority- and women-owned banks

In this article, we conduct an analysis of the operating performance of minority- and women-owned banks from the perspective of production efficiency.Minority-owned banks

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

Research in structures, structural dynamics and materials, 1989

Topics addressed include: composite plates; buckling predictions; missile launch tube modeling; structural/control systems design; optimization of nonlinear R/C frames; error analysis for semi-analytic displacement; crack acoustic emission; and structural dynamics

Structure, substrate recognition and reactivity of Leishmania major mevalonate kinase

This research was supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Wellcome Trust (TKS and WNH as Trust Senior Research fellows), the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (Structural Proteomics of Rational Targets) and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility.Background: Isoprenoid precursor synthesis via the mevalonate route in humans and pathogenic trypanosomatids is an important metabolic pathway. There is however, only limited information available on the structure and reactivity of the component enzymes in trypanosomatids. Since isoprenoid biosynthesis is essential for trypanosomatid viability and may provide new targets for therapeutic intervention it is important to characterize the pathway components. Results: Putative mevalonate kinase encoding genes from Leishmania major (LmMK) and Trypanosoma brucei (TbMK) have been cloned, over-expressed in and proteins isolated from procyclic-form T. brucei. A highly sensitive radioactive assay was developed and shows ATP-dependent phosphorylation of mevalonate. Apo and (R)-mevalonate bound crystal structures of LmMK, from a bacterial expression system, have been determined to high resolution providing, for the first time, information concerning binding of mevalonate to an MK. The mevalonate binds in a deep cavity lined by highly conserved residues. His25 is key for binding and for discrimination of (R)-over (S)-mevalonate, with the main chain amide interacting with the C3 hydroxyl group of ( R)mevalonate, and the side chain contributing, together with Val202 and Thr283, to the construction of a hydrophobic binding site for the C3 methyl substituent. The C5 hydroxyl, where phosphorylation occurs, points towards catalytic residues, Lys18 and Asp155. The activity of LmMK was significantly reduced compared to MK from other species and we were unable to obtain ATP-binding data. Comparisons with the rat MK:ATP complex were used to investigate how this substrate might bind. In LmMK, helix alpha 2 and the preceding polypeptide adopt a conformation, not seen in related kinase structures, impeding access to the nucleotide triphosphate binding site suggesting that a conformational rearrangement is required to allow ATP binding. Conclusion: Our new structural information, consistent with data on homologous enzymes allows a detailed description of how mevalonate is recognized and positioned for catalysis in MK. The mevalonate-binding site is highly conserved yet the ATP-binding site is structurally distinct in LmMK. We are unable to provide a definitive explanation for the low activity of recombinant protein isolated from a bacterial expression system compared to material isolated from procyclic-form Trypanosoma brucei.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

An empirical examination of the price-dividend relation with dividend management

Some recent empirical evidence suggests that stock prices are not properly modelled as the present discounted value of expected dividends. In this paper we estimate a present value model of stock price that is capable of explaining the observed long-term trends in stock prices. The model recognizes that firm managers control cash dividend payments. The model estimates indicate that stock price movements may be explained by managerial behavior.Stocks ; Stock market

Investment opportunity set, product mix, and the relationship between bank CEO compensation and risk-taking

The product mix changes that have occurred in banking organizations during the 1990s provide a natural experiment for investigating how firms adjust their executive compensation contracts as their mix of businesses changes. Deregulation and new technology have eroded banking organizations’ comparative advantages and have made it easier for nonbank competitors to enter banking organizations’ lending and deposit-taking businesses. In response, banking organizations have shifted their sale mix toward noninterest income by engaging in municipal revenue bond underwriting, commercial paper underwriting, discount brokering, managing and advising open- and close-ended mutual funds, underwriting mortgage-backed securities, selling and underwriting various forms of insurance products, selling annuities, and other investment banking activities via Section 20 subsidiaries. These mix changes could affect firms’ risk and the structure of CEO compensation. The authors find that as the average banking organization tilts its product mix toward fee-based activities and away from traditional activities, equity-based compensation increases. They also find that more risky banks have significantly higher levels of equity-based compensation, as do banks with more investment opportunities. But, more levered banks do not have higher levels of equity-based CEO compensation. Finally, the authors observe that equity-based compensation is more important after the Riegle-Neal Act of 1994.