Essays on cooperative banks : competition and behavior of stakeholders

Overview & Synopsis

This dissertation deals with the characteristics of cooperative banks’ governance and the financial behavior of their stakeholders (clients/employees). Chapter 1 shows that European cooperative banks (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Italy) have a lower market power than commercial banks. Differences are explained by lower prices for cooperative banks. These results suggest that cooperative banks contribute to enhance competition and customers’ welfare.Chapter 2 stressed that clients of cooperative banks (France, Germany, and Italy) have on average lower switching costs than clients of commercial banks. This result is in line with the governance of cooperative banks. In addition, this study shows that switching costs impact negatively banking competition.Chapter 3 shows that financial motives explain cooperative member shares purchases. These results contradict the official reasons given by the representative institutions of cooperative banks which indicate that non-Financial motives dominate when clients decide to become member of their cooperative bank. Chapter 4 shows that employees of cooperative banks are prone to familiarity bias and invest in financial assets of their own bank (Bonds, member shares, stocks). Our results suggest that financial literacy does not reduce familiarity bias.