The efficient operation of financial intermediaries--banks, insurance and pension fund firms, government agencies and so on--is instrumental for the efficient functioning of the financial system and the fueling of the economies of the twenty-first century. But what drives the performance of these institutions in today's global environment? In this volume, world-renowned scholars bring their expertise to bear on the issues. Primary among them are the definition and measurement of efficiency of a financial institution, benchmarks of efficiency, identification of the drivers of performance and measurement of their effects on efficiency, the impact of financial innovation and information technologies on performance, the effects of process design, human resource management policies, as well as others.

The internationally recognized accounting and financial consulting firm of Ernst & Young looks at all aspects of profitability and provides hands-on guidance to profitability philosophies and structures; balance sheet, revenue and expense components; transfer pricing of funds; planning and budgeting; and performance measurement.

This handbook provides an overview and analysis of state-of-the-art research in banking written by researchers in the field. It includes abstract theory, empirical analysis, and practitioner and policy-related material.

Focusing on internal business unit performance, this in-depth practitioner guide addresses both traditional and risk-adjusted performance measures in financial institutions, providing you with the tools to implement a 'balanced scorecard' approach to performance measurement.

This text comprises a selection of papers that provide state of the art insights into bank performance, risk and firm financing post crisis that were presented at the European Association of University Teachers of Banking and Finance Conference (otherwise known as the Wolpertinger Conference) held at Bangor University, Wales, 2010.

Abstract: This paper develops and tests a proposed methodology that puts forward a new integrated method for evaluating the performance of development finance institutions. This methodology applies assessment criteria that take into account both the social objective that the development finance institution addresses and the subsidies it received in order to achieve such an objective. This methodology is applied to two pilot case studies-Banadesa (Honduras) and Banrural (Guatemala). The authors calculate the previously tested subsidy dependence index, which measures the degree of an institution's subsidy dependence. The paper develops and estimates a new measure-the output index- which indicates the level to which the institution fulfills the social objectives of the state. The analysis integrates the subsidy dependence index and the output index to assess the effectiveness associated with meeting the social objective. The findings suggest that the integration of the two indexes can constitute the basis of a meaningful evaluation framework for the performance of development finance institutions. This new methodology can also be a useful metric for policy makers who are seeking to decide on an optimal allocation of scarce funds for development finance institutions that pursue social goals and for management that seeks improved performance outcomes.

In a financial revolution, new determinants of performance arise and interest in the way performance is measured and communicated to stakeholders grows. This book presents a wide and accurate analysis of the impact that regulation, structural changes and new financial products have on the performance of markets and intermediaries.