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Universal Banks and Relationships with Firms

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Author Info
Ralf Elsas () (Goethe University Frankfurt/Main)
Jan Pieter Krahnen () (Goethe University Frankfurt/Main and CFS)

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Abstract

Some of the most widely expressed myths about the German financial system are concerned with the close ties and intensive interaction between banks and firms, often described as Hausbank relationships. Links between banks and firms include direct shareholdings, board representation, and proxy voting and are particularly significant for corporate governance. Allegedly, these relationships promote investment and improve the performance of firms. Furthermore, German universal banks are believed to play a special role as large and informed monitoring investors (shareholders). However, for the very same reasons, German universal banks are frequently accused of abusing their influence on firms by exploiting rents and sustaining the entrenchment of firms against efficient transfers of firm control. In this paper, we review recent empirical evidence regarding the special role of banks for the corporate governance of German firms. We differentiate between large exchange-listed firms and small and medium sized companies throughout. With respect to the role of banks as monitoring investors, the evidence does not unanimously support a special role of banks for large firms. Only one study finds that banks’ control of management goes beyond what non-bank shareholders achieve. Proxy-voting rights apparently do not provide a significant means for banks to exert management control. Most of the recent evidence regarding small firms suggests that a Hausbank relationship can indeed be beneficial. Hausbanks are more willing to sustain financing when borrower quality deteriorates, and they invest more often than arm’s-length banks in workouts if borrowers face financial distress.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Center for Financial Studies in its series CFS Working Paper Series with number 2003/20.

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Length: 48 pages
Date of creation: 20 Jan 2003
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Handle: RePEc:cfs:cfswop:wp200320

Note: Forthcoming in: The German Financial System by Jan P. Krahnen and Reinhard H. Schmidt, Oxford University Press.
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Related research
Keywords: relationship lending; Hausbank; universal banking; corporate finance; corporate governance;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Mortgages
G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Capital and Ownership Structure

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

References listed on IDEAS
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Jan Pieter Krahnen, 2005. "Der Handel von Kreditrisiken: Eine neue Dimension des Kapitalmarktes," CFS Working Paper Series 2005/05, Center for Financial Studies. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Dorothea Schaefer & Dirk Schilder, 2007. "Smart capital in German start-ups - an empirical analysis," Jena Economic Research Papers in Economics 2007-015, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Max-Planck-Institute of Economics, Thueringer Universitaets- und Landesbibliothek. [Downloadable!]
  3. Guenter Franke & Jan Pieter Krahnen, 2005. "Default Risk Sharing Between Banks and Markets: The Contribution of Collateralized Debt Obligations," NBER Working Papers 11741, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Dorothea Schäfer & Dirk Schilder, 2006. "Informed Capital in a Hostile Environment: The Case of Relational Investors in Germany," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 549, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  5. Eickmeier, Sandra & Hofmann, Boris & Worms, Andreas, 2006. "Macroeconomic fluctuations and bank lending: evidence for Germany and the euro area," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2006,34, Deutsche Bundesbank, Research Centre. [Downloadable!]
  6. Dietrich Franz, 2006. "Welfarism, Preferencism, Judgmentism," Research Memoranda 005, Maastricht : METEOR, Maastricht Research School of Economics of Technology and Organization. [Downloadable!]
  7. Koetter, Michael & Wedow, Michael, 2005. "Finance and growth in a bank-based economy: is it quantity or quality that matters?," Discussion Paper Series 2: Banking and Financial Studies 2006,02, Deutsche Bundesbank, Research Centre. [Downloadable!]
  8. Koetter, Michael & Bos, Jaap W. B. & Heid, Frank & Kool, Clemens J. M. & Kolari, James W. & Porath, Daniel, 2005. "Accounting for distress in bank mergers," Discussion Paper Series 2: Banking and Financial Studies 2005,09, Deutsche Bundesbank, Research Centre. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Michael Koetter & Thorsten Nestmann & Stéphanie Stolz & Michael Wedow, 2004. "Structures and Trends in German Banking," Kiel Working Papers 1225, Kiel Institute for the World Economy. [Downloadable!]
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