Limited diversity : business models of German cooperative banks

The structural diversity of the German banking market and the associated variety of business models is thought to have been an important factor in the stability of the German banking market in recent decades. This diversity is manifested both in the three-pillar structure of the German banking industry and within the pillars themselves. However, empirical analysis reveals that there is limited variety within the business models used by the German cooperative banks. Almost all cooperative banks concentrate on the lending and deposit-taking business with customers. Within the traditional business model, two different types of business can be identified, one of which is more focused on lending and the other on deposit-taking.