We are calling for comparisons of banking and banking systems from a spatial perspective. Therefore, this paper develops a classification identifying decentralized and centralized banking according to two characteristics: geographical market orientation (regional vs. supraregional) - to...

A comparison of the German banking system with that of the United Kingdom (UK) and Spain shows Germany to be decentralised not only regarding the distribution of banks, but also its financial and political system more generally. Decentralised banks, which are predominantly regional savings banks...

Although small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute considerably to Germany's carbon emissions, regional savings and cooperative banks - SMEs' most important financiers - hardly consider this aspect in lending to these businesses. However, given Germany's commitment to climate...

Das dezentrale Bankensystem in Deutschland ist von Bedeutung für eine ausgeglichene Regionalentwicklung und Krisenresilienz. Dass die Niedrigzinspolitik der EZB, zunehmende Regulierungsanforderungen, die Digitalisierung und Wettbewerbsverschärfung zu einer Herausforderung für Sparkassen und...

When looking at the Spanish banking market through a German lens, the differences between the banking markets in these countries and between decentralised and centralised systems with regard to the SME]credit decision]making process become obvious. Despite our hypotheses that Spanish savings...