Basel II and the associated uncertainties for banking practices
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore uncertainties in the interaction between Basel II and banking practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The research setting is a centralized bank’s risk control organization and its commercial lending operations. The bank, despite its early adoption of the Basel II Accord, experienced severe credit losses during the global financial crisis. The data consist of interviews with twelve decision-makers and risk specialists at the bank and interviews with four professionals outside the bank after the global financial crisis.
Findings
This paper finds that there are three types of uncertainties in the interaction between Basel II and banking practices. The paper also describes corroborative examples of efforts to reduce such uncertainties. Among such efforts, the decision-makers excluded the risk specialists from decision-making and decentralized decision-making to branch offices.
Research limitations/implications
Although the literature generally portrays bank decision-makers and risk specialists as opposing groups, this research finds that the bank interviewees present complementary and confirmatory accounts on three types of uncertainties.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that increased regulatory pressure have operational implications for banking practices.
Originality/value
The paper has contemporary relevance with its sole focus on credit risk after the transition period provided for Basel II Accord.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author acknowledges insights from Gunnar Wahlström at the Gothenburg Research Institute.
Citation
Rad, A. (2016), "Basel II and the associated uncertainties for banking practices", Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, Vol. 8 No. 3, pp. 229-245. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRFM-02-2016-0007
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited