Unlike many other works in this area, this research is devoted to the micro issues of banking. There are many excellent texts that study the macroeconomics of banking, and the role of financial institutions in a monetary economy. This area [micro issues] of banking is important. Bank professionals require a thorough grounding in the micro foundations of banking, if they are to make important managerial decisions, or implement banking policies. What exactly will be the nature of the future of banking? These pages provide you with comprehensive insight into where banking is going. In order to provide a thorough understanding of the subject, this study begins by looking at the traditional theory of banking. A bank is a financial firm which offers loan and deposit products on the market. The intermediary role played by banks, another area of our interest, is the reason why banks exist in modern economies. The main objective of Chapter 2 is to provide an overview of bank structures and...