Financial conglomerates are groups of financial institutions related by ownership or control. Specific regulatory and supervisory issues arise when financial services -- such as commercial and retail banking, securities underwriting and trading, investment management, and insurance underwriting...

Focusing on efforts under way in most transitional socialist economies, the author questions whether the banks emerging in the new policy framework will prove viable or be supervisable. He offers a model of financial sector structure designed to foster the development of a sound banking system....