Relationships Between Industry and Bank in Germany

The objective of this book is to elucidate the characteristics and significance of the relationships between industry and banks in Germany. This is the first book to undertake a historical and comprehensive examination of the personnel connections established through the interlocking directorates and the bank’s advisory council system, using cases of Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank, and Commerzbank. This book addresses the mandates of the chairman and vice chairman and the distribution of industrial sectors to which companies belong. It also considers the personnel relations that are built and maintained. The book considers both direct and indirect interlocking directorates comprising the members of top management organs, namely the supervisory board and board of directors. It also examines the personnel networks therein, including those of second- and third-party enterprises, by applying social network analysis. In addition, the book examines the conditions for members of central and regional advisory councils and their top management positions. Furthermore, the functions supported by inter-firm personnel relationships via interlocking directorates and banks’ advisory council systems are examined in terms of information symmetry and conflict resolution, and coordination of the interests among enterprises. This book explores the interlocking directorate processes from bank to industry and vice versa, wherein the common recognition of a management issue is promoted through the information flow and media based on personnel connections. The book explains the system by which various conflicting interests among enterprises are resolved through discussion rather than market competition. It also elucidates the industry–bank relationships and their changes in the history of the development of German capitalism and enterprises. Thus, it provides a combined analysis of the structure and function of the personnel connections of large German banks.