Does “Diversity” Make the Difference? Moving Inside the Sample

Abstract

Business model based on proximity to the local community, direct relationships with customers, mutuality, cooperation, in one word “diversity”. This chapter is aimed to provide an insight into the sample of cooperative banks involved in the case study in this book proposed, namely the “Federazione delle Banche di Credito Cooperativo dell’Abruzzo e del Molise (Fedam)”. The analysis of the sample of Fedam cooperative banks is done through the testimony of the president of the board of directors of one of these banks, so as to understand their daily problems in a constantly changing context. In addition, an overview of the Italian Cooperative Credit System is also provided, and a digression on the concept of diversity in banking is presented as well, aiming to consider whether diversity could make the difference or not for Cooperative Credit Banks (CCBs) in some different situations: during and after crisis; against the risk; and in governance. Nowadays, CCBs are facing important challenges in terms of efficiency, risk control, and corporate governance, and it could be useful to investigate whether diversity could represent an advantage or an obstacle in facing these and other challenges.