... compete within their own group. 13 If one confronts reality with the new and traditional financial theories, the picture is even more complex: on the one hand, there is the thesis that higher ... in recent years. Therefore, the justification of savings banks is also a question of the theoretical eco-nomic viewpoint: If the aim is a policy of balance in the context of regional develop-ment, ... availability of credit means, and the stability of financial systems. As international developments in recent years and the significant number of financial market crises have shown, privatisation and...