Useful links

http://www.investopedia.com/university/banking-system/banking-system1.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/university/banking/banking1.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/07/banking.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/younginvestors/09/online-banking-fathers-bank.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1211/why-you-should-stick-with-the-big-banks.aspx

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/03/071603.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/00/091800.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/06/debtconsolidation.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/younginvestors/07/loans.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/09/to-lend-or-not-to-lend.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/07/loan_types.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/mortgages-real-estate/08/first-time-homebuyer-guide.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/mortgages-real-estate/08/mortgage-candidate.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/younginvestors/07/debt-free.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mortgage.asp

https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/3932/WPS5449.pdf?sequence=1

http://www.standardandpoors.com/ratings/articles/en/us/?articleType=HTML&assetID=1245330320118

http://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/pavel-usanov/russian-banking-system-between-market-and-state

http://rbth.asia/articles/2012/10/09/foreign_retail_banking_in_russia_17297.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/russianow/business/9775633/russia-consumer-credit.html

http://worldfinancereview.com/Sept2012/42.pdf

http://www.ukessays.com/essays/international-studies/banking-system-and-the-types-of-banks-in-russia.php

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread935701/pg1

http://valdaiclub.com/economy/29740.html

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_11/b4219045793686.htm

http://www.worldfinance.com/banking/russia-takes-on-the-banking-system

Related video links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqUGoVez8xg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0PMduYaYPI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlHS60Y3LU4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plC28_qLqx8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjrG1QznxLY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlne-tAEV4c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMaL2gqpT5s

Role plays and case studies

Discussion 1

Student A

Have a debate, from the customers’ point of view, on the pros of remote banking. Use the arguments listed below but add your own.

1. My bank is a long way from where I live.

2. There are always long queues at my bank.

3. I haven’t enough time to call at my bank.

4. I have moved away from the area where my bank is and it’s difficult to move my account to another branch.

5. My work keeps me too busy to afford the time to visit my bank.

6. I don’t like the staff at my branch.

7. The staff at my branch are slow and inefficient, and I can deal with my enquiries much more quickly using home banking.

8. If I want something special, such as a loan, I can go to the bank. But for normal transactions it’s more convenient to do it through my computer.

9. We have to move with the times. If we don’t do home banking we will just become out of date.

10. I’ve got better things to do with my time than spending it getting to the bank.

Student B

Have a debate, from the customers’ point of view, on the cons of remote banking. Use the arguments listed below but add your own.

1. I like calling at my bank.

2. I feel it’s important to maintain personal contact with people at the bank. Otherwise you just become a number.

3. People who can’t be bothered to go to their bank are just lazy.

4. It’s important to get more exercise walking to the bank, otherwise we’ll lose the use of our legs.

5. It’s isolating, sitting at home in front of the computer all the time. We all need human contact.

6. With remote banking you can only deal with standard banking requirements such as standing orders, enquiring about your balance, transferring money from one account to another and so on.

7. The world is becoming less and less human. Soon the only contact we will have with other people will be via computers.

8. There are a lot of things you can only do through face-to-face contact and banking is one of them. For example: a mistake in one’s account, insurance, tax advice, investment advice and so on.

9. I’ve fallen in love with someone in the bank. If I did all my banking through computers, this would never have happened.

10. We should not become so dependent on computers. What if there’s power failure? (=loss of electricity).

Discussion 2

To lend or not to lend?

Student A

Credit Committee Chairman

Raising enough money to start a small business can be difficult – especially in this post-crisis world. The ABC Bank supports the government initiative of small business development. The sum of 50 000$ is assigned for start-ups funding loans in this month.

You are heading the team of credit department managers (Student B, Student C). Today three young entrepreneurs will present their start-up projects. Together with your colleagues you need to answer the main question – to lend or not to lend.

Student D

Pizza&Pasta

After some years spent as waiter, bartender, sous-chef and dining room manager in various restaurants and hotels you have developed a project of a mid-market Italian cuisine restaurant. You have found premises for renting in the downtown surrounded with hotels and shopping malls, but there is a lack of financing for necessary equipment. You apply for a loan of 30 000$.

Student E

Car Wash

Together with your partner you have signed a long-term rental agreement for a land plot close to one of the busiest transport arteries of the city. It’s right on the way from the downtown to bedroom districts. You plan to open an automated car wash. Start-up costs that you plan to cover with a bank loan are 50 000$.

Student F

Bookstore

Your parents own two bookstores in the city. You were dreaming to work in the family business since your childhood and think that the time has come. You want to open a bookstore specialized in books for students. Your parents have agreed to find the premises close to the major high schools and universities and to cover the first three months rental costs. You apply for 25 000$ loan.