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The Model to Practice Dialogues™

National culture and financial systems

Countries differ in the way their financial activities are organized. In Anglo-Saxon countries such as the US and the UK financial systems are dominated by stock markets, whereas in continental Europe and Japan banks play a predominant role. Why do countries differ in the configuration of their financial systems? We argue that national culture plays a significant role. We find that countries characterized by higher uncertainty avoidance are more likely to have a bank-based system.