European firms' financial structure

This collection features a series of empirical investigations into the financial structures and risks faced by firms in Germany and France from 1968 to 1998. It includes analyses of West German industry employment and investment patterns, alongside studies on the financial characteristics of German firms, highlighting their financing structures and associated risks. The research also delves into the radical changes in the financial characteristics of French firms, examining how these shifts compare to their German counterparts. Key topics include minimum capital adequacy ratios for banks, the uniqueness of US banks in a global context, and the borrowing behaviors of firms in both France and Germany. The collection further explores corporate finance structures across these two nations, addressing potential disparities in corporate leverage based on firm size. Additionally, it presents a cross-country study that investigates corporate financial structures and the implications of flexibility within these frameworks. The volume also features book reviews that discuss economic policy within a monetary union and municipal finance, providing a broader context for understanding the financial dynamics at play in these European economies.