Strategic responses of urban Co-operative banks to banking sector reforms

Abstract

The study is an attempt at understanding the strategic adaptation of Urban Co-operative Banks to banking sector reforms. The specific objectives of the study were to (a) understand the environmental changes affecting the urban co-operative banking sector, (b) record, compare and contrast the strategic responses of the select organization in the sector and (c) examine the linkages among the environment, change in regulation, organizational resource and demographic. Two urban co-operative banks are functioning in the similar environment in Pune but having differences in initial capabilities; age, size was studied in depth. Some important findings of the study are UCBs in general, (a) perceived that the banking sector reform process has resulted in more liberalized and competitive environment, characterized by higher growth, greater availability of resources, freedom, and choice in decision-making related to business operations, choices of business, access to technology. However, the duality of control experienced by UCBs created constraints in speedy organizational responses to environmental changes (b) aimed at higher growth, (b) increased the scale of operation, expanded the geographical base in the new environment, (d) showed positive approach towards technology, through with varying degree and at different pace. The demographic variables such as age & size and initial capabilities that are believed to abet organizational inertia to strategic change had no influence on strategic response.