Banks and platform economics – (how) do they fit together??

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Strategic challenges for banks and savings banks in 2022

alt="prof. Dr. Jurgen moormann" width="35" height="31" />//> from prof. Dr. Jurgen moormann 24. January 2022

More and more, our lives are played out on digital platforms. Physical facilities such as stores, but also car dealerships, bookstores and fashion boutiques, on the other hand, are losing importance. What are the consequences of the emergence of digital ecosystems for banks??

Strategic prospects and challenges in 2022.

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The spread of smartphones in particular has led to the enormous popularity of digital platforms such as amazon, booking, zalando, spotify, etc. Led. In addition, the platforms of search engines (google, baidu, etc.).) and social media operator (u.A. Meta/facebook, tencent/wechat) established. In part, these platforms have developed into digital ecosystems. The emergence of payment service providers in ecommerce (u.A. Klarna, paypal, stripe) has massively supported this development.

platforms are blurring traditional corporate and industry boundaries and are therefore highly relevant for the development of corporate strategies. What does this mean for interactions between customers and banks?? And what does the emergence of digital ecosystems mean for the strategic direction of banks??

Strategic questions about platform banking

First of all, the management of a bank must clarify, whether it wants to deal with platform issues or not. However, it is not clear how, given today’s expense and income structures, sticking to traditional business is supposed to ensure the survival of a bank. In addition, customer needs and interactions have changed fundamentally. As we know from our own behavior, in many areas of life the road leads us into the digital world (comparison platforms, search engines, etc.).). As part of our own "customer processes," we do not seek out branches or stores in the first step, but rather digital platforms. So the question of "if" is quickly answered.

So it is a matter of, like how a bench is best positioned in platform structures. In principle, the following rollers are suitable for this purpose:

Initiator and operator of a platform: in this role, the bank orchestrates all activities and manages the participating partners. This requires know-how and a substantial investment – banks can easily overtake themselves here.
participants on other platforms: for example, the bank then acts as a product supplier. The effort is less; however, there is a risk of losing the connection to the customer here.
Infrastructure providers: here, too, the bank detaches itself from the end customer and offers loan processing, securities processing, payment transactions o.a. To. However, only a few institutions are required.
combinations, additional roles and hybrid models (d.H. Traditional and platform) are possible.

With the focus on platforms, the business model of the respective bank inevitably changes. Whereas traditionally a company has "its" customers and keeps a strict watch to ensure that no competitor penetrates its own value chain, a more differentiated view is now developing. Especially in role models where the bank cooperates with other companies and consciously integrates itself into a digital ecosystem, it becomes part of a value network. This increases the complexity in terms of strategy, governance, communication, processes and IT in these structures.

Examples of platforms are available

The issue of platforms is relevant to all business areas. This is also shown by the examples that already exist in the german banking landscape: the aareal-bank operates a platform for housing companies with connections to tenants, insurance companies, landlords, etc. degussa-bank has several platforms in operation, u.A. MIVO (employee benefits.De), which is also offered to other companies outside the industry. VR-bank wurzburg operates a crowdfunding platform together with around twenty other banking partners. The "bauen + wohnen" platform is being developed by three PSD banks together with bausparkasse schwabisch hall and atruvia AG. apobank has founded the subsidiary naontek, which operates the platform univiva for healthcare professionals and institutions in the healthcare sector. volksbank mittelhessen, too, with its subsidiary mittelstand.Ai established its own company that serves corporate customers u.A. A platform for data analysis in the context of industry 4.0 offered. "Beyond banking" is also the credo at N26 and ING. The latter cooperates not only with scalable capital, but increasingly with amazon (dealer financing, cashback program).

these attempts are all well and good, but they are far too small-scale. We need to think much bigger, at least at the level of the respective banking group, but ideally at the european level. We don’t stand a chance against the world’s mega-platforms with our current approaches. Internationally, threats to our still folkloric banking world today are emerging in a completely different dimension, z.B. through companies like paypal and klarna. Their super-apps, which are currently being developed, aim to keep customer processes completely in their own universe and to degrade banks into suppliers.

Banks must become software developers

Turning to platforms is certainly not the solution to all problems. However, it is clear that fintechs and tech companies will take an ever larger share of the traditional banking business. Traditional institutes must therefore find ways to remain relevant. The integration of banks into the platform economy is one such way. From increased networking, data generation using new technologies, and new partnerships (e.g.B. With companies in the manufacturing industry), business models will emerge that are not even on the agenda of traditional banks today.

But this has enormous consequences. It must (finally) be understood that banks’ services are based on IT, i.e. that banks are information-processing companies. Even manufacturing companies have (belatedly) understood that the competitive advantage lies not in the sheet metal body, but in the car’s operating system, and have started a race to catch up (BMW, daimler, VW, bosch) to transform themselves into software developers. Erich sixt recently announced that sixt is a software development company with an attached car rental company.

And the banks? They produce interchangeable services. Your products are digital. you must all the more so put software development at the center of your activities. Therefore, they will have to radically change their course – with all the consequences. this includes in particular the change of the employee structure. Much more know-how is needed for digitalization. Artificial intelligence, data analytics, blockchain, cloud computing, platforms, decentralized finance, digital identities are just the first keywords. Who should deal with this if not the banks?? your business models, processes and IT will change drastically. The platform economy will not disappear, on the contrary – we are only at the beginning.

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About the author

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Jurgen moormann has been a professor of banking at the frankfurt school of finance since 1995& management. Teaching and research focus on strategy development, business engineering and process management in banks. 2005 foundation of the processlab – a research center of the frankfurt school focused on process management in the finance industry. Visiting professor at the university of colorado at colorado springs, the university of new south wales, queensland university of technology and the university of hong kong. Since 2014, he has held the concardis endowed professorship for banking and process management. He is a member of the supervisory board of karis AG, darmstadt, and a trusted lecturer at the friedrich naumann foundation, berlin. Vocational training at commerzbank AG in kiel (1977-1979). studies in business administration at the universities of kiel and zurich (1980-1985). From 1986 to 1989, research assistant at the chair of financial economics at christian albrecht university in kiel, germany. Promotion. Afterwards five years of working in management consulting. Lectureship at the european business school, oestrich-winkel (1992-1994).

Car toys are no longer just for boys. Girls also often like the small and big toy cars and become the daring racer. The reason for the popularity of these toys is simple: a toy car is a connection to the adult world for children. They can use it to act out something they know from their parents, namely driving a car. Not only toy cars serve this purpose, but also a baby steering wheel.

Toy car test 2021 / 2022

Results 1 – 48 from 65

from wood to electric – there is a toy car for every child

Toy cars are very versatile. which means that they have different areas of application and also appeal to all age groups. While small children are particularly fond of playing with their wooden cars, older ones are especially attracted to electric variants inspire. In every case, however, one thing is true: the car must be the fastest of all.

Different types of toy cars are:

Wooden cars
cars made of metal
Cars with remote control
Pullback car

In terms of material, cars made of wood and metal are absolutely recommendable. Both materials are characterized by very robust workmanship and best quality from. This means that the cars are particularly durable and can withstand even the biggest crashes. The situation is different in the case of car toys made of plastic. These models tend to be more fragile and break down more quickly.

While small children are usually still rather unpretentious, it can not be spectacular enough for older boys and girls. Cars with accessories are particularly popular with children remote controlled are. These models are suitable from the age of six years and should be used primarily in the open air. In the house and apartment, the danger is too great that the toy car with remote control collides with the valuable floor vase or the patio window and something gets broken. The applications of these cars are:

yard
garden
Playground
open spaces

However, always make sure that your child is comfortable with his or her remote control car never interfere with road traffic or annoy other children with it. In the open air is always required the greatest alertness.

Much less dangerous, on the other hand, is playing with the so-called pullback cars. These drive off by themselves if you wind them up beforehand by driving backwards. this technology is so simple that even toddlers can quickly grasp it.

High quality toy cars from famous brands

Leading brands for toy cars, which often also become test winner in a test report have been chosen:

hot wheels
Nikku
Siku

Hot wheels is undoubtedly one of the most famous brands that offer toy cars on the market. The company’s range is very broad and includes many different types of toy cars, all of which have different features and often also include offered in a set become. These offers are often quite inexpensive and ensure that they pay less than if they were to buy all the toy cars individually.

Nikku is a specialist for remote controlled toy cars. The brand is aimed specifically at older children and offers many different car models. These include:

Monster trucks
formula1 cars

There are also leading brands that appeal not only to children but also to adults. one of these is siku, which specializes in, legendary cars in mini format to rebuild. These models are so detailed that they not only make children’s hearts beat faster, but collectors’ hearts as well. Among the best sellers of siku are the brands:

Mercedes
Porsche
BMW

In the assortment of the manufacturer you can also find a cab, tow truck and tractors. These toys are also very popular and make playing with the toy train car even more versatile and exciting. siku also offers some of its cars as a set.

Attaches great importance to safety and quality
sale of the goods through arendicom gmbh

Numerous TuV and quality seals
A brand of the simba-dickie-group

Wide range of toys
Very good price/performance ratio

Cars – a disney classic conquers the car toy world

Besides the well-known brands, especially the toy cars from the disney movie "cars" very popular with children. The assortment includes not only simple toy cars from large to small, but also various models that are remote control are as well as a race track.

Popular characters from the movie that are also available as toy cars are:

Lightning mcqueen, a red race car
Hook, a tow truck that is getting on in years
Fillmore, a motley VW bus
Sally, a blue porsche carrera

The features of these cars are all very different from each other. One thing they have in common, however, is that they all have a face. This serves humanization the cars and does justice to the story of the movie "cars.

One of the most popular toys for children

experience has shown that not only boys, but also girls like to play with a toy car. For this reason, there are also different models which specially designed for girls are also well received in the test.

Toy cars serve primarily to keep children occupied and pursue no explicit educational goal. Nevertheless, or perhaps because of this, they are among the most popular toys. If you watch your child play, you’ll see that it doesn’t obey the traffic laws or the laws of physics. Accidents are as common as cars that can suddenly fly.

hint! Do not try to teach your child and explain to him right and wrong. imaginative play encourages the child’s creativity.

Advantages and disadvantages of toy cars

Encourage creativity and imagination
Also suitable to take along for longer car journeys
Available for purchase in large sets

Sometimes disappear without a trace

Buying toy cars – what to look out for

A short research is enough to realize that the choice of good toy cars is huge. If you want to make the right choice, you should prepare yourself well and make the comparison. In your case, it can help if you ask around in advance among friends and acquaintances or even read experience reports on the internet. The experience, ratings and recommendations, what you can hear and read here will help you a lot in choosing the best car.

if the product is supposed to be cheap on top of that, it is helpful to do a price comparison before buying it. This test shows you at a glance the best prices and the cheapest toy car store. It is important that despite attractive prices also always pay attention to the quality of the cars. If this leaves a lot to be desired, your child will not enjoy the toy car for long. This advice applies especially if you are looking for a car with remote control.

Low prices in this case are usually a sure sign that the products are poorly made and may also be a source of danger for your child. What you must not forget is that remote control cars with electricity a poor-quality product is quite capable of causing an electric shock. In this case it is always the better choice to buy a high quality toys select.

Automatic transmission in motorhomes which automatic gearshift is worthwhile?

Almost all vans in the 3.5-ton class that can be used as a motorhome base are offered with an automatic option. But these transmissions differ in technology, number of gears and ease of use. An automatic guide.

For many people, the comfort of a modern vehicle means not having to change gears – in a car anyway and, if possible, in a motorhome as well. Typical automatic disadvantages such as loss of power, slow gear changes, high fuel consumption and lack of intervention are largely a thing of the past. So, tick the automatic option, sit back and let it change gear?

It’s not quite that simple – not all automatics are the same. To avoid disappointment, you should know beforehand what you can expect – and what you cannot expect – from the switching assistance offered by a base vehicle.

It’s all about principle. Four types of automatic transmissions can be distinguished: CTV, ASG, DKB and torque converter automatic.

CVT transmission

A philosophy all of its own is pursued by the CVT transmissions – also called continuously variable transmission (cvt). It is based on a link chain running over two double bevel gears. The distance between the two cone pulleys of a wheel can be varied, and thus the effective diameter on which the chain moves. This allows continuous adjustment of the speed ratio between the input and output shafts. So with the CVT, there are no fixed gears, but each intermediate stage is adjustable. However, since the transmissible force is limited, this technology is only used in compact or mid-size cars.

ASG and DKB transmissions

Type two and three – the automated manual transmissions (ASG) and that double clutch transmission (DKG) – use disc clutches, which in principle work no differently than the foot-operated clutch of a manual transmission. Only here servo motors (actuators) take over the muscle work of the calf. Two disks are pressed against each other and transfer the rotary motion from one shaft to the other by friction. When changing gears, this connection is disconnected and then closed again.

In order to equalize the different speeds of the two shafts, the pads of the discs first grind over each other until the complete frictional connection is made. A certain amount of wear is therefore associated with every start and gear change. This applies to both types of automatics, both the automated manual transmission and the dual clutch transmission.

The ASG is the technically simplest way to realize an automatic shifting gearbox. For this purpose, a robot clutch is simply flanged to the existing manual transmission instead of the manual one and the control is left to more or less sophisticated software.

Clearly more complex DKG built. You can think of it as two small gearboxes working together in one housing and alternating through the double clutch. one gearbox takes care of the even gears, the other of the odd gears. The pausing transmission always engages the gear that is likely to be requested next based on the driving situation. And the dual-clutch design – where one automatically closes while the other opens – allows for lightning-fast gear changes with almost no interruption in traction.

However, if you want to skip a gear by manual intervention, the change takes much longer, because the skipped gear must still be engaged briefly. Overall, however, the functionality is clearly superior to an ASG. Nevertheless, DKGs are not yet used in large, heavy vehicles. Reason: the higher the forces transmitted, the more waste heat is generated, which is difficult to dissipate from the complex construction. That’s why even VW, which since 2003 has been strongly relying on the DKG technology (here "DSG"), only offers this transmission variant in the transporter range for the T6, but not for the crafter.

torque converter automatic

In the 3.5-ton class, therefore, in addition to automated manual transmissions, it is mainly classic automatic torque converter for use. They can also be designed so that high torques and weights are not a problem. The heart of the system is an almost wear-free fluid clutch. In the so-called hydraulic torque converter, there are three paddle wheels, the fixed guide wheel and the movable pump and turbine wheels. When the engine is idling, just enough power is transmitted for the vehicle to creep slowly.

When the throttle is opened, the pump wheel causes the oil to move more quickly. This results in a back pressure at the fixed guide wheel. This additionally increases the effective moment at the blades of the turbine wheel, with the effect that the engine torque is practically more than doubled during start-up. A real advantage for heavy vehicles.

As soon as the engine and transmission speeds are aligned, the torque increase is a thing of the past. Since the converter always operates with a certain amount of slip, modern automatics engage a so-called converter lock-up clutch at this moment, which ensures a rigid drive between the input and output shafts and thus improved efficiency. Together with the usually higher number of gears, which allows a lower engine speed, the additional fuel consumption of a modern torque converter automatic can be significantly limited.

Advantages and disadvantages of automatic transmissions

In the 3.5-ton class, which is relevant for motorhomes, (mainly) ASG and wanderautomatic are used.

Automated manual transmission (ASG)

Relatively simple design, which tends to keep costs, weight and space requirements down.
High efficiency thanks to slip-free transmission, resulting in hardly any increase in consumption compared with manual transmissions.
Manual shifting usually possible.
Traction interruption clearly noticeable under load.
Gear changes sometimes take quite a long time.
noticeable clutch wear during start-up.
Less smooth starting and usually no creep function when maneuvering (exception: Renault master).
Partly nonsensical back and forth shifting if the speed connection does not fit after the gear change.

Converter automatic

Gear changes without noticeable interruption of tractive power.
Almost wear-free starting.
Creep function with torque increase when maneuvering.
Converter dampens vibrations in the driveline.
Compact design realizable through planetary gear sets.
Manual shifting is usually possible.
Mostly higher number of gears.
Complex design, tends to increase weight, costs and space requirements.
Slight loss of power and slightly higher fuel consumption.

Shifting to manual transmission

All automatic transmissions now allow manual intervention. It is therefore possible to select the desired gear by hand – whether by stick, rocker switch or paddle on the steering wheel. However, the control computers interpret the shift command with varying degrees of indifference. While the fiat-comfort-matic, for example, tries to comply with the shift request immediately – of course after checking whether nonsensical speed regions are reached in the process – the mercedes 9G-tronic only makes a vague promise to move in the desired direction when the opportunity arises.

Pleasantly, almost all automatics accept temporary intervention by the driver without having to switch completely to manual mode. The accelerator pedal can also be used to influence the automats according to the situation. But while, for example, Renault and VW attentively follow every accelerator pedal movement, the Fiat does not react at all in some cases.

The ASGs from fiat and renault provide for a general shift of the shift points to higher engine speeds by pressing a button, which is particularly advisable when driving through passages, with a full load and when towing a trailer. A similar situation can be found in the power or S-mode of the automatic transmissions from iveco and VW/MAN.

Leveling and maneuvering

To leveling of the vehicle is precise maneuvering about balancing wedges a common task in motorhome use. It’s true that all vans now have electronic hill start assist – at least as an option. But they usually do not intervene in such cases yet. A valuable aid, on the other hand, is the for automatic converter typical creep function. Just by applying the brakes, this allows the vehicle to weigh accurate to the centimeter get into position.

In such tricky situations, it’s best to operate the fiat with comfort-matic with one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake, otherwise it will keep rolling backwards. The renault, which nevertheless has a creep function, shows that things can also be better with an ASG – but the clutch wear can soon be smelled.

Automatic shifting in the 3.5-ton class

the automatic transmissions of the common base vehicles with 3.5 tons differ not only in the type of transmission, but also in the number of gears, the drive, the engine variants, the extra weight and, of course, the price.

Ford transit

Name: select-shift
type: torque converter automatic
number of gears: 6
DRIVE: front
engine variants: 130/170 HP
more weight: 45 kg
surcharge*: 1964 euro

Fiat ducato

name: comfort-shift
type: automated manual transmission
number of gears: 6
drive: front
engine variants: 130/150/177 HP
extra weight: 17 kg
surcharge*: 1990 euro

Iveco daily

Name: hi-matic
type: torque converter automatic
number of gears: 8
drive: rear/all wheel
engine variants: 116-205 hp (all 6 diesel engines, except 150 hp engine, also 136 hp natural gas engine)
MORE WEIGHT: 6-12 kg (low weight)
surcharge*: ca. 2400 euro

Mercedes sprinter

Name: 9G-tronic
type: torque converter automatic
number of gears: 9
drive: front
engine variants: 114/143/177 HP
more weight: 29 kg
surcharge*: 2504 euro

Name: 7G-tronic-plus
type: torque converter automatic
number of gears: 7
drive: rear/all wheel
engine variants: 114/143/163/190 HP
more weight: 48 kg
surcharge*: 2504 euro

Renault master

Name: quickshift
type: automated manual transmission
number of gears: 6
drive: front
engine variants: 170 HP
extra weight: 10 kg
surcharge*: 1131 euro

VW crafter / MAN TGE

Name: 8-speed automatic
type: converter automatic
number of gears: 8
drive: front/rear/all-wheel
engine variants: 140 hp (front-wheel drive only) / 177 hp
extra weight: 32 kg
surcharge*: 2446 euro

*surcharge of the base vehicle manufacturer, may differ for the bodybuilder.

Conclusion

Automatic is always better? It is really great what has happened in the field of automatic transmissions in the last few years. The torque converter automatics have become even more comfortable and at the same time lighter, cheaper and more efficient. Automated manual transmissions, on the other hand, seem to be on the decline. If you take the quick-shifting, well-tuned renault quickshift with creep function as a yardstick, there is little reason to do so. The results for the fiat comfort-matic are more ambivalent: clearer shift jerks, sometimes nonsensical gear changes and difficulties when maneuvering detract from the comfort gain. It’s time for a function update or a change to a torque converter automatic transmission.