Effects of increased regulation on small banks' management control practices : A case study of a Swedish savings bank

Abstract: This paper sets out to investigate the effects on small banks’ management control practices from increasing regulation following the 2008 financial crisis. The changes to banks’ management control practices may in turn have implications for banks’ competitive advantages and strategies. A qualitative case study of a Swedish savings bank was carried out, gathering data through six semi-structured interviews of representatives at different levels. Our findings indicate that the increased regulatory pressure has increased both the scope and scale of administrative as well as cybernetic controls. A relative change of focus, from business- to compliance-oriented was also detected in connection with the planning and cybernetic controls. The increase in mainly administrative controls and the resulting regulatory burden suggest that it may be difficult for small and decentralized banks to pursue their chosen strategy unless they are able to find alternative ways of dealing with this burden.