I tratti distintivi dell’economia degli intermediari bancari: un approccio di analisi funzionalista.

This paper aims to examine the basic functions performed by banks. It is argued that financial crisis has altered the traditional economics of banking in an important way. A key element of our paper is the use of a functional perspective to study the economics of banking. It is applicable at several levels of analysis: systems, institutions, activities, and products. The application of the functional perspective at the level of financial institutions is particularly useful because the functions are more stable than activities and products.