financial markets suggests that factors such as differences in capital requirements, limiÂ- tations on size or on the range of financial activities in which firms can engage, governÂ- ment guarantee arrangements for deposits or payments, and reporting or disclosure requirements can have important effects on the efficiency of industrial and commercial firms and thus on the international competitive positions of major sectors of the U.S. economy. Regulatory and tax policies must therefore take into account effects on interÂ- national competitive positions in addition to domestic concerns. The articles in this issue analyze differences in market organization and regulation across countries and examine how efficiency in producing financial services is influenced by these differences. These articles were presented and discussed at a conference sponsored by the AmerÂ- ican Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., on May 31 and June 1, 1990. This conferÂ- ence on International Competitiveness in Financial Services brought to the attention of Washington policy officials these analyses by leading scholars in finance. Publication of these studies and critiques in the Journal of Financial Services Research is intended to stimulate further interest in research on these important issues.
