The Basel II "Use Test" - A Retail Credit Approach

The essence of this text is the application of The Basel II Framework Use Test. I will illustrate the facets of Use Test adherence with risk management tools and strategies that complement a bank's pursuit of Advanced Internal Ratings Based Approach, Basel II Framework compliance. I will simultaneously pay close attention to the specific Basel II Framework, Use Test adherence measures. This book offers the practitioner a useful prescription for ensuring that their bank covers the necessary bases when pursuing its Basel II Framework implementation. It additionally puts into proper context where banks should be concerned in their pursuit of the Use Test, with specific attention to regulator, boards and executives concerns that the bank continues to operate with sound fiscal behaviour. The very foundation of a bank's lending practices is the credit cycle. This book identifies both the traditional model and the newly minted Basel II model of the credit cycle. It also demonstrates practices that create sustainable business processes which optimize the risk-reward drivers of a retail banking environment. It focuses on the different operational areas of the bank and the role each plays within the Basel II credit cycle. Finally, it provides a foundation for which the credit practices present in Marketing, Underwriting, Account Management, Portfolio Management, Recoveries and Collections and Regulatory Capital setting can be justly applied. Banks must make use of The Basel II Framework estimation tools, thus confirming that they are predictive, accurate and reliable in the estimation of regulatory capital as well as in the day-to-day running of the bank. In spite of the prescriptive nature of The Basel II Framework model estimates this book will illustrate how to exploit their elemental design into profitable pursuits. While one fundamental challenge relating to Basel II Framework adherence is incorporating these tools into the Credit Cycle, another focuses on enhancing and improving existing credit practices found within the bank's organizational structure in light of traditional banking shareholder drivers. This book thus simplifies this directive.