ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the internationalization of the financial sector of the Greek economy in the postwar period, and the particular features it demonstrated during different phases of this longer period. It describes the internationalization of the Greek financial system as a process, during which different domestic and foreign actors struggled for market shares, formed alliances, influenced each other's strategy, exerted competitive pressures and modernization effects on the national economy and changed the market structure of this particular sector. The process of internationalization is dependent on the financial, technological, organizational and knowledge capabilities of firms to expand and to penetrate foreign markets via exports, direct investment and technology transfer. An additional factor that favoured the international expansion of Greek financial institutions concerns the opportunity to participate in the financing of Greek shipping activities and/or activities of the Greek emigrants in the USA.
