The tight grip of a debt based global economy: A study on banking regulation and the implementation of the Basel II Accord in Portugal

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

In our current state of events, namely in the aftermath of the crisis of 2008, we are witnesses of how quickly and widely the consequences of risky banking activities spread and contaminate the remaining sectors of the economy. Therefore it is necessary to analyze how the banking industry is currently regulated and what changes are needed in order to make it more stable and reliable, thus avoiding similar crisis in the future. This Work Project contributes to the literature on this subject but most importantly its purpose is to spark critical thinking and action on these subjects leading, hopefully, to improvements to the underlying economic system.