54 March 2007 VARIETIES WITHIN CAPITALISM? THE MODERNISATION OF FRENCH AND ITALIAN SAVINGS BANKS, 1980-2000 PERSPECTIVES VARIETIES WITHIN CAPITALISM? THE MODERNISATION OF FRENCH AND ITALIAN SAVINGS BANKS, 1980-2000 Olivier Butzbach Faculty of Political Science Second University of Naples Via del Setificio, 15 Complesso Monumentale Belvedere San Leucio 81020 Caserta (CE) Italy E-mail:
[email protected] Acknowledgments This study draws on my doctoral dissertation; my thanks, therefore, go first of all to my doctoral thesis advisor, Martin Rhodes, who helped me focus and asked me the right questions throughout my research and writing. My thanks also go to the other three members of my doctoral jury: Colin Crouch, Richard Deeg and Adriano Giannola, who provided me with precious comments in the last phase of the writing process. I also thank all my interviewees, whom I cannot list here, and all of those who, at various stages, have facilitated my research. In particular, I wish to thank, in France, Valérie Delumeau and Jean-Philippe Goethals and the staff at: the Caisse d’Epargne de Picardie, the Caisse d’Epargne de Provences Alpes Corse, the Fédération Nationale des Caisses d’Epargne and the Caisse Nationale des Caisses d’Epargne; in Italy, the Associazione fra le Casse di Risparmio Italiane, Mrs. Giacchetti and the Associazione Bancaria Italiana. I further wish to express my gratitude to my Italian friends and colleagues, in particular Adriano Giannola and Giuseppe Pennisi who have honoured me with their trust and given me, at various stages of my doctoral life, very valuable support and opened for me the doors to the University.