Abstract:

The opening of the European market in 1992 induces a lot of companies to wonder about the opportunities it would imply for them. Yet, in the assumption that these opportunities actually exist, they would be really available not only for them but also for others, for national but chiefly international competitors. In the financial sector and more particularly in the private individuaIs' market, one of the first segment to consider is the "up-scale" one ... because it is, globally speaking, more open to changes, innovations and as a result it is likely to be more open to foreign cultures. By conducting various surveys in different European countries (in the INRA-framework) , we tried to give an outline of the upscale. Who are they? What are their characteristics? How are they now reacting to the idea of a broader presence of financial institutions at European level?