Equity Trade ‘Communities of Practice’ in Multinational Financial Services Corporations

Project Description:

The prime brokerage equity trade industry has been under vast public pressure to increase transparency alongside more efficient and cost-effective measures. The corporate study sites, headquarters of a multinational financial services firm in New York, are no exception. Indeed, several have experienced high-profile cases of actual and alleged corruption charges broadcast by the global media, which have, in turn, catalysed internal processes to mitigate and ameliorate operations and public image. Based on anthropological fieldwork, this pilot study provides a unique opportunity to examine several internal processes of self-examination and change as pioneered by highly-profitable global equity divisions. In offering an analysis of how their initiatives operate on a daily basis and inform key decisions, this research aims to better understand the complexity of corporate structures and make a strong contribution to emerging literature on the anthropology of finance.