This paper presents a segmentation model based on banks' financial statements for the Brazilian market focusing on its strategies, competitiveness and industry inherit barriers of mobility as determinants of assets and liabilities allocations among banks in December, 2004. The methodology framework comprises: cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, and multidimensional scaling. Cluster Analysis procedures are carried out in order to bring about five major groups. This solution is tested by discriminant analysis and meets practical significance criteria. Multidimensional scaling provides additional validation, graphical interface and a strategic distance measure. The results suggest the five-group solution is adequate. Three of them, retail, credit and treasury banks provide complete banking intermediation. Thus, the last two, interbanking and transition/onlending operate as intermediates. It is suggested that such kind of intermediation is a poor strategy for the long run.
Segmentation; Cluster analysis; Multidimensional scaling; Banks; Strategy
