Question

Instruction: please include sources. Minimum of 900 words. Provide recommendations for bank of America that will enable the company to gain and sustain a competitive advantage in its industry

Answer 1

Our company is stronger, with a straightforward business model, that is delivering long-term value to our shareholders. The path forward is clearly one of responsible growth.

Responsible growth has four pillars:

We must grow and win in the market:-

We serve three groups of customers — people, companies, and institutional investors. In the U.S. we serve all three customer groups, and outside the U.S. we serve larger companies and institutional investors. This business model simplifies our operations and reduces our risk profile.

• People: We believe we have the best consumer, small business, and wealth-management franchise in the country. Our retail banking footprint covers approximately 85 percent of the U.S. population, and we serve approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients.
• Companies: Our Global Banking business works with virtually every company in the S&P 500. Global Banking delivers solid and recurring profitability. Recognizing the businesses we serve are the engines of the economy, we bring the broadest array of solutions, both domestic and international, to our clients to help companies grow, improve cash flow and invest for the future.
• Institutions: Turning to the institutional investors we serve, our Global Markets business is one of the most capable platforms in the world. This business provides capital to companies necessary for growth, and serves many of the world’s largest institutional investors who manage savings and investments through pension and retirement funds. Our presence and global reach in fixed income and equity products allow us to provide them access to investment opportunities.

As we look across our businesses and the clients they serve, we have a leading set of capabilities in every area where we operate. That is the power of this company; that is the strength of the model and the balance we are striking to ensure we are doing all we can for our customers and clients, while optimizing our balance sheet to perform efficiently with the post-crisis regulations.

We must grow with our customer-focused strategy:-

We have a simple goal. We need to do more with our customers by bringing them everything they need to live their financial lives. One of the ways we drive our customer-focused strategy is through our business integration work. We take a local market-driven approach. We service customers and clients in the United States through integrated businesses organized across 85 markets.

At the local market level, our teams are working together to look at every customer and client relationship in their market and ask: are we doing all we can for them?

Through this approach we are a global company that operates locally.

We must grow within our Risk Framework:-

As a financial services company, risk is inherent in all of our business activities. Managing risk well is fundamental to our business, and we strive to be the very best at managing all types of risk, and to do so in a responsible manner that serves our clients, shareholders, and communities, and helps the economy grow. Whether investing in a small business, making a credit decision, or preventing fraud, our work calls for sound judgment and a commitment to doing what’s right for our customers, shareholders, and communities. Our culture emphasizes that we are one team, and we have a shared responsibility to manage risk well, act responsibly, and escalate issues so they can be addressed proactively.

Our Risk Framework, together with our purpose, is the foundation of our culture and describes our approach to managing risk well so we can run our business and grow responsibly. The Risk Framework sets forth clear ownership and accountability for managing risk across the company to ensure that we maintain strong risk-management discipline.

We have invested to maintain the most capable risk-management practices, and we are committed to best-in-class risk-management capabilities.

We must grow in a sustainable manner:-

Building a sustainable company is about how, at the core of everything we do, we are guided by our principles to make the right decisions that will hold us in good stead today and in the future. We think about this in a variety of ways. First, it’s important to maintain focus on operational excellence, and on the momentum we’ve built managing expenses. We maintain discipline in managing our operating expenses, even while making investments to improve efficiency and grow. Sustainability also includes having the right governance. We have a diverse and experienced Board of Directors that provides independent oversight. We monitor corporate governance best practices to adapt and improve when necessary.

This rigorous oversight extends across our businesses. For example, each line of business makes decisions through a governance process made up of business leaders and control partners who debate the issues—ensuring we are striking the right balance between risk, business opportunity, and customer focus. And, our Global Environmental, Social and Governance Committee (ESG Committee), led by Anne Finucane, Vice Chairman at Bank of America, with senior leaders from each business line, meets regularly to ensure we are looking at our progress through an environmental, social and governance lens. This committee is accountable to the CEO and reports at least annually to our Board’s Corporate Governance Committee. Learn more in Governance.

Our approach to sustainability also comes through in our commitment to ensure our policies, practices, products, and programs all align to our purpose. We’ve done this in part by creating simple, safe, transparent, and easy-to-use financial solutions that give people greater control of their finances. Learn more in Responsible Products and Services. Another way we think about sustainability is the work we do to strengthen our local economies and invest in our communities. Learn more in Making an Impact. Finally, to be a sustainable company, we must be a company that values our people and gives all employees the support they need to build their careers, achieve their goals, and have the resources they need to improve their lives and the lives of their families. Learn more in Our People.

We have a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the customers, clients, and communities we serve around the world through operations. We provide resources and strategies to help employees develop no matter where they are in their careers. Through our recruitment programs and partnerships, we are investing in the future by bringing the best and brightest to work at Bank of America.

As we think about all the ways we pursue sustainability, our focus is to use our size and scale in ways that contribute positively to our communities, create opportunity for our customers and employees, and grow our company responsibly.

I've tried my best providing the information requested by you.If you like my work,please leave an up-vote.It is highly appreciated.Thanks in advance.