Bank’s Personnel Networks Through Interlocking Directorates of Members of the Supervisory Board on Such Top Management Organs of Other Enterprises Before World War II: Analysis of the Period of National Socialism

Members of the supervisory boards of several other enterprises in which supervisory board members of a company have interlocking mandates hold many posts in third-party enterprises. A personnel network is established through interlocking directorates, including second- and third-party enterprises. The possibilities of exchanging information and coordinating interests between industry and banks and among corporations can be enlarged through such a system. Using social network analysis, this  chapter examines the personnel networks of three large banks, namely, Deutsche Bank (Deutsche Bank und Disconto-Gesellschaft), Dresdner Bank, and Commerzbank (Commerz- und Privat-Bank AG), through interlocking directorates of members of the supervisory board on the same top management of other companies, including second- and third-party enterprises. This chapter clarifies the characteristics of a network as a whole and the importance of each company in the network by analyzing the key indicators of social network analysis, such as “density” and “centrality.” Furthermore, this chapter examines the clique of interlocking supervisory board members who play a significant role in the network.