ING direct: Rebel in the banking industry - Teaching Note

Abstract

ING DIRECT is one of the six business lines of integrated financial services provider ING Group and active in 9 different countries. The case describes how ING DIRECT USA has become the largest Internet-based bank in the United States, and one of the thirty largest banks of any sort in the country. In particular attention is paid to the strategic positioning of ING DIRECT in the US retail banking industry, and what strategic actions the bank has undertaken to achieve and maintain the unique position the bank has achieved so far. The case depicts how it all started, but also sheds a light on the future challenges of the company. Key Words Strategy, strategic positioning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, US banking industry, on-line banking