As interest in international securities trading has grown, so has the awareness of academics in researching these markets. Research topics cover a wide range from market microstructure theory and transaction cost analysis to the investigation of competitive markets and network effects. Research with regard to the post-trading sector is rather sparse. Torsten Schaper's study addresses strategic management aspects in European post-trading and shows the six competitive forces affecting the post-trading industry. Due to the globalisation of financial markets and the financial crisis, the management of post-trading infrastructures is confronted with a changed and competitive environment. The objective and central research question is to show how to manage post-trading infrastructures in this changing environment and to - identify and analyse the most important regulatory challenges for the industry; - classify the most important technical barriers that hinder the efficient settlement of cross-border securities transactions and evaluate different approaches for technical integration; - illustrate how to develop a performance management system for the post-trading industry; - identify the most important IT issues the post-trading industry has to cope with; - demonstrate how different business strategies of providers of trading and post-trading services are correlated with specific efficiency parameters.