Creating value in credit unions.

A credit union's management focuses on increasing member value, as opposed to bank management's focus on shareholder value. Member value is generally defined as the credit union's ability to provide loan and deposit rates or products and services that are better than those offered by other retail financial institutions. Challenges faced by credit unions involve competition, size, employment trends and relationship with sponsors.

What will attract new members to credit unions - especially when banks blur the boundaries of their formerly distinct product lines and have more branches