The article presents major directions of changes in Polish commercial banks´ organizational structures in the 90´s. Conclusions presented are the result of a survey of banks´ organizational structures. Based on the survey three basic organizational models were distinguished, i.e. traditional, federated and matrix structure. Selection of any of the above structures depends on numerous internal and external factors. These factors reveal in certain tendencies of a more general nature, which at the same time justify the application of the named structural models.

The majority of organizational changes observed in recent years in Polish commercial banks resulted from: customer-oriented profile of banks´ activity; implementation of new forms of activity coordination; and new controls of ongoing processes. The aim of the article is to present general trends, illustrations and justification of the thesis that transformation directions listed above affected banks´ cease of existing traditional structures being replaced with federated and matrix structures.