Rotational band structures with distinct properties found in several e
ven-even Xe and Ba nuclei are investigated by means of the conventiona
l cranked shell model and by the newly developed tilted axis cranking
model. Analysing the band energies and electromagnetic branching ratio
s a nearly oblate configuration (pi h(11/2)d(5/2)) (nu h(11/2)(2)) wit
h a tilted i.e. non-principal axis spin orientation is found to give a
fair description of the experimental features.