Prague Economic Papers 2010, 19(4):307-328 | DOI: 10.18267/j.pep.379

Measuring Bank Efficiency: A Meta-Regression Analysis

Zuzana Iršová1, Tomáš Havránek2
1 Charles University in Prague, Institute of Economic Studies (zuzana.irsova@ies-prague.org).
2 Czech National Bank, Economic Research Department, and Charles University in Prague, Institute of Economic Studies (tomas.havranek@ies-prague.org).

This article presents a meta-regression analysis of 32 studies on frontier efficiency measurement in banking, focusing on the sensitivity of the reported estimates to the methodological design. Our findings suggest that study design is crucial for the resulting scores. The differences between the scores estimated using parametric and non-parametric approaches arise when the Fourierflexible functional form is used since this functional form yields lower scores. Generally, the higher the number of observations, the higher is the average estimated efficiency. The removal of scale effects using equity capital increases the profit efficiency but it is insignificant for other scores. The efficiency analysis should distinguish the commercial banking from other bank types because the former tends to deliver lower efficiency scores.

Keywords: banking, meta-analysis, frontier models, efficiency analysis
JEL classification: C13, G21, L25

Published: January 1, 2010  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Iršová, Z., & Havránek, T. (2010). Measuring Bank Efficiency: A Meta-Regression Analysis. Prague Economic Papers19(4), 307-328. doi: 10.18267/j.pep.379
Download citation

References

  1. Akhavein, J. D., Berger, A. N., Humphrey, D. B. (1997), "The Effects of Megamergers on Efficiency and Prices: Evidence from a Bank Profit Function." Review of Industrial Organization 12, pp. 95-139. Go to original source...
  2. Akhigbe, A., McNulty, J. E. (2003), "The Profit Efficiency of Small US Commercial Banks." Journal of Banking & Finance 27(2), pp. 307-325. Go to original source...
  3. Aly, H. Y., Grabowski, R., Pasurka, C., Ran, N. (1990), "Technical, Scale, and Allocative Efficiencies in U.S. Banking: An Empirical Investigation." The Review of Economics and Statistics 72(2), pp. 211-18. Go to original source...
  4. Bauer, P. W., Berger, A. N., Ferrier, G. D., Humphrey, D. B. (1997), "Consistency Conditions for Regulatory Analysis of Financial Institutions: a Comparison of Frontier Efficiency Methods." Financial Services Working Paper 97-02, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Go to original source...
  5. Berg, S., Forsund, F., Jansen, E. (1991), "Technical Efficiency of Norwegian Banks: The Non-Parametric Approach to Efficiency Measurement." The Journal of Productivity Analysis 2, pp. 127-142. Go to original source...
  6. Berger, A. N. (1995), "The Profit-Structure Relationship in Banking-Tests of Market-Power and Efficient-Structure Hypotheses." Journal of Money, Credit and Banking 27(2), pp. 404-31. Go to original source...
  7. Berger, A. N., DeYoung, R. (1997), "Problem Loans and Cost Efficiency in Commercial Banks." Journal of Banking & Finance 21(6), pp. 849-870. Go to original source...
  8. Berger, A. N., Hancock, D., Humphrey, D. B. (1993), "Bank Efficiency Derived from the Profit Function." Journal of Banking & Finance 17(2-3), pp. 317-347. Go to original source...
  9. Berger, A. N., Hannan, T. H. (1997), "Using Efficiency Measures to Distinguish among Alternative Explanations of the Structure-Performance Relationship in Banking." Managerial Finance 23(1), pp. 6-31. Go to original source...
  10. Berger, A. N., Hasan, I., Zhou, M. (2009), "Bank Ownership and Efficiency in China: What Will Happen in the World's Largest Nation?" Journal of Banking & Finance 33(1), pp. 113-130. Go to original source...
  11. Berger, A. N., Humphrey, D. B. (1992), Measurement and Efficiency Issues in Commercial Banking, Chapter 7 in Output Measurement in the Service Sectors, pp. 245-279. University Chicago Press.
  12. Berger, A. N., Humphrey, D. B. (1997), "Efficiency of Financial Institutions: International Survey and Directions for Future Research." European Journal of Operational Research 98, pp. 175-212. Go to original source...
  13. Berger, A. N., Mester, L. J. (1997), "Inside the Black Box: What Explains Differences in the Efficiencies of Financial Institutions?" Journal of Banking & Finance 21(7), pp. 895-947. Go to original source...
  14. Berger, A. N., di Patti, E. B. (2002), "Capital Structure and Firm Performance: a New Approach to Testing Agency Theory and an Application to the Banking Industry." Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2002-54, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.). Go to original source...
  15. Bonin, J. P., Hasan, I., Wachtel, P. (2005), "Privatization Matters: Bank Efficiency in Transition countries." Journal of Banking & Finance 29(8-9), pp. 2155 -2178. Go to original source...
  16. Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J., Rothstein, H. R. (2009), Introduction to Meta-Analysis. John Wiley & Sons Inc. ISBN: 0470743387. Go to original source...
  17. Borger, B. D., Ferrier, G. D., Kerstens, K. (1998), "The Choice of a Technical Efficiency Measure on the Free Disposal Hull Reference Technology: A Comparison Using US Banking Data." European Journal of Operational Research 105(3), pp. 427-446. Go to original source...
  18. Bravo-Ureta, B. E., Rivas, T. E., Thiam, A. (2001), "Technical Efficiency in Developing Country Agriculture: a Meta-Analysis." Agricultural Economics 25(2-3), pp. 235-243. Go to original source...
  19. Bravo-Ureta, B. E., Solíz, D., Lopéz, V. H. M., Maripani, J. F., Thiam, A., Rivas, T. E. (2007), "Technical Efficiency in Farming: a Meta-Regression Analysis." Journal of Productivity Analysis 27(1), pp. 57-72. Go to original source...
  20. Brons, M., Nijkamp, P., Pels, E., Rietveld, P. (2005), "Efficiency of Urban Public Transit: A Meta-Analysis." Transportation 32, pp. 1-21. Go to original source...
  21. Casu, B., Molyneux, P. (2000), "A Comparative Study of Efficiency in European Banking." Working Paper Series 17, School of Accounting, Banking and Economics, University of Wales.
  22. Chen, Y. (2001), Three Essays on Bank Efficiency. Ph.D. thesis, Drexel University.
  23. Clark, J. A. (1996), "Economic Cost, Scale Efficiency, and Competitive Viability in Banking." Journal of Money, Credit and Banking 28(3), pp. 342-64. Go to original source...
  24. Clark, J. A., Siems, T. F. (2002), "X-efficiency in Banking: Looking beyond the Balance Sheet." Journal of Money, Credit and Banking 34(4), pp. 987-1013. Go to original source...
  25. Colegravea, A. D., Giles, M. J. (2008), "School Cost Functions: A Meta-Regression Analysis." Economics of Education Review 27(6), pp. 688-696. Go to original source...
  26. DeYoung, R. (1997a), "A Diagnostic Test for the Distribution-Free Efficiency Estimator: An Example Using U.S. Commercial Bank Data." European Journal of Operational Research 98(2), pp. 243-249. Go to original source...
  27. DeYoung, R. (1997b), "Bank Mergers, X-efficiency, and the Market for Corporate Control." Managerial Finance 23(1), pp. 32-47. Go to original source...
  28. DeYoung, R., Hasan, I. (1998), "The Performance of de novo Commercial Banks: A Profit Efficiency Approach." Journal of Banking & Finance 22(5), pp. 565-587. Go to original source...
  29. DeYoung, R., Hasan, I., Kirchhoff, B. (1998), "The Impact of Out-of-State Entry on the Cost Efficiency of Local Commercial Banks." Journal of Economics and Business 50(2), pp. 191-203. Go to original source...
  30. DeYoung, R., Nolle, D. E. (1996), "Foreign-Owned Banks in the United States: Earning Market Share or Buying it?" Journal of Money, Credit and Banking 28(4), pp. 622-36. Go to original source...
  31. Dietsch, M., Lozano-Vivas, A. (2000), "How the Environment Determines Banking Efficiency: A Comparison between French and Spanish Industries." Journal of Banking and Finance 24, pp. 985-1004. Go to original source...
  32. Doucouliagos, H., Stanley, T. D. (2009), "Publication Selection bias in Minimum-Wage Research? A Meta-Regression Analysis." British Journal of Industrial Relations 47(2), pp. 406-428. Go to original source...
  33. Edgeworth, F. (1881), Mathematical Psychics: An Essay on the Application of Mathematics to the Moral Sciences. London: Kegan Paul & Co.
  34. English, M., Grosskopf, S., Hayes, K., Yaisawarng, S. (1993), "Output Allocative and Technical Efficiency of Banks." Journal of Banking & Finance 17(2-3), pp. 349-366. Go to original source...
  35. Farrell, J. M. (1957), "The Measurement of Productive Efficiency." Journal of the Royal Statistical Society 120(1), pp. 253-290. Go to original source...
  36. Ferrier, G. D., Grosskopf, S., Hayes, K., Yaisawarng, S. (1993), "Economies of Diversification in the Banking Industry: A Frontier Approach." Journal of Monetary Economics 31(2), pp. 229-249. Go to original source...
  37. Ferrier, G. D., Lovell, C. A. K. (1990), "Measuring Cost Efficiency in Banking: Econometric and Linear Programming Evidence." Journal of Econometrics 46(1-2), pp. 229-245. Go to original source...
  38. Fidrmuc, J., Korhonen, I. (2006), "Meta-Analysis of the Business Cycle Correlation between the Euro Area and the CEECs." Cesifo Working Paper Series, CESifo GmbH.
  39. Gallet, C. A., List, J. A. (2003), "Cigarette Demand: a Meta-Analysis of Elasticities." Health Economics 12(10), pp. 821-835. Go to original source...
  40. Hancock, D. (1986), "A Model of the Financial Firm with Imperfect Asset and Deposit Elasticities." Journal of Banking & Finance 10(1), pp. 37-54. Go to original source...
  41. Haslem, J. A., Scheraga, C. A., Bedingfield, J. P. (1999), "DEA Efficiency Profiles of U.S. Banks Operating Internationally." International Review of Economics & Finance 8(2), pp. 165-182. Go to original source...
  42. Hermalin, B. E., Wallace, N. E. (1994), "The Determinants of Efficiency and Solvency in Savings and Loans." RAND Journal of Economics 25(3), pp. 361-381. Go to original source...
  43. Humphrey, D. B., Pulley, L. B. (1997), "Banks' Responses to Deregulation: Profits, Technology, and Efficiency." Journal of Money, Credit and Banking 29(1), pp. 73-93. Go to original source...
  44. Iqbal, Z., Ramaswamy, K. V., Akhigbe, A. (1999), "The Output Efficiency of Minority-Owned Banks in the United States." International Review of Economics & Finance 8(1), pp. 105-114. Go to original source...
  45. Judge, G. G., Griffiths, W. E., Lutkepohl, H., Hill, R. C., Lee, T.-C. (1988), Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Econometrics. Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated, 2nd edition. Go to original source...
  46. Kaparakis, E. I., Miller, S. M., Noulas, A. G. (1994), "Short-Run Cost Inefficiency of Commercial Banks: A Flexible Stochastic Frontier Approach." Journal of Money, Credit and Banking 26(4), pp. 875-93. Go to original source...
  47. Kulasekaran, S., Shaffer, S. (2002), "Cost Efficiency among Credit Card Banks." Journal of Economics and Business 54(6), pp. 595-614. Go to original source...
  48. Mahajan, A., Rangan, N., Zardkoohi, A. (1996), "Cost Structures in Multinational and Domestic Banking." Journal of Banking & Finance 20(2), pp. 283-306. Go to original source...
  49. McAllister, P. H., McManus, D. (1993), "Resolving the Scale Efficiency Puzzle in Banking." Journal of Banking & Finance 17(2-3), pp. 389-405. Go to original source...
  50. Mester, L. J. (1993), "Efficiency in the Savings and Loan Industry." Journal of Banking & Finance 17(2-3), pp. 267-286. Go to original source...
  51. Mester, L. J. (1996), "A Study of Bank Efficiency Taking into Account Risk-Preferences." Journal of Banking & Finance 20(6), pp. 1025-1045. Go to original source...
  52. Mester, L. J. (1997), "Measuring Efficiency at U.S. Banks: Accounting for Heterogeneity Is Important." European Journal of Operational Research 98(2), pp. 230-242. Go to original source...
  53. Miller, S. M., Noulas, A. G. (1996), "The Technical Efficiency of Large Bank Production." Journal of Banking & Finance 20(3), pp. 495-509. Go to original source...
  54. Pareto, V. (1927), Manuel d'economie politique. Paris: Giard et Brier, 2nd edition.
  55. Peach, E. K., Stanley, T. (2009), "Efficiency Wages, Productivity and Simultaneity: A Meta-Regression Analysis." Journal of Labor Research 30(3), pp. 262-268. Go to original source...
  56. Peristiani, S. (1997), "Do Mergers Improve the X-efficiency and Scale Efficiency of U.S. Banks? Evidence from the 1980s." Journal of Money, Credit and Banking 29(3), pp. 326-37. Go to original source...
  57. Pi, L., Timme, S. G. (1993), "Corporate Control and Bank Efficiency." Journal of Banking & Finance 17(2-3), pp. 515-530. Go to original source...
  58. Rogers, K. E. (1998), "Nontraditional Activities and the Efficiency of US Commercial Banks." Journal of Banking & Finance 22(4), pp. 467-482. Go to original source...
  59. Sealey, J., Calvin, W., Lindley, J. T. (1977), "Inputs, Outputs, and a Theory of Production and Cost at Depository Financial Institutions." Journal of Finance 32(4), pp. 1251-66. Go to original source...
  60. Shephard, R. W. (1953), Cost and Production Functions. Princeton University Press, New Jersey.
  61. Stanley, T. D., Doucouliagos, C., Jarrell, S. B. (2008), "Meta-Regression Analysis as the SocioEconomics of Economics Research." The Journal of Socio-Economics 37(1), pp. 276-292. Go to original source...
  62. Stanley, T. D. (2001), "Wheat from Chaff: Meta-Analysis as Quantitative Literature Review." Journal of Economic Perspectives 15(3), pp. 131-150. Go to original source...
  63. Stanley, T. D., Jarrell, S. B. (1989), "Meta-Regression Analysis: A Quantitative Method of Literature Surveys." Journal of Economic Surveys 3(2), pp. 161-70. Go to original source...
  64. Thompson, R. G., Brinkmann, E. J., Dharmapala, P. S., Gonzalez-Lima, M. D., Thrall, R. M. (1997), "DEA/AR Profit Ratios and Sensitivity of 100 Large U.S. Banks." European Journal of Operational Research 98(2), pp. 213-229. Go to original source...
  65. Varian, H. (1984), "The Nonparametric Approach to Production Analysis." Econometrica 52, pp. 579-599. Go to original source...
  66. Wagenvoort, R., Schure, P. (1999), "Who Are Europe's Efficient Bankers?" Working Paper Series 4(1), European Investment Bank.
  67. Wheelock, D. C., Wilson, P. W. (1996), "Technical Progress, Inefficiency and Productivity Change in U.S. Banking, 1984-1993." Working Papers 1994-021, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Go to original source...

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY NC ND 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.