Estimation of scale and scope economies in multiproduct banking: evidence from the Fourier flexible functional form with panel data

An empirical study is conducted on scale and scope economies for Taiwan's banking industry with panel data using a Fourier flexible cost function developed by Gallant and a translog cost function, both of which take economic efficiency into account. It is found that the Fourier form is more appropriate than the traditional translog form in fitting the data, and that various efficiency measures computed using the Fourier function are compatible with each other, while those computed using the translog function are not. The Fourier evidence shows that sample banks continue to enjoy economies of scale, and exhibit scope diseconomies, which indicates that greater product diversification can reduce banking costs through product-mix economies. Banks may benefit from further diversifying their line of financial services.     

Returns to scale in a matching model: evidence from disaggregated panel data

The returns to scale in the matching function play an important role in models with endogenous search effort. Due to positive externalities, increasing returns to scale in matching can support high or low activity equilibrium in the labour market. In this study, we examine this issue using panel data from Finnish employment offices. The study finds that the results from the Cobb–Douglas and translog specification are qualitatively different. The CD specification of the matching function exhibits constant returns to scale. The translog specification, in turn, exhibits increasing returns to scale. The elasticity estimate for returns, using the preferred specification and minimum and maximum sample values for job seekers and vacancies, fall in the range of 1.1 to 1.6.     

Supervision and cost efficiency in banking

This paper suggests a link between bank operating efficiency and federal supervisor. Since supervisory priorities can vary by the context in which the supervisor was conceived, resulting differences in supervisory policies and procedures may underlay differences in the operating efficiency of their supervised banks. The effect on bank operating expenses is estimated at the individual bank level for each of four size strata using a translog cost function, controlling for bank characteristics and the impact of scale and scope economies. Results generally support a conclusion that bank operating cost differences exist by supervisor, except in the largest size stratum.The authors gratefully acknowledge helpful comments and suggestions from Seungmook Choi, Cary Collins, Curt Hunter, Bradford D. Jordan, Richard H. Pettway, John D. Stowe, Larry Wall, and Jim Wansley, and others at the University of Missouri and Northern Illinois University.     

我国商业银行效率结构研究

本文采用随机前沿法(SFA)测算了1990—2003年我国商业银行的X-利润效率、规模效率、范围效率及其动态变化,然后分析了宏观因素、产权制度与市场结构对效率水平的影响程度和影响机制。实证检验发现,GDP增长率、固定资产投资增长率和货币供应量(M2)的增长率对X-利润效率水平产生正影响;CPI和以全部国有及规模以上非国有工业企业的销售利润率衡量的企业整体效益状况对X-利润效率水平产生了负影响;所有宏观变量中,固定资产投资增长率的影响最大。在面临相同的宏观经济环境下,国有商业银行和股份制商业银行的X-利润效率水平存在结构性差别,且依次递增;两类商业银行均存在一定程度的规模效率,国有商业银行在大多数年份里的规模效率好于股份制银行,从时间趋势来说,两类商业银行由于规模的扩大,规模经济效应正在逐步减弱且差距也在逐步缩小;国有银行几乎不存在范围效率,股份制银行存在一定程度的范围效率,但从时间趋势来看,范围效率逐步减弱。产权制度是造成这种差异的关键原因,市场竞争程度对商业银行效率也产生了非常重要的影响;且两者对商业银行效率的影响是一种互补关系而不是替代关系。最后提出了相应的对策和建议。     

A Parametric Estimation of Bank Efficiencies Using a Flexible Profit Function with Panel Data

This paper generalises Kumbhakar's (1996a) single product shadow profit function to a multiproduct one, which in contrast to Berger, Hancock, and Humphrey (1993) is consistent with a firm's profit maximising behaviour. By estimating a parametric translog profit function, which does not require special assumptions about the error distribution, and using panel data from Taiwan's banking industry, the following conclusions can be drawn: (i) Parameter estimates from the translog functional form are more robust than those from the Fuss (non-logarithmic) form. (ii) More than half of all potential variable profits are found to be lost due to inefficiencies. (iii) Greater reduction in profit results from deficient output revenues than from a suboptimal input mix. (iv) The model finds technical progress during the sample period. (v) A type of 'weakly' optimal scope economies is detected, which suggests that the joint production of the two products can increase profits for some banks while not hurting the profits of others.     

Performance of Thailand banks after the 1997 East Asian financial crisis

The performance of commercial banks and government-owned specialized banks in Thailand is estimated after the 1997 East Asian financial crisis. Commercial banks exhibit increasing returns to scale, whereas government-owned specialized banks exhibit decreasing returns to scale, implying further increases in bank size and market concentration in the commercial bank sector but not for government specialized banks. Cost inefficiency varies by bank and is a function of the ratio of nonperforming loans (NPLs) to total loans, equity to total assets and liquid assets to total assets, as well as the number of branches. On average, banks with fewer NPLs, that are well capitalized and with adequate liquidity are efficient. Thus, stricter rules to regulate credit risk management and ensure capital and liquidity adequacy would enhance efficiency in the banking sector. Although estimated input substitutability appears to be low, labour and loanable fund are substitutes. However, labour and physical capital as well as physical and loanable funds are complements in commercial banks. All the three inputs of labour, physical capital and loanable funds are substitutes for the government specialized banks.     

Economies of Scale in Australian Banks 1978–1990

This paper examines economies of scale in Australian banks. A bank multi-product cost function is estimated using a translog functional form with data drawn from twelve banks spanning the period 1978 to 1990. Different formulations of the model are estimated. Results prove sensitive to estimation assumptions and data definitions however they support the presence of economies of scale for Australian banking in this period     

国有商业银行与股份制商业银行生产效率的比较研究

本文采用基于投入的DEA方法 ,比较了加入WTO之前我国国有商业银行与股份制商业银行的生产效率。我们把存款当作产出 ,选取 1999年～ 2 0 0 1年十四家全国性商业银行为样本 ,计算出银行的技术效率 ,并将技术效率分解为纯技术效率和规模效率 ,确定银行的规模报酬变化。我们从银行的技术有效性、整体效率、技术无效性原因和规模报酬四个方面对国有和股份制商业银行进行了比较分析 ,研究国有商业银行与股份制商业银行之间的差距 ,并分析了原因。     

Economies of scale in the Australian tourism industry

The measurement of economies of scale in the tourism industry has not been done to this point, as tourism is not a specific industry according to international statistical standards. Among many industries related to tourism, four sectors (accommodation, transport, retail trade and recreational services) across six states and two territories from 1997 to 2007 are studied as they contribute nearly 70% of tourism output in Australia. By comparing regression results from the Cobb–Douglas (C–D) production function and the translog production function, we find that there is evidence of increasing returns in transport, retail trade and recreational services at the industry level. However, accommodation is characterized by constant returns to scale at the industry level. As accommodation is responsible for the biggest share of tourism output, this suggests that overall the tourism sector is not characterized by increasing returns. We also find that the degrees of returns to scale from the C–D and translog production functions are different and that the imposition of input share also influences the empirical results. Both of these factors stress the importance of model specification to the measurement of economies of scale.     

中国商业银行成本效率实证研究

基于随机前沿法原理,利用超越对数成本函数模型,本文评估了中国14家主要商业银行在1998—2003年间的成本效率情况,并按考虑贷款产出质量的2003年成本效率情况对各银行排序。实证研究结论为(1)中国商业银行总体的成本效率并不很差;(2)国有商业银行成本效率处于上升趋势,股份制商业银行则保持波动攀升趋势;(3)贷款产出质量对中国商业银行的成本效率有明显的负面影响,在考虑产出质量时,国有商业银行成本效率明显落后于股份制商业银行。     

Reducing urban public transport costs by tendering lots: a panel data estimation

Allotment is, for urban authorities, a governance strategy to reduce public transport costs. It consists of dividing a network into several lots, so as to multiply the number of calls for tender. On the one hand, gains should be obtained by increasing competition for the market and reducing the costs of obtaining accurate information. On the other hand, cutting a network into several parts is also expected to have negative consequences on production costs, in terms of lower returns to scale. Many industry stakeholders believe that the latter element more than compensates for the former. In this article, we estimate a translog cost function with a panel of 141 French urban public transport networks. Our main conclusion is that scale economies are exhausted for a production of about 3 million vehicle-kilometres per year. Therefore, as far as returns to scale are concerned, allotment would reduce the costs of public transport services for the main cities of our sample. A second dividend for allotment is then presented and implies that the assumed trade-off between returns to scale and increased competition is irrelevant.     

THE EFFECTS OF FIRM BOUNDARY AND FINANCING CONSTRAINTS ON UTILITY COSTS: THE CASE OF MUNICIPALLY OWNED ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION UTILITIES

ABSTRACT: A number of studies have examined costs and potential for scale and scope economies in electricity distribution; however, few if any, have examined this area in terms of the unique constraints associated with municipal ownership or historical and regulatory constraints associated with former municipal ownership. This paper focuses on 19 distribution‐only municipally owned utilities for a ten‐year period (1988–97). Distortions from variable outputs but largely fixed inputs are minimized. The data used were collected specifically to assess productivity, cost, and efficiency performance and include value‐based capital inputs and service prices. Outputs include energy conveyed and number of connections; inputs include capital, system losses, labour, and materials. We examine the effect of using third‐party financing (e.g., connection charges), with its inherent principal‐agent problems, on utility costs, as well as the effect of shared services and multi‐utility output (e.g., electricity and water). A translog total cost function is estimated. Our findings suggest significant returns to scope but also significant increases in costs associated with the use of third‐party financing. The results also suggest scale diseconomies. Shared outputs, which have been greatly restricted or eliminated under restructuring, may have provided larger, and now lost, economies than the scale returns blindly pursued by some through restructuring or incented/forced mergers or divestitures. Finally, it is clear that third‐party financing can raise costs; such financing is widely used among utilities providing electricity, gas, water, and telecommunications, and should be closely scrutinized.     

Choice of the empirical definition of zero in the translog multiproduct cost functional form

The translog cost function is valuable to researchers for empirical analysis in themodelling of indirect cost and profit functions. A flaw of the functional form is in themodelling of zero output values. This study examined the impacts of empirical definition of zero output values on price elasticities, economies of scope and scale, using the translog cost function. Estimation of a system of cost and factor share equations with regularity condition imposed was conducted. Results show that the choice of default values affects policy recommendations.     

Cost metafrontier approach for measuring the Malmquist productivity index: An example of bank groups formed after the financial reform in Taiwan

This study attempts to provide a framework under the variable returns to scale hypothesis to account for the effect of the cost scale efficiency change in the decomposition of the cost metafrontier Malmquist productivity index (CMMPI). In addition, the meta‐cost efficiency and cost frontier gap between subordinate banks of financial holding companies (FHC) and independent banks are also examined. A total of 34 banks in Taiwan are empirically analysed from 1999 to 2012. The results indicate that the meta‐cost efficiency, meta‐technical efficiency and meta‐allocative efficiency scores of subordinate banks of FHC are better than those of independent banks. The banking industry in Taiwan is found to have an improvement in cost metafrontier Malmquist productivity. The subordinate banks of FHC are also found to exhibit positive CMMPI and decomposition components, but do not achieve a significant improvement except in the case of the technical gap ratio change. The empirical results recommend that Taiwanese banks place more policy focus on the issue of scale adjustment, which should be beneficial. Based on the CMMPI decomposed results, we can gain further understanding of the growth path to enhance operational performance.     

Comment on ‘Competition Tests with a Non‐Structural Model: The Panzar–Rosse Method Applied to Germany's Savings Banks’

Abstract. In a recent issue of this journal Gischer and Stiele (2009) applied the ‘Test for “Monopoly” Equilibrium’ advanced by Panzar and Rosse (1987) to German savings banks and came up with the claim that savings banks maximize profits under conditions of monopolistic competition in the meaning of Edward Chamberlin. Their proposition is not conclusive since it would require free entry and for savings banks to operate under increasing returns to scale. Available evidence, however, shows them being subject to constant or decreasing returns to scale. The empirical findings of Gischer and Stiele can more convincingly be explained by assuming savings banks abide by their legal goals to pursue the public interest.     

Visibility,Institutional Preferences and Agency Considerations

We show that market frictions and agency considerations are important concerns when institutional investors make portfolio allocation decisions. For a sample of widely followed firms, institutional holdings increase with increases in visibility as measured by the number of analysts following the firm. We also report a significant seasonal pattern in institutional holdings consistent with the gamesmanship hypothesis, which asserts that institutions rebalance their portfolios in response to agency considerations. Finally, we find that excess returns are highly seasonal with performance, deteriorating when the following by financial analysts increases. "Followed" firms actually exhibit inferior market performance over the 1981-1996 sample period.     

Econometric Cost Structure Estimates for Cellular Telephony in the United States

This article estimates economies of scale for a sample of five cellular telephony firms in the United States. We reject constant returns to scale for all but the smallest firm studied; the remaining firms exhibit decreasing returns to scale. This finding suggests that scale economies cannot be used to justify the current regulated duopoly structure of United States cellular markets.     

Evolution of banking efficiency within an unstable macroeconomic environment: the case of Turkish commercial banks

This paper analyses the efficiency performance of the Turkish banking sector between 1988 and 1999, a period characterized by increasing macroeconomic instability. The technical and scale efficiencies of Turkish commercial banks are measured with the use of nonparametric Data Envelopment Analysis. The empirical results suggest that over the sample period both pure technical and scale efficiency measures show a great variation and the sector did not achieve sustained efficiency gains. It is also reported that the sector suffers mainly from scale inefficiency and scale inefficiency, in turn, is due to decreasing returns to scale. There are also reported differences in the efficiency performance of commercial banks with different ownership status. In addition, the relationships between profitability, asset quality, size and the two definitions of efficiency are considered. Efficient banks are more profitable, and pure technical efficiency and scale inefficiency are positively related to size. The trend in the performance levels over the period suggests that macroeconomic conditions had a profound influence on the efficiency measures.     

Competition,economies of scale,and diversity of firm sizes

This paper presents an empirical example in which small firms are able to compete by specializing, without monopolistic conduct, despite economies of scale. The viability of small commercial banks in Illinois is established both by casual observation and by a finding of constant returns to scale, not correcting for specialization. A second specification of the cost function, correcting for specialization, exhibits economies of scale, suggesting that specialization is the means by which small banks survive. Monopoly conduct is ruled out by a Rosse–Panzar test, rejecting the alternative hypothesis that monopoly power has allowed inefficient banks to survive.     

Australian Banking Efficiency and Its Relation to Stock Returns

We used Data Envelopment Analysis to evaluate cost efficiency of Australian banks in producing banking services and profit between 1995 and 2002. Empirical results indicate the major banks have improved their efficiency in producing banking services and profit, while the regional banks have experienced little change in the efficiency of producing banking services, and a decline in the efficiency of producing profit. An attempt is made to relate the changes in efficiency to stock returns. Results indicate that for our sample, changes in firm efficiency are reflected in stock returns.