IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i21p5922-d280026.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ethical Financing in Europe—Non-Parametric Assessment of Efficiency

Author

Listed:
  • Teodora Cristina Barbu

    (Department of Money and Banking, Faculty of Finance and Banking, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Strada Mihail Moxa 5–7, 010961 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Iustina Alina Boitan

    (Department of Money and Banking, Faculty of Finance and Banking, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Strada Mihail Moxa 5–7, 010961 Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

The research gravitates around ethical, sustainable banking activity in an attempt to measure its responsible impact, which is proxy by the efficiency of their financial intermediation function. The paper focuses on ethical banks included in the membership of the European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks. Ethical banks are in the spotlight as they are explicitly involved in channeling financial resources towards start-ups and investment projects characterized by the social, cultural and environmental value-added, by encouraging the development of responsible, durable projects. The data envelopment analysis technique was used for computing the relative efficiency score which applies a linear programming algorithm for aggregating multiple inputs and outputs specific to banking activity. The main research stages developed within the paper consist of the following: (i) Computation of efficiency scores for each ethical bank in a timeframe of four successive years; (ii) developing the efficient frontier; (iii) performing discrimination between efficient and less efficient ethical banks and making a ranking. Therefore, the results emphasize ethical banks’ comparative performance, in terms of efficiency, and allow the identification of resembling peers whose monitoring may help the bank in achieving a further efficiency status. Overall, the results show that a single ethical bank constantly fulfills its mission to be socially responsible and exhibits a persistent efficiency status while the remaining ones face heterogeneity in terms of efficient business conduct.

Suggested Citation

  • Teodora Cristina Barbu & Iustina Alina Boitan, 2019. "Ethical Financing in Europe—Non-Parametric Assessment of Efficiency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-10, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:21:p:5922-:d:280026
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/21/5922/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/21/5922/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fiordelisi, Franco & Marques-Ibanez, David & Molyneux, Phil, 2011. "Efficiency and risk in European banking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 1315-1326, May.
    2. Wim Moesen & Laurens Cherchye, 1998. "The Macroeconomic Performance of Nations Measurement and Perception," Working Papers of Department of Economics, Leuven ces9822, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Department of Economics, Leuven.
    3. Mamatzakis, Emmanuel & Staikouras, Christos & Koutsomanoli-Filippaki, Anastasia, 2008. "Bank efficiency in the new European Union member states: Is there convergence?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 1156-1172, December.
    4. Haas, David A. & Murphy, Frederic H., 2003. "Compensating for non-homogeneity in decision-making units in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(3), pages 530-544, February.
    5. Khan, Tariqullah & Nabee Mohomed, Amiirah Bint Raffick, 2017. "Ethical Banking and Islamic Banking: A Comparison of Triodos Bank and Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited," Islamic Economic Studies, The Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI), vol. 25, pages 112-154.
    6. Fotios Pasiouras, 2008. "International evidence on the impact of regulations and supervision on banks’ technical efficiency: an application of two-stage data envelopment analysis," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 187-223, February.
    7. Timothy J. Coelli & D.S. Prasada Rao & Christopher J. O’Donnell & George E. Battese, 2005. "An Introduction to Efficiency and Productivity Analysis," Springer Books, Springer, edition 0, number 978-0-387-25895-9, December.
    8. Belke, Ansgar & Haskamp, Ulrich & Setzer, Ralph, 2016. "Regional bank efficiency and its effect on regional growth in “normal” and “bad” times," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 413-426.
    9. RNuket Kirci Cevik & Sel Dibooglu & Ali M. Kutan, 2016. "Real and Financial Sector Studies in Central and Eastern Europe: A Review," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 66(1), pages 2-31, February.
    10. Mihaita Cosmin POPOVICI, 2014. "Banking integration and efficiency convergence in Baltic countries in post-crisis period," Timisoara Journal of Economics and Business, West University of Timisoara, Romania, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 7(2), pages 134-146, December.
    11. Staikouras, Christos & Mamatzakis, Emmanuel & Koutsomanoli-Filippaki, Anastasia, 2008. "An empirical investigation of operating performance in the new European banking landscape," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 32-45.
    12. International Monetary Fund, 2007. "Switzerland: Financial Sector Assessment Program: Technical Note: The Swiss Banking System: Structure, Performance, and Medium-Term Challenges," IMF Staff Country Reports 2007/199, International Monetary Fund.
    13. Fare, Rolf & Grosskopf, Shawna & Kokkelenberg, Edward C, 1989. "Measuring Plant Capacity, Utilization and Technical Change: A Nonparametric Approach," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 30(3), pages 655-666, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jasman Tuyon & Okey Peter Onyia & Aidi Ahmi & Chia-Hsing Huang, 2023. "Sustainable financial services: reflection and future perspectives," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 28(4), pages 664-690, December.
    2. Daniele Eckert Matzembacher & Mervi Raudsaar & Marcia Dutra de Barcellos & Tõnis Mets, 2020. "Business Models’ Innovations to Overcome Hybridity-Related Tensions in Sustainable Entrepreneurship," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-17, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gaganis, Chrysovalantis & Pasiouras, Fotios, 2013. "Financial supervision regimes and bank efficiency: International evidence," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 5463-5475.
    2. repec:cmj:journl:y:2013:i:27:popovicimc is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Johann Burgstaller, 2020. "Retail‐bank efficiency: Nonstandard goals and environmental determinants," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 91(2), pages 269-301, June.
    4. Mihăiță-Cosmin M. POPOVICI, 2013. "A Survey On Bank Efficiency Research With Data Envelopment Analysis And Stochastic Frontier Analysis," SEA - Practical Application of Science, Romanian Foundation for Business Intelligence, Editorial Department, issue 1, pages 134-142, June.
    5. Mihăiță-Cosmin M. Popovici, 2013. "Latest Challenges In Efficiency Convergence In Balkan And Baltic Countries," Network Intelligence Studies, Romanian Foundation for Business Intelligence, Editorial Department, issue 2, pages 110-118, October.
    6. Helmi Hammami & Thanh Ngo & David Tripe & Dinh-Tri Vo, 2022. "Ranking with a Euclidean common set of weights in data envelopment analysis: with application to the Eurozone banking sector," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 311(2), pages 675-694, April.
    7. Fethi, Meryem Duygun & Pasiouras, Fotios, 2010. "Assessing bank efficiency and performance with operational research and artificial intelligence techniques: A survey," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 204(2), pages 189-198, July.
    8. Mihăiță-Cosmin M. POPOVICI, 2014. "Impact Of Financial Crisis On Banking Efficiency: Evidence From Romania," SEA - Practical Application of Science, Romanian Foundation for Business Intelligence, Editorial Department, issue 3, pages 451-456, April.
    9. Tsionas, Efthymios G. & Assaf, A. George & Matousek, Roman, 2015. "Dynamic technical and allocative efficiencies in European banking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 130-139.
    10. Lozano-Vivas, Ana & Pasiouras, Fotios, 2010. "The impact of non-traditional activities on the estimation of bank efficiency: International evidence," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 1436-1449, July.
    11. Sunil Mohanty & Hong-Jen Lin, 2021. "Efficiency in China’s Banking Sector: A Comparative Analysis of Pre- and Post-Basel II Eras," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(02), pages 1-29, June.
    12. Christopoulos, Apostolos G. & Dokas, Ioannis G. & Katsimardou, Sofia & Spyromitros, Eleftherios, 2020. "Assessing banking sectors’ efficiency of financially troubled Eurozone countries," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    13. Francesco Aiello & Graziella Bonanno, 2018. "On The Sources Of Heterogeneity In Banking Efficiency Literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 194-225, February.
    14. Yang, Hsin-Feng & Liu, Chih-Liang & Yeutien Chou, Ray, 2020. "Bank diversification and systemic risk," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 311-326.
    15. Anachit Bagntasarian & Emmanuel Mamatzakis, 2019. "Testing for the underlying dynamics of bank capital buffer and performance nexus," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 347-380, February.
    16. Wu, Zai Bin & Yeung, Godfrey & Mok, Vincent & Han, Zhaozhou, 2007. "Firm-specific knowledge and technical efficiency of watch and clock manufacturing firms in China," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(2), pages 317-332, June.
    17. Bitar, Mohammad & Saad, Wadad & Benlemlih, Mohammed, 2016. "Bank risk and performance in the MENA region: The importance of capital requirements," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 398-421.
    18. Manthos D. Delis & Philip Molyneux & Fotios Pasiouras, 2011. "Regulations and Productivity Growth in Banking: Evidence from Transition Economies," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(4), pages 735-764, June.
    19. Mamatzakis, Emmanuel & Bermpei, Theodora, 2014. "What drives investment bank performance? The role of risk, liquidity and fees prior to and during the crisis," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 102-117.
    20. Bitar, Mohammad & Pukthuanthong, Kuntara & Walker, Thomas, 2018. "The effect of capital ratios on the risk, efficiency and profitability of banks: Evidence from OECD countries," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 227-262.
    21. Afsharian, Mohsen & Kamali, Sara & Ahn, Heinz & Bogetoft, Peter, 2024. "Individualized second stage corrections in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 317(2), pages 563-577.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:21:p:5922-:d:280026. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.