IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/emffin/v5y2006i2p151-182.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Is Inefficiency of Banks in India a Cause for Concern? Evidence from the Post-Reforms Era

Author

Listed:
  • Goutam Chatterjee

    (Goutam Chatterjee can be contacted at: gchatterjee@rbi.org.in)

Abstract

Cost inefficiency of banks in many countries is quite high. Financial sector reforms in India are also aimed at improving efficiency, productivity and profitability of banks via increased competitiveness. An assessment based on a fairly general framework in the Indian context has found that cost inefficiency of domestic banks in the post-reforms period is not very high. Data also supports a declining trend in inefficiency over time. Slightly higher average inefficiency in public sector banks points to a need for granting more autonomy and instituting a proper incentive structure. Branch rationalisation may also lead to lowering their costs. However, as methodology for efficiency estimation is not fully settled, the need for testing robustness of the results through alternative formulations is stressed.

Suggested Citation

  • Goutam Chatterjee, 2006. "Is Inefficiency of Banks in India a Cause for Concern? Evidence from the Post-Reforms Era," Journal of Emerging Market Finance, Institute for Financial Management and Research, vol. 5(2), pages 151-182, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:emffin:v:5:y:2006:i:2:p:151-182
    DOI: 10.1177/097265270600500203
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/097265270600500203
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/097265270600500203?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mitchell, Karlyn & Onvural, Nur M, 1996. "Economies of Scale and Scope at Large Commercial Banks: Evidence from the Fourier Flexible Functional Form," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 28(2), pages 178-199, May.
    2. Berger, Allen N. & Humphrey, David B., 1997. "Efficiency of financial institutions: International survey and directions for future research," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 175-212, April.
    3. Bhaumik, Sumon Kumar & Dimova, Ralitza, 2004. "How important is ownership in a market with level playing field?: The Indian banking sector revisited," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 165-180, March.
    4. Kumbhakar, Subal C., 1990. "Production frontiers, panel data, and time-varying technical inefficiency," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 46(1-2), pages 201-211.
    5. Resti, Andrea, 1997. "Evaluating the cost-efficiency of the Italian Banking System: What can be learned from the joint application of parametric and non-parametric techniques," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 221-250, February.
    6. George E. Battese & Greg S. Corra, 1977. "Estimation Of A Production Frontier Model: With Application To The Pastoral Zone Of Eastern Australia," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 21(3), pages 169-179, December.
    7. McAllister, Patrick H. & McManus, Douglas, 1993. "Resolving the scale efficiency puzzle in banking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(2-3), pages 389-405, April.
    8. Cornwell, Christopher & Schmidt, Peter & Sickles, Robin C., 1990. "Production frontiers with cross-sectional and time-series variation in efficiency levels," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 46(1-2), pages 185-200.
    9. Meeusen, Wim & van den Broeck, Julien, 1977. "Efficiency Estimation from Cobb-Douglas Production Functions with Composed Error," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 18(2), pages 435-444, June.
    10. Kodde, David A & Palm, Franz C, 1986. "Wald Criteria for Jointly Testing Equality and Inequality Restriction s," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(5), pages 1243-1248, September.
    11. Battese, G E & Coelli, T J, 1995. "A Model for Technical Inefficiency Effects in a Stochastic Frontier Production Function for Panel Data," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 325-332.
    12. Berger, Allen N. & Humphrey, David B., 1991. "The dominance of inefficiencies over scale and product mix economies in banking," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 117-148, August.
    13. Jondrow, James & Knox Lovell, C. A. & Materov, Ivan S. & Schmidt, Peter, 1982. "On the estimation of technical inefficiency in the stochastic frontier production function model," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2-3), pages 233-238, August.
    14. Keshari, Pradeep K & Paul, Thomas M, 1994. "Relative efficiency of foreign and domestic Banks," MPRA Paper 47072, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Bhattacharyya, Arunava & Lovell, C. A. K. & Sahay, Pankaj, 1997. "The impact of liberalization on the productive efficiency of Indian commercial banks," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 332-345, April.
    16. Sarkar, Jayati & Sarkar, Subrata & Bhaumik, Sumon K., 1998. "Does Ownership Always Matter?--Evidence from the Indian Banking Industry," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 262-281, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Hakan Güneş & Dilem Yıldırım, 2016. "Estimating Cost Efficiency of Turkish Commercial Banks under Unobserved Heterogeneity with Stochastic Frontier Models," ERC Working Papers 1603, ERC - Economic Research Center, Middle East Technical University, revised Mar 2016.
    2. Williams, Jonathan, 2004. "Determining management behaviour in European banking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(10), pages 2427-2460, October.
    3. Mai, Nhat Chi, 2015. "Efficiency of the banking system in Vietnam under financial liberalization," OSF Preprints qsf6d, Center for Open Science.
    4. Manlagñit, Maria Chelo V., 2011. "Cost efficiency, determinants, and risk preferences in banking: A case of stochastic frontier analysis in the Philippines," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 23-35, February.
    5. K. Ravirajan & K.R. Shanmugam, 2021. "Efficiency of commercial banks in India after global financial crises," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(3(628), A), pages 65-82, Autumn.
    6. Williams, Jonathan & Nguyen, Nghia, 2005. "Financial liberalisation, crisis, and restructuring: A comparative study of bank performance and bank governance in South East Asia," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(8-9), pages 2119-2154, August.
    7. Ather Hassan Dar & Somesh Kumar Mathur & Sila Mishra, 2021. "The Efficiency of Indian Banks: A DEA, Malmquist and SFA Analysis with Bad Output," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 19(4), pages 653-701, December.
    8. Antonio Lopes & Luca Giordano, 2006. "Risk Preference and Investments Quality as Determinants of Efficiency in the Italian Banking System," Quaderni DSEMS 12-2006, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche, Matematiche e Statistiche, Universita' di Foggia.
    9. Mohanty, Sunil K. & Lin, Winston T. & Lin, Hong-Jen, 2013. "Measuring cost efficiency in presence of heteroskedasticity: The case of the banking industry in Taiwan," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 77-90.
    10. Dairo Estrada & Poldy Osorio, 2004. "Effects of Financial Capital on Colombian Banking Efficiency," Revista ESPE - Ensayos sobre Política Económica, Banco de la Republica de Colombia, vol. 22(47), pages 162-201, December.
    11. Julio Peña & Julio Aguirre & René Cerca D'amico, 2004. "Pesca demersal en Chile: eficiencia técnica y escalas de operación," Revista de Analisis Economico – Economic Analysis Review, Universidad Alberto Hurtado/School of Economics and Business, vol. 19(1), pages 119-160, June.
    12. Manlagnit, Maria Chelo V., 2015. "Basel regulations and banks’ efficiency: The case of the Philippines," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 72-85.
    13. Zuzana Irsova & Tomas Havranek, 2011. "Bank Efficiency in Transitional Countries: Sensitivity to Stochastic Frontier Design," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 18(2), pages 230-270, December.
    14. Michael D. Rosko, 2001. "Cost efficiency of US hospitals: a stochastic frontier approach," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 10(6), pages 539-551, September.
    15. Rudra Sensarma, 2008. "Deregulation, ownership and profit performance of banks: evidence from India," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(19), pages 1581-1595.
    16. Jyotsna Rosario & K.R. Shanmugam, 2024. "Elementary Education Outcome Efficiency of Indian States: A Ray Frontier Approach," Working Papers 2024-264, Madras School of Economics,Chennai,India.
    17. Coelli, Tim J., 1995. "Recent Developments In Frontier Modelling And Efficiency Measurement," Australian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 39(3), pages 1-27, December.
    18. Peter Dawson & Stephen Dobson & Bill Gerrard, 2000. "Stochastic Frontiers and the Temporal Structure of Managerial Efficiency in English Soccer," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 1(4), pages 341-362, November.
    19. Bernardo Maggi & Stefania P. S. Rossi, 2003. "An efficiency analysis of banking systems: a comparison of European and United States large commercial banks using different functional forms," Vienna Economics Papers 0306, University of Vienna, Department of Economics.
    20. Adnan Kasman & Saadet Kirbas Kasman & Oscar Carvallo, 2005. "Efficiency and Foreign Ownership in Banking: An International Comparison," Discussion Paper Series 05/03, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Business, Department of Economics, revised 23 Nov 2005.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    JEL Classification: C33; JEL Classification: G21; JEL Classification: L11; Banks; cost efficiency; parametric approach; time-varying inefficiency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:sae:emffin:v:5:y:2006:i:2:p:151-182. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.ifmr.ac.in .

    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.