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Financial liberalization and bank efficiency: evidence from post-war Lebanon

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  • Rima Turk Ariss

Abstract

The process of financial liberalization has stiffened competition in an environment characterized by a revolution in information technology and provided an incentive for bank management to focus on improving efficiency. To date, limited studies were conducted for Middle East banking sectors, a region with great potential for cross-border financial integration. This article uses a unique data set from post-war Lebanon to investigate, (1) how bank efficiency is evolving subsequent to a period of deregulation, (2) how well large banks are performing relative to small banks and (3) how efficiently are domestic banks competing with foreign banks. The average cost inefficiency of Lebanese banks appears to be small (around 12%) compared to the results reported in the literature. The findings indicate that cost efficiency has improved over the period under study, that consolidation in the financial sector has enhanced banking efficiency and that domestic banks are as efficient as foreign banks.

Suggested Citation

  • Rima Turk Ariss, 2008. "Financial liberalization and bank efficiency: evidence from post-war Lebanon," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(11), pages 931-946.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:apfiec:v:18:y:2008:i:11:p:931-946
    DOI: 10.1080/09603100701335408
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert A. Eisenbeis & Simon H. Kwan, 1996. "An analysis of inefficiencies in banking: a stochastic cost frontier approach," Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, pages 16-26.
    2. Mester, Loretta J., 1997. "Measuring efficiency at U.S. banks: Accounting for heterogeneity is important," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 230-242, April.
    3. Allen N. Berger & Loretta J. Mester, 1999. "What Explains the Dramatic Changes in Cost and Profit Performance of the U.S. Banking Industry?," Center for Financial Institutions Working Papers 99-10, Wharton School Center for Financial Institutions, University of Pennsylvania.
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    Cited by:

    1. Farazi, Subika & Feyen, Erik & Rocha, Roberto, 2011. "Bank ownership and performance in the Middle East and North Africa region," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5620, The World Bank.
    2. Cristian Barra & Giovanna Bimonte & Roberto Zotti, 2016. "On the relationship among efficiency, capitalization and risk: does management matter in local banking market?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(41), pages 3912-3934, September.
    3. Olson, Dennis & Zoubi, Taisier A., 2011. "Efficiency and bank profitability in MENA countries," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 94-110, June.
    4. Otero, Luis & Razia, Alaa & Cunill, Onofre Martorell & Mulet-Forteza, Carles, 2020. "What determines efficiency in MENA banks?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 331-341.
    5. Thilakaweera, Bolanda Hewa & Harvie, Charles & Arjomandi, Amir, 2016. "Branch expansion and banking efficiency in Sri Lanka’s post‐conflict era," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 45-57.
    6. Amir Mehdiabadi & Mariyeh Tabatabeinasab & Cristi Spulbar & Amir Karbassi Yazdi & Ramona Birau, 2020. "Are We Ready for the Challenge of Banks 4.0? Designing a Roadmap for Banking Systems in Industry 4.0," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-29, May.
    7. Sanyal, Paroma & Shankar, Rashmi, 2011. "Ownership, competition, and bank productivity: An analysis of Indian banking in the post-reform period," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 225-247, April.
    8. Hichem Saidi & Houssem Rachdi & Nidhal Mgadmi, 2017. "Revisiting the Role of Governance and Institutions in the Impact of Financial Liberalization on Economic Growth using the PSTR Model," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 64(3), pages 315-336, June.
    9. Nasma A. Berro, 2023. "Measuring the Cost Efficiency of Lebanese Commercial Banks using the Stochastic Frontier Approach," Journal of Applied Finance & Banking, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 13(5), pages 1-5.
    10. Sunil Kumar, 2013. "Banking reforms and the evolution of cost efficiency in Indian public sector banks," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 143-182, May.
    11. Omneya Abdelsalam & Sabur Mollah & Emili Tortosa-Ausina, 2018. "Political connection and bank in(efficiency)," Working Papers 2018-11, Swansea University, School of Management.

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