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Bank Organization, Market Structure and Risk Taking: Theory and Evidence from U.S. Commercial Banks

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  • Martin Goetz

Abstract

This paper examines (1) the change in commercial banks’ risk taking as states in the United States removed restrictions on bank branching within state borders and (2) the channels through which the removal of these restrictions affect bank risk taking. I find that, after the liberalization of branching restrictions, banks that do not expand their branch network into other markets decrease risk taking, while expanding banks do not change risk taking. Existing theories, which focus on the importance of market structure on risk taking, are not able to explain this pattern. Therefore I provide a theoretical framework, building on theories from organizational economics, which can account for this by showing that non-expanding banks have a comparative advantage in lending to informationally difficult borrowers, which induces them to lower risk taking as competitors expand. Empirical evidence supports this channel and highlights the importance of borrower information, since nonexpanding banks decrease risk taking more as competitors expand if they operate in a county with more informationally difficult borrowers.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Goetz, 2011. "Bank Organization, Market Structure and Risk Taking: Theory and Evidence from U.S. Commercial Banks," NFI Working Papers 2011-WP-11, Indiana State University, Scott College of Business, Networks Financial Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:nfi:nfiwps:2011-wp-11
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    1. David VanHoose, 2013. "Implications of Shifting Retail Market Shares for Loan Monitoring in a Dominant-Bank Model," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 60(3), pages 291-316, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bank Risk; Market Structure; Organization; Regulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure

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