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Is There an Optimal Size for the Financial Sector

Author

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  • Anthony M. Santomero
  • John J. Seater

Abstract

This paper derives the optimal size of the financial sector using a general equilibrium framework that is an extension of Holmstrom and Tirole's 1997 paper. We show that the financial sector has a unique optimal size relative to the size of the economy as a whole. Creating and maintaining this sector requires diversion of some physical capital from production of output to monitoring that production. However, the efficiency gain in output production brought about by monitoring warrants the diversion. It is also found that the optimal size of the financial sector is independent of the state of the economy and does not vary over the business cycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Anthony M. Santomero & John J. Seater, 1999. "Is There an Optimal Size for the Financial Sector," Center for Financial Institutions Working Papers 98-35, Wharton School Center for Financial Institutions, University of Pennsylvania.
    • Handle: RePEc:wop:pennin:98-35
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bengt Holmstrom & Jean Tirole, 1997. "Financial Intermediation, Loanable Funds, and The Real Sector," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(3), pages 663-691.
    2. Bhattacharya Sudipto & Thakor Anjan V., 1993. "Contemporary Banking Theory," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 3(1), pages 2-50, October.
    3. Franklin Allen, Douglas Gale, 1988. "Optimal Security Design," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 1(3), pages 229-263.
    4. Ben Bernanke & Mark Gertler, 1990. "Financial Fragility and Economic Performance," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 105(1), pages 87-114.
    5. Tobin, James, 1969. "A General Equilibrium Approach to Monetary Theory," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 1(1), pages 15-29, February.
    6. Leland, Hayne E & Pyle, David H, 1977. "Informational Asymmetries, Financial Structure, and Financial Intermediation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 32(2), pages 371-387, May.
    7. Bernanke, Ben S, 1981. "Bankruptcy, Liquidity, and Recession," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(2), pages 155-159, May.
    8. Douglas W. Diamond, 1984. "Financial Intermediation and Delegated Monitoring," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 51(3), pages 393-414.
    9. Bernanke, Ben & Gertler, Mark, 1989. "Agency Costs, Net Worth, and Business Fluctuations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(1), pages 14-31, March.
    10. Allen, Franklin & Santomero, Anthony M., 1997. "The theory of financial intermediation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(11-12), pages 1461-1485, December.
    11. Fama, Eugene F., 1985. "What's different about banks?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 29-39, January.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Drew Saunders, 2009. "The Elastic Provision of Liquidity by Private Agents," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(7), pages 1423-1451, October.
    2. Ductor, Lorenzo & Grechyna, Daryna, 2015. "Financial development, real sector, and economic growth," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 393-405.
    3. Mr. Gianni De Nicolo & Mr. Sami Geadah & Mr. Dmitriy L Rozhkov, 2003. "Financial Development in the CIS-7 Countries: Bridging the Great Divide," IMF Working Papers 2003/205, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Zhixin Wang & Yue Wang, 2019. "Measuring Risks of Confirming Warehouse Financing from the Third Party Logistics Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-24, November.
    5. Jingzhu Chen & Yuemei Ji, 2022. "Is Finance Good for Growth? New Evidence from China," CESifo Working Paper Series 9882, CESifo.
    6. Lin Lin & Hsien-Chang Kuo & I-Liang Lin, 2008. "Merger and optimal number of firms: an integrated simulation approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(18), pages 2413-2421.
    7. Ye, Dezhu & Huang, Yunjue & Zeng, Fanqing, 2021. "Does structural matching between finance and the real economy promote economic growth?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 11-29.
    8. Leyla Yusifzada & Aytan Mammadova, 2015. "Financial intermediation and economic growth," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp1091, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    9. Lv, Chengchao & Song, Jie & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "Can digital finance narrow the regional disparities in the quality of economic growth? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 502-521.
    10. Tiho Ancev & Karunagaran Madhavan, 2023. "Size matters: Optimal management of dynamic systems with varying size," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 67(1), pages 137-153, January.
    11. Arman Kösedağ & Meltem Denizel & Öznur Özdemir, 2009. "Testing for convergence in bank efficiency: a cross-country analysis," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(9), pages 1533-1547, November.
    12. John J. Seater, 2000. "Optimal Bank Regulation and Monetary Policy," Center for Financial Institutions Working Papers 00-38, Wharton School Center for Financial Institutions, University of Pennsylvania.
    13. Rahman, Abdul & Khan, Muhammad Arshad & Charfeddine, Lanouar, 2021. "Regime-specific impact of financial reforms on economic growth in Pakistan," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 161-182.
    14. Drew Saunders, 2009. "The Elastic Provision of Liquidity by Private Agents," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(7), pages 1423-1451, October.
    15. Fatima S. Al Shamsi & Hassan Aly & Mohamed El-Bassiouni, 2009. "Measuring and explaining the efficiencies of the United Arab Emirates banking system," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(27), pages 3505-3519.
    16. Michael Graff, 2005. "Is There an Optimum Level of Financial Activity?," KOF Working papers 05-106, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    17. Liu, Guanchun & Zhang, Chengsi, 2020. "Does financial structure matter for economic growth in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    18. Alarudeen Aminu Ph.D & Isiaka Akande Raifu & Bolanle Deborah Oloyede, . "Financial Development and Manufacturing Output Growth Nexus in Nigeria: The Role Of Institutional Quality," Journal of Economic and Sustainable Growth 2, Office Of The Chief Economist, Development Bank of Nigeria.
    19. Miyake, Atsushi & Nakamura, Tamotsu, 2007. "A dynamic analysis of an economy with banking optimization and capital adequacy regulations," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 14-27.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    financial sector; intermediation theory; financial institutions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E51 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Money Supply; Credit; Money Multipliers
    • G2 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services

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