scholarly journals Bank institutional setting and risk-taking: the missing role of directors’ education and turnover

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 774-805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio D’Amato ◽  
Angela Gallo

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the relationship between bank institutional setting and risk-taking by exploring whether board education and turnover are drivers of the risk propensity of cooperative banks compared to joint-stock banks. Design/methodology/approach Based on a comprehensive data set of Italian banks over the 2011-2017 period, this paper examines whether these board characteristics affect the risk propensity of cooperative and joint-stock banks. Bank risk is measured by the Z-index, profit volatility and the ratio of non-performing loans to total gross loans. Findings The findings show that cooperatives take less risk than joint-stock banks and have lower board turnover and education. Furthermore, this study finds that while board education mediates the relationship between the cooperative model and bank risk-taking, there is no evidence for board turnover. Thus, the lower educational level of cooperative directors contributes to explaining the lower risk-taking of cooperative banks. Implications The findings have several implications. In terms of the more general policy debate, the results point to the need to strengthen the governance model for both joint-stock and cooperative banks while supporting the view that a more ad hoc perspective on the best models and practices for each type of institutional setting would be preferable. In particular, the study reveals how board education’s effects on bank risk-taking should be carefully monitored. Originality/value Through a mediation framework, this study provides empirical evidence on the relationship between bank institutional setting (by distinguishing between cooperative and joint-stock banks) and risk-taking behavior by exploring the underlying mechanisms at the board level, which is novel in the literature.

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Moudud-Ul-Huq

Purpose This paper aims to empirically investigate the impact of bank diversification on performance and risk-taking behavior. The analysis uses an unbalanced panel data set covering the period between 2007 and 2015 for a total of 1,397 banks from ASEAN-5 and BRICS economies. Design/methodology/approach Dynamic panel generalized method of moments (GMM) has been used primarily to examine the relationship between bank diversification on performance and risk-taking and later, validate the core results by incorporating two-stage least squares (2SLS). Findings Similar to the results of previous studies based on the developed economy, this study also confirms the hypothesis of the portfolio diversification. The key robust result is that the benefits from revenue and assets diversification are heterogeneous and the BRICS banks achieve higher benefit from using both diversification strategies. On the other hand, ASEAN-5 banks fail to show the significant advantage from assets diversification. Among the diverse sources of income, interest is not a major determinant of efficiency and bank’s stability, while ASEAN-5 banks should foster commission and others income as mechanisms for diversification benefit in the region. Originality/value A few studies are available in the current literature which examines the impact of revenue and assets diversification on either bank performance or risk-taking in the developed economy’s context. However, very few studies are found that examine the relationship between bank diversification, performance and risk-taking together. Moreover, to the best of the author’s knowledge, there is a dearth of literature on this topic that built on the comparative analysis between two regions, i.e. ASEAN-5 and BRICS. As a result, the empirical results of this research provide useful information to the stakeholders so that they can enhance bank diversification strategy and implement them successfully by considering the other factors.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 244-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faten Ben Bouheni

Purpose – This paper aims to find the effects of regulatory and supervisory policies on bank risk-taking. The same regulation and supervision have different effects on bank risk-taking depending on influence factors. These factors were considered and a sample of the largest European banks from France, Germany, UK, Italy, Spain and Greece was used over the period 2005-2011. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, the author analyses the effects of regulation and supervision on risk-taking. The author uses a sample of the biggest banks from six European countries (France, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and Greece) over the period 2005-2011. Because the applicable entry of IFRS was in 2005, thus data of European banks are not available before this date. For each country in the sample, the 10 largest banks (defined by total assets) that lend money to firms were identified. The author does not include central banks or postal banks, which generally do not lend money to firms and are described as non-banking institutions (La Porta et al., 2002). Findings – It was found that restrictions on bank activities, supervisors’ power and capital adequacy decrease risk-taking. Thus, regulation and supervision enhance bank’s stability. While, deposit insurance increases the risk due to its association to moral hazard. Finally, it was found that strengthening regulatory and supervisory framework raises the risk-taking and weakens the stability of European banks. Originality/value – The author contributes to existing empirical analyses in three ways. First, the existing literature has drawn a lot of attention on US banks. However, the purpose of this paper is to examine the biggest banks of three European leaders (France, Germany and UK) and three more European countries influenced by the recent crisis (Spain, Italy and Greece) over the period 2005-2011. Second, most studies focus mainly on the relationship between regulation and profitability, yet seldom on the relationship between regulation, supervision and risk-taking. The author focuses on this relationship. Third, this study applies the two-step dynamic panel data approach suggested by Blundell and Bond (1998) and also uses dynamic panel generalized method of moments (GMM) method to address potential problems. The two-step GMM estimator that the author uses is generally the most efficient.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-198
Author(s):  
Luis Otero ◽  
Rafat Alaraj ◽  
Ruben Lado-Sestayo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between corporate governance and risk-taking behaviour of banks operating in the Middle East and North African (MENA) countries. Design/methodology/approach In doing so, the authors use a data set covering 165 banks located in 13 MENA countries over the period 2005–2012 and apply dynamic panel data methodology. Findings The results show that good governance acting in the interests of shareholders could lead to excessive risk taking; in this sense, a conflict of interest between the stakeholders, interested in the solvency of the financial system, and shareholders, trying to maximise their benefit, may occur. The greater risk can be reinforced by the governance of the country and a strong macro governance framework can incentivise a higher risk exposure in banks, showing the influence of bank regulation and law enforcement on the risks taken by banks. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper showing that corporate governance is relevant for explaining risk taking at the country and bank levels in MENA countries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 927-953
Author(s):  
Emrah Arioglu

Purpose This study aims to investigate whether the presence of female directors with specific attributes has an effect on earnings quality in a patriarchal emerging country with a collectivistic culture and a substantial gender equality gap and where the majority of companies are controlled by large business groups. Design/methodology/approach The current study uses a unique hand-collected data set that covers all non-financial companies listed on the Borsa Istanbul between the years 2009 and 2017, using the GMM method to overcome potential omitted variables and reverse causality problems. Findings The current study demonstrates that the presence of female directors on company boards is not associated with earnings management. Similar results are obtained for the percentage of female directors with specific attributes such as busyness, professional expertise and audit committee membership. Surprisingly, the results suggest that there is a negative (positive) relationship between the percentage of female directors that are affiliated (unaffiliated) with controlling business groups and earnings management. Originality/value The current study tests the relationship between the presence of female directors and earnings management in a cultural and institutional setting that is substantially different from countries where the majority of previous research on female directors has been conducted. In addition, this study puts a special emphasis on female director affiliation and provides evidence that contradicts the expectation regarding the direction of the relationship between the percentage of affiliated female directors and earnings management.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 282-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faizul Haque ◽  
Rehnuma Shahid

Purpose This paper examines the effect of ownership structure on bank risk-taking and performance in emerging economies by using India as a case study. Design/methodology/approach We use generalised method of moments (GMM) estimation technique to analyse an unbalanced panel data set covering 217 bank-year observations from 2008 to 2011. Findings Overall, our study results suggest that government ownership is positively associated with default risk and negatively related to bank profitability. Interestingly, we find foreign ownership having a positive effect on default risk and a negative effect on profitability among the listed commercial banks. The effect of ownership concentration on bank risk-taking and profitability appears to be statistically insignificant. Originality/value This study is among the first to consider the impact of ownership on bank risk-taking and profitability from an emerging economy perspective. It also addresses the problem of endogenous relationships among ownership, risk-taking and performance of a bank. This study is likely to have implications for policymakers in undertaking regulatory reforms relating to ownership, risk management and banking sector stability.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liem Thanh Nguyen ◽  
Khuong Vinh Nguyen

PurposeThis research investigates the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and bank risk-taking in Vietnam and introduces the constraint factor to see whether this link alters with different levels of constraint.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of commercial banks in Vietnam from 2008 to 2017, this study employs two-step system generalized method of moments (Sys GMM) with a finite sample correction mechanism to estimate the models.FindingsThe results suggest that CSR activities reduce bank risk-taking, and this relationship is only present in the case of financially constrained banks. Unconstrained banks, on the other hand, are more likely to invest in unnecessary CSR, thus reducing bank performance and increasing bank risk-taking.Research limitations/implicationsThe first implication from this study is that CSR activities might be considered as a risk-mitigating tool and should be invested in that respect. Secondly, regulatory units and investors should be more cautious about CSR expenditures since this type of spending could increase default risk, especially for banks with easy access to external financing. One particular limitation of this study is the low number of observations available for banks in Vietnam. Future studies could use texture analysis to expand the sample or consider macro-level governance characteristics to examine which factors might modify the relationship between CSR and bank risk.Originality/valueVery limited studies discussed the link between corporate social responsibility and bank performance and bank risk. There are even fewer papers examining the relationship between CSR and risk, and most of these papers deal with advanced economies. Furthermore, no studies investigate the interaction effect of CSR and financial constraint, which should be prevalent in developing countries on bank risk. As a consequence, the current study seeks to verify the impact of financial constraints on the link between CSR and bank risk.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Moudud-Ul-Huq ◽  
Kawsar Ahmed ◽  
Mohammad Ashraful Ferdous Chowdhury ◽  
Hafiz M. Sohail ◽  
Tanmay Biswas ◽  
...  

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between capital regulation and risk-taking behavior (financial stability) concerning the impacts of the recent global (COVID-19) crisis and diverse ownership structure. Design/methodology/approach The analysis uses an unbalanced panel data set from 32 commercial banks of Bangladesh for 2000–2020. The authors use the two-step system generalized method of moments and three-stage least squares to produce the study outcomes. Findings The robust results reveal that the relationship between capital regulation and risk (financial stability) is negative (positive) and bi-directional. More significantly, COVID-19 makes banks fragile and demands more capital to absorb risk. However, the effect of COVID-19 is heterogeneous when the authors consider ownership structure. Among the diverse ownership styles, Islamic and active shareholding show their controlling wheel on capital regulation and risk-taking aptitude (financial stability) during the global (COVID-19) crisis. In normal economic conditions, private banks and minority active shareholding can be a good determinant for capital regulation and risk (financial stability). On the other hand, state-owned and large banks have been found as less capitalized and highly risky. Originality/value This study is the pioneer in exploring capital regulation and risk toward the recent global (COVID-19) crisis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Barra ◽  
Roberto Zotti

Purpose This paper aims to explore the relationship between bank market power and stability of financial institutions in Italy between 2001 and 2012. The authors first test the existence of a U-shaped relationship between market power and financial stability. Second, they regress the market share indicator on bank risk-taking to underline whether financial stability is affected by increasing or decreasing the market power of banks. Third, they explore whether this relationship is affected by the size, level of capitalization and credit insolvency of banks. Design/methodology/approach Relying on highly territorially disaggregated data at labor market areas level, the authors estimate the impact of bank market power and other explanatory variables on a proxy of risk taking behavior such as the banking “stability inefficiency” derived simultaneously from the estimation of a stability stochastic frontier. Bank market power is taken into account through an individual measure based on loans. Financial stability is calculated through the Z-score. The authors use, as risk-taking measure, the stability inefficiency whose estimation approach is the stochastic frontier analysis. Findings The empirical evidence shows that the inefficiency of financial stability is found to be U-shaped related with respect to the measure of market power. Bank size is an essential factor in explaining the relationship between bank market power and risk-taking. Cooperative banks have fewer incentives to gain market power to better perform in term of risks. The reform of the cooperative banks that took recently place in Italy is not supported by the data. Originality/value The relationship between bank market power and financial stability has been analyzed using a rich sample of cooperative, commercial and popular banks in Italy over the 2001-2012 period. The authors rely on labor market areas being sub-regional geographical areas where the bulk of the labor force lives and works. The paper investigates the market power-stability link considering both cooperative and non-cooperative banks. Indeed, specific attention has been paid on cooperative banks because of their mission in favor of the local community as only few studies, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, examine cooperative banking.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaming Zhang ◽  
Xiangrong Deng

PurposeThis study aims to empirically analyze how interest rate liberalization affects bank liquidity creation, and investigate whether the relationship between them is linear.Design/methodology/approachBased on panel data on 145 banks in China over the period 1997–2015, this paper regresses the econometric model by conducting feasible generalized least square estimation.FindingsThe regression results show that, first, interest rate liberalization has a nonlinear impact on bank liquidity creation, and the relationship between them is inverted U-shaped. In other words, as interest rate liberalization progresses, bank liquidity creation increases first, and then decreases. Second, through the mediation effect tests, this study found that interest rate liberalization affects bank liquidity creation through bank risk-taking. That is, interest rate liberalization leads to changes in bank risk-taking, thus resulting in changes in bank liquidity creation.Research limitations/implicationsThe effect of interest rate liberalization on bank liquidity creation is nonlinear, so promoting interest rate liberalization faces a trade-off because excessive bank liquidity creation may lead to asset price bubbles, while insufficient bank liquidity creation may inhibit economic growth.Practical implicationsInterest rate liberalization has a significant impact on bank liquidity creation; therefore, bank liquidity creation should be added to the objective function of the regulator that determines interest rate liberalization reform in China.Social implicationsInterest rate liberalization has a direct impact on bank risk-taking, so the consequences of interest rate liberalization should be included in the framework of macro-prudential supervision.Originality/valueInterest rate liberalization is one of the most important financial reforms in China, yet its potential impact on firm-level bank liquidity is little explored. This paper attempts to fill the gap.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1739-1755
Author(s):  
Mansor Isa ◽  
Siew-Peng Lee

Purpose This study aims to investigate how the Shariah committee in Islamic banks affects banks’ risk-taking behaviour and performance. Design/methodology/approach The sample is based on a panel data of 15 Islamic banks in Malaysia over the period 2007–2016. The generalised least squares random-effects method is used to study the relationship between the Shariah committee and bank risk-taking and performance. Findings The findings suggest that the number of committee members with Shariah qualification and the number of reputable members are negatively related to risk-taking while members with finance/banking qualifications are positively related. On the financial performance, evidence of two variables that are positively related to performance, namely, members with finance/banking qualification and reputable members was found. Female participation is weakly negatively related to risk-taking but unrelated to performance. Other variables, such as committee size, years of experience and frequency of meetings, are found to be unrelated to risk-taking and performance. Practical implications The paper points to two implications. First, the roles and functions of the Shariah committee should be revised to emphasise Shariah-compliance, as well as the business aspects of the banking operations. Second, the regulators should also look at the composition of the Shariah committee to ensure a diversity of expertise related to the banking business. Originality/value This paper extends the scope and coverage of previous studies by investigating the attributes of the Shariah committee, which could be important in influencing the risk-taking behaviour and performance of banks.


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