scholarly journals Using Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) and Financial Indicators to Measure Bank Cost Efficiency in Asia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 11139
Author(s):  
Hai-Yen Chang ◽  
Lien-Wen Liang ◽  
Yu-Luan Liu

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices have been used as non-financial indicators to measure bank performance worldwide in the last decade. The United Nations (UN) has specified 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the implementation of these ESG concepts. However, it remains unclear whether the costs of ESG have exceeded the benefits. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of ESG on the cost efficiency of developed and developing Asian banks using a two-step approach comprising stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and stochastic metafrontier analysis (SMF). The data sample from 2015 to 2018 is separated into two groups: 60 Asian developed economies and 85 developing economies. The results show that banks in the developed Asian economies become more cost-efficient through environmentally friendly activities. The banks in the developing Asian economies increase their cost efficiency by socially responsible activities and improved governance. Moreover, banks in the developed Asian economies outperformed those in the developing Asian economies in terms of technology gap ratio (TGR) and metafrontier cost efficiency (MCE). The results of this study benefit not only investors and bank managers but also the entire banking sector and the world economy.

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
THANH PHAM THIEN NGUYEN ◽  
SON HONG NGHIEM

Given considerable changes in the Vietnamese banking environment brought about by significant reforms towards liberalization during the last two decades, this study investigates the evolution of competition and efficiency, compares the competition and efficiency of state-owned banks to joint-stock banks, and then tests the “quiet life” hypothesis in this industry over the period 2000–2014. This study employs the efficiency-adjusted Lerner index (i.e., market power) to capture competition, and the cost efficiency estimated by a Fourier-flexible function stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to capture bank efficiency. This study firstly finds a slight improvement of competition and cost efficiency in the Vietnamese banking sector over the analysis period. Secondly, there are no significant differences in competition and cost efficiency level between state-owned and joint-stock banks. Thirdly, a positive causality running from competition to cost efficiency is documented, providing evidence of supporting the “quiet life” hypothesis. Finally, positive efficiency effects of the banks’ capital ratio and size are found, while insignificant impacts of the growth of GDP per capita and 2007 global financial crisis were observed. The results are strongly robust to a variety of tests. The findings suggest pro-competition, pro-capitalization and pro-size expansion policies in the Vietnamese banking sector if targeting at improving the cost efficiency of Vietnamese banks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3(J)) ◽  
pp. 48-57
Author(s):  
Sanderson Abel ◽  
Alex Bara ◽  
Pierre Le Roux

The study seeks to assess the cost efficiency of the commercial banks in Zimbabwe using the stochastic frontier analysis. The cost efficiency of the Zimbabwean banks is estimated using the trans-log stochastic frontier approach. The Stochastic Frontier Analysis methodology is among the host of methods that has been used to measure banking sector efficiency. The analysis of cost efficiency of commercial banks has important implications for the economy since an efficient banking system has potential to reduce interest rates which can lead to increased investment and growth for the economy. The cost of doing business in Zimbabwe is perceived to be high hence improved bank efficiency has the potential to reduce the cost of doing business. The average cost efficiency scores for the Zimbabwean banks over the study period show that the banking sector in Zimbabwe experiencing 17 percent inefficiency. The efficiency levels have been declining over the years reflecting increased resource wastage in the system. The study recommends that the banking institutions should continue to innovate so as to reduce their inefficiencies.


Author(s):  
Gustavo Ferro ◽  
Daniel Lema ◽  
Francisco Schiffrer

The main purpose of this paper is to assess the cost-efficiency of Banco Ciudad de Buenos Aires’s bank branches using a Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA). With the results, management can decide on new branching dimension. Also, if some regulatory or managerial limits could be lift, such as closure or opening of new branches without the central bank authorization, or redundant staff reduction, the results could be important for management. We detect best and worst behaved branches. The more cost-efficient branches and the least cost-efficient ones differ in their size and input mix. Nonetheless, they present a similar output mix.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (02) ◽  
pp. 1950011
Author(s):  
Dong Xiang ◽  
Parmendra Sharma ◽  
Yuming Zhang

This study is the first to examine the impact of two recent key events on technical, cost and profit efficiencies of Chinese commercial banks — the 2007 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the subsequent Chinese Government’s 2009 fiscal stimulus package. Stochastic frontier analysis together with univariate and multivariate tests are used on a sample of 143 banks, including the big five, joint stock, city, rural and foreign, over the 2006–2013 period. Overall, there is substantial scope for improvement — cost efficiency could improve by up to 50%; technical and profit efficiencies by up to 30%. The effect of the crisis and the stimulus package on various overall and segment efficiencies is, at best, inconsistent and inconclusive.


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