Bank Efficiency amid Foreign Entry: Evidence from the Central American Region

Author/Editor:

Torsten Wezel

Publication Date:

April 1, 2010

Electronic Access:

Free Download. Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary:

This paper investigates the efficiency of domestic and foreign banks in the Central American region during 2002-07. Using two main empirical approaches, Data Envelopment Analysis and Stochastic Frontier Analysis, the paper finds that foreign banks are not necessarily more efficient than their domestic counterparts. If anything, the regional banks that were acquired by global banks in a wave of acquisitions during 2005-07 can keep up with the local institutions. The efficiency of these acquired banks, however, is shown to have dropped during the acquisition year, recovering only slightly thereafter. Finally, it is important to account for the environment in which banks operate, as country-, sector- and firm-specific characteristics are found to have a considerable influence on bank efficiency.

Series:

Working Paper No. 2010/095

Subject:

Banking Commercial banks Foreign banks Productivity Tax expenditures

English

Publication Date:

April 1, 2010

ISBN/ISSN:

9781451982725/1018-5941

Stock No:

WPIEA2010095

Pages:

33

Please address any questions about this title to publications@imf.org