IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/fininn/v7y2021i1d10.1186_s40854-021-00282-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

What explains the technical efficiency of banks in Tunisia? Evidence from a two-stage data envelopment analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Mohamed Mehdi Jelassi

    (Carthage University)

  • Ezzeddine Delhoumi

    (Carthage University)

Abstract

In this study we examine the potential determinants of technical efficiency for the Tunisian commercial banking sector over the period of 1995–2017. First, we estimate banking technical efficiency with a radial and non-radial bootstrap data envelopment analysis. For the radial technique, we use an input-oriented approach and for non-radial we use the Range Adjusted Measure (RAM). Second, we use a double bootstrapping regression technique to estimate the influence of a set of eventual determinants on technical efficiency. Finally, based on all possible regressions, we gauge the overall effect of each determinant. Our results reveal that the input-oriented and RAM approach gave somewhat similar results. We found that the return on equity, the expense to income ratio, the loan to deposit ratio, and the growth rate are insignificant to Tunisian banking technical efficiency. In particular, banking technical efficiency increases with capitalization and inflation, whereas, it decreases with size, number of bank branches, management to staff ratio, and loan to asset ratio. In addition, we identified evidence supporting the moderate success of the last decade of reforms and a noticeable one for the post-revolution reforms in helping improve banking technical efficiency. The post-revolution reforms, largely revolving around reinforcing the rules of good governance and banking supervision, coupled with the restructuring of public banks, were found to be insufficient to raise overall banking technical efficiency despite improvement in the technical efficiency of private banks.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohamed Mehdi Jelassi & Ezzeddine Delhoumi, 2021. "What explains the technical efficiency of banks in Tunisia? Evidence from a two-stage data envelopment analysis," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 1-26, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:fininn:v:7:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1186_s40854-021-00282-w
    DOI: 10.1186/s40854-021-00282-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1186/s40854-021-00282-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s40854-021-00282-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Leopold Simar & Paul Wilson, 2000. "A general methodology for bootstrapping in non-parametric frontier models," Journal of Applied Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(6), pages 779-802.
    2. Sok-Gee Chan & Mohd Zaini Abd Karim, 2010. "Bank Efficiency and Macro-economic Factors: The Case of Developing Countries," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(3), pages 269-289.
    3. Yong Tan, 2016. "Investigating the Performance of Chinese Banks: Efficiency and Risk Features," Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Banking and Financial Institutions, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-137-49376-7, September.
    4. Ignacio Jiménez-Hernández & Gabriel Palazzo & Francisco Javier Sáez-Fernández, 2019. "Determinants of bank efficiency: evidence from the Latin American banking industry," Applied Economic Analysis, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 27(81), pages 184-206, October.
    5. International Monetary Fund, 2016. "Portugal: 2016 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Portugal," IMF Staff Country Reports 2016/300, International Monetary Fund.
    6. Worthington, Andrew C. & Zelenyuk, Valentin, 2018. "Data envelopment analysis, truncated regression and double-bootstrap for panel data with application to Chinese bankingAuthor-Name: Du, Kai," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 265(2), pages 748-764.
    7. Samer Matta & Simon Appleton & Michael Bleaney, 2019. "The Impact of the Arab Spring on the Tunisian Economy," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 33(1), pages 231-258.
    8. Cinzia Daraio & Léopold Simar & Paul W. Wilson, 2018. "Central limit theorems for conditional efficiency measures and tests of the ‘separability’ condition in non‐parametric, two‐stage models of production," Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 21(2), pages 170-191, June.
    9. Fadzlan Sufian & Muzafar Shah Habibullah, 2010. "Developments in the efficiency of the Thailand banking sector: a DEA approach," International Journal of Development Issues, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 9(3), pages 226-245, September.
    10. Berger, Allen N. & Humphrey, David B., 1997. "Efficiency of financial institutions: International survey and directions for future research," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 175-212, April.
    11. Tugba Eyceyurt Batir & David A. Volkman & Bener Gungor, 2017. "Determinants of bank efficiency in Turkey: Participation banks versus conventional banks," Borsa Istanbul Review, Research and Business Development Department, Borsa Istanbul, vol. 17(2), pages 86-96, June.
    12. Daraio, Cinzia & Simar, Leopold & Wilson, Paul, 2018. "Central limit theorems for conditional efficiency measures and tests of the ‘separability’ condition in non-parametric, two-stage models of production," LIDAM Reprints ISBA 2018023, Université catholique de Louvain, Institute of Statistics, Biostatistics and Actuarial Sciences (ISBA).
    13. Jesús T. Pastor & JosÉ L. Ruiz & Inmaculada Sirvent, 2002. "A Statistical Test for Nested Radial Dea Models," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 50(4), pages 728-735, August.
    14. Léopold Simar & Paul Wilson, 2011. "Two-stage DEA: caveat emptor," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 205-218, October.
    15. Nataraja, Niranjan R. & Johnson, Andrew L., 2011. "Guidelines for using variable selection techniques in data envelopment analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 215(3), pages 662-669, December.
    16. Hasanul Banna & Syed Karim Bux Shah & Abu Hanifa Md Noman & Rubi Ahmad & Muhammad Mehedi Masud, 2019. "Determinants of Sino-ASEAN Banking Efficiency: How Do Countries Differ?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-23, February.
    17. Nesrine Djebali & Khemais Zaghdoudi, 2020. "Testing the governance-performance relationship for the Tunisian banks: a GMM in system analysis," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 6(1), pages 1-24, December.
    18. Jesús Gustavo Garza-García, 2012. "Determinants of bank efficiency in Mexico: a two-stage analysis," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(17), pages 1679-1682.
    19. Syrine Ben Romdhane, 2013. "Impact of Information Technology on The Performance of Tunisian Banks: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis with Panel Data," Asian Academy of Management Journal of Accounting and Finance (AAMJAF), Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, vol. 9(2), pages 95-125.
    20. Yong Tan, 2016. "The Measurement of Bank Efficiency and Bank Risk in China," Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Banking and Financial Institutions, in: Investigating the Performance of Chinese Banks: Efficiency and Risk Features, chapter 5, pages 105-128, Palgrave Macmillan.
    21. Nishat Tasnim & Munshi Naser Ibne Afzal, 2018. "An empirical investigation of country level efficiency and national systems of entrepreneurship using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the TOBIT model," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 8(1), pages 1-17, December.
    22. Sealey, Calvin W, Jr & Lindley, James T, 1977. "Inputs, Outputs, and a Theory of Production and Cost at Depository Financial Institutions," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 32(4), pages 1251-1266, September.
    23. Avkiran, Necmi K. & Morita, Hiroshi, 2010. "Predicting Japanese bank stock performance with a composite relative efficiency metric: A new investment tool," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 254-271, June.
    24. International Monetary Fund, 2016. "Jamaica: Request for Stand By Arrangement and Cancellation of the Current Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility-Press Release and Staff Report," IMF Staff Country Reports 2016/350, International Monetary Fund.
    25. Berger, Allen N. & Hancock, Diana & Humphrey, David B., 1993. "Bank efficiency derived from the profit function," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(2-3), pages 317-347, April.
    26. International Monetary Fund, 2016. "Tunisia: Request for an Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Tunisia," IMF Staff Country Reports 2016/138, International Monetary Fund.
    27. International Monetary Fund, 2016. "Sri Lanka: First Review Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility and Request for Modification of Performance Criterion-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executiv," IMF Staff Country Reports 2016/371, International Monetary Fund.
    28. Tone, Kaoru & Tsutsui, Miki, 2010. "Dynamic DEA: A slacks-based measure approach," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 38(3-4), pages 145-156, June.
    29. Simar, Leopold & Wilson, Paul W., 2007. "Estimation and inference in two-stage, semi-parametric models of production processes," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 136(1), pages 31-64, January.
    30. Zied Saadaoui, 2018. "Dealing with High Bank Interest Margins in Tunisia: A Dynamic Panel Investigation," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 30(4), pages 434-448, December.
    31. Asish Saha & Nor Hayati Ahmad & Umakant Dash, 2015. "Drivers of technical efficiency in Malaysian banking: a new empirical insight," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 29(1), pages 161-173, May.
    32. Sami Ben Naceur & Barbara Casu & Hichem Ben-Khedhiri, 2011. "What Drives the Performance of Selected MENA Banks? A Meta-Frontier Analysis," IMF Working Papers 2011/034, International Monetary Fund.
    33. World Bank, 2010. "Tunisia - Development Policy Review : Towards Innovation-driven Growth," World Bank Publications - Reports 2955, The World Bank Group.
    34. Mongi Boughzala & Hassouna Moussa, 2011. "The Uncertain Journey towards Inflation Targeting in Tunisia," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Mongi Boughzala & David Cobham (ed.), Inflation Targeting in MENA Countries, chapter 10, pages 256-286, Palgrave Macmillan.
    35. Thomas Barnebeck Andersen & Finn Tarp, 2003. "Financial liberalization, financial development and economic growth in LDCs," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(2), pages 189-209.
    36. Roland Banya & Nicholas Biekpe, 2018. "Banking efficiency and its determinants in selected frontier african markets," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 51(1), pages 69-95, February.
    37. Sufian, Fadzlan, 2009. "Determinants of bank efficiency during unstable macroeconomic environment: Empirical evidence from Malaysia," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 54-77, January.
    38. Mongi Boughzala & David Cobham (ed.), 2011. "Inflation Targeting in MENA Countries," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-31656-0.
    39. William W. Cooper & Lawrence M. Seiford & Kaoru Tone, 2007. "Data Envelopment Analysis," Springer Books, Springer, edition 0, number 978-0-387-45283-8, December.
    40. Tröster, Bernhard & Raza, Werner & Grohs, Hannes & Grumiller, Jan & Staritz, Cornelia & von Arnim, Rudi, 2018. "The EU-Tunisia Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA): Macroeconomic impacts and pro-developmental policy responses," Policy Notes 28/2018, Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zaman, Mohammad Shahid & Valiyattoor, Vipin & Bhandari, Anup Kumar, 2022. "Dynamics of total factor productivity growth: An empirical analysis of Indian commercial banks," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).
    2. Salah Mohammed Abdulahi & Mekonnen Kumlachew Yitayaw & Habtamu Legese Feyisa & Wondmagegn Biru Mamo, 2023. "Factor affecting technical efficiency of the banking sector: Evidence from Ethiopia," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 2186039-218, December.
    3. Ivan Gržeta & Saša Žiković & Ivana Tomas Žiković, 2023. "Size matters: analyzing bank profitability and efficiency under the Basel III framework," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 9(1), pages 1-28, December.
    4. Hamdi Becha & Maha Kalai & Kamel Helali, 2023. "Smooth transition regression model relating inflation to economic growth in Tunisia," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 12(1), pages 1-26, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liu, John S. & Lu, Louis Y.Y. & Lu, Wen-Min, 2016. "Research fronts in data envelopment analysis," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 33-45.
    2. Dana PANCUROVA & Stefan LYOCSA, 2013. "Determinants of Commercial Banks’ Efficiency: Evidence from 11 CEE Countries," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 63(2), pages 152-179, May.
    3. George Halkos & Roman Matousek & Nickolaos Tzeremes, 2016. "Pre-evaluating technical efficiency gains from possible mergers and acquisitions: evidence from Japanese regional banks," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 47-77, January.
    4. Roland Banya & Nicholas Biekpe, 2018. "Banking efficiency and its determinants in selected frontier african markets," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 51(1), pages 69-95, February.
    5. Amir Moradi-Motlagh & Ali Emrouznejad, 2022. "The origins and development of statistical approaches in non-parametric frontier models: a survey of the first two decades of scholarly literature (1998–2020)," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 318(1), pages 713-741, November.
    6. Hasanul Banna & Syed Karim Bux Shah & Abu Hanifa Md Noman & Rubi Ahmad & Muhammad Mehedi Masud, 2019. "Determinants of Sino-ASEAN Banking Efficiency: How Do Countries Differ?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-23, February.
    7. Fall, F.S. & Tchakoute Tchuigoua, H. & Vanhems, A. & Simar, L., 2021. "Gender effect on microfinance social efficiency: A robust nonparametric approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 295(2), pages 744-757.
    8. Ioannis E. Tsolas, 2021. "Efficiency and Determinants of Capital Structure in the Greek Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic and Detergent Industries," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-13, December.
    9. George E. Halkos & Roman Matousek & Nickolaos G. Tzeremes, 2016. "Pre-evaluating technical efficiency gains from possible mergers and acquisitions: evidence from Japanese regional banks," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 47-77, January.
    10. Mai, Nhat Chi, 2015. "Efficiency of the banking system in Vietnam under financial liberalization," OSF Preprints qsf6d, Center for Open Science.
    11. Salah Mohammed Abdulahi & Mekonnen Kumlachew Yitayaw & Habtamu Legese Feyisa & Wondmagegn Biru Mamo, 2023. "Factor affecting technical efficiency of the banking sector: Evidence from Ethiopia," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 2186039-218, December.
    12. Abayomi Oredegbe, 2021. "Cost Efficiency Determinants: Evidence from the Canadian Banking Industry," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(1), pages 1-86, July.
    13. Valiyattoor, Vipin & Bhandari, Anup Kumar, 2020. "Outsourcing and firm performance nexus: An analysis using the conventional and panel double-bootstrap procedure," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    14. Johann Burgstaller, 2020. "Retail‐bank efficiency: Nonstandard goals and environmental determinants," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 91(2), pages 269-301, June.
    15. Ayobami Ojeyinka, Titus & Enisan Akinlo, Anthony, 2021. "Does Bank Size Affect Efficiency? Evidence From Commercial Banks In Nigeria," Ilorin Journal of Economic Policy, Department of Economics, University of Ilorin, vol. 8(1), pages 79-100, June.
    16. Wijesiri, Mahinda & Viganò, Laura & Meoli, Michele, 2015. "Efficiency of microfinance institutions in Sri Lanka: a two-stage double bootstrap DEA approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 74-83.
    17. Del Barrio-Tellado, María José & Gómez-Vega, Mafalda & Gómez-Zapata, Jonathan Daniel & Herrero-Prieto, Luis César, 2021. "Urban public libraries: Performance analysis using dynamic-network-DEA," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    18. Almudena Martínez-Campillo & Yolanda Fernández-Santos, 2017. "What About the Social Efficiency in Credit Cooperatives? Evidence from Spain (2008–2014)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 607-629, March.
    19. Barros, C.P. & Emrouznejad, Ali, 2016. "Assessing productive efficiency of banks using integrated Fuzzy-DEA and bootstrapping: A case of Mozambican banksAuthor-Name: Wanke, Peter," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 249(1), pages 378-389.
    20. Wanke, Peter & Barros, Carlos P. & Faria, João R., 2015. "Financial distress drivers in Brazilian banks: A dynamic slacks approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 240(1), pages 258-268.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tunisian banks; Financial intermediation; Technical efficiency; Data envelopment analysis; Bootstrap; Bias correction; Truncated regression;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • C24 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Truncated and Censored Models; Switching Regression Models; Threshold Regression Models
    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:fininn:v:7:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1186_s40854-021-00282-w. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.