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Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

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Proceed<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 12th Annual Conference © 2011 IAABD<br />

Bank Efficiency, Capital Account Liberalization and Economic Growth: Evidence from Africa<br />

Abstract<br />

Emmanuel Mensah , ekbmensah@yahoo.ca<br />

University <strong>of</strong> Ghana Bus<strong>in</strong>ess School, Ghana<br />

Joshua Abor<br />

Department <strong>of</strong> F<strong>in</strong>ance, University <strong>of</strong> Ghana Bus<strong>in</strong>ess School, Ghana<br />

A Q Q Aboagye<br />

University <strong>of</strong> Ghana Bus<strong>in</strong>ess School, Ghana<br />

Charles Adjasi<br />

University <strong>of</strong> Ghana Bus<strong>in</strong>ess School, Ghana<br />

In this study, we test whe<strong>the</strong>r bank efficiency used as a measure for <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>termediation affects<br />

economic growth. Us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> semi-parametric Flourier flexible approach and bank level data for 277 banks cover<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>the</strong> period, 1999-2008, <strong>the</strong> study found average cost efficiency levels <strong>of</strong> banks <strong>in</strong> Africa to be 75%. Fur<strong>the</strong>r, by<br />

employ<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Arellano and Bond GMM estimator, <strong>the</strong> study found a positive association between cost efficiency<br />

scores and economic growth and a negative association between capital account liberalization and economic<br />

growth. Among <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r determ<strong>in</strong>ants <strong>of</strong> growth, <strong>in</strong>flation was found to be negatively related to growth whilst<br />

governance variables were found to be positively related to growth.<br />

Introduction<br />

The costs <strong>of</strong> acquir<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation, enforc<strong>in</strong>g contracts and mak<strong>in</strong>g transactions create <strong>in</strong>centives for <strong>the</strong><br />

emergence <strong>of</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>in</strong>termediaries to mitigate <strong>the</strong> negative repercussions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se market frictions,<br />

Lev<strong>in</strong>e (2001). F<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>in</strong>termediaries <strong>the</strong>refore arise to reduce <strong>the</strong>se market frictions and hence may<br />

help <strong>the</strong> efficient allocation <strong>of</strong> resources across space and time. This allocation role <strong>of</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

<strong>in</strong>stitutions was first recognized by Schumpeter (1912), who conjectured that bankers help to identify<br />

entrepreneurs with good growth prospects, and <strong>the</strong>refore help to reallocate resources to <strong>the</strong>ir most<br />

productive uses (Yu and Gan, 2010). Over <strong>the</strong> past 3 decades <strong>the</strong>re has been an enormous research to<br />

establish this f<strong>in</strong>ance-growth nexus. In a groundbreak<strong>in</strong>g article by Lev<strong>in</strong>e (1997), he establishes that<br />

<strong>the</strong>re is a first order relationship between f<strong>in</strong>ance and economic growth. Fur<strong>the</strong>r to this, many studies<br />

analyze <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ance-growth nexus empirically and expla<strong>in</strong> cross-country growth differentials by <strong>the</strong><br />

volume <strong>of</strong> funds relative to economic output, (Lev<strong>in</strong>e, 2005). However, a mere expansion <strong>of</strong> credit need<br />

not <strong>in</strong>dicate a qualitative improvement <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>termediaries’ abilities to channel scarce funds from savers to<br />

borrowers, which is <strong>of</strong> crucial importance (Romero-Avila, 2007). In this study we test whe<strong>the</strong>r bank<br />

efficiency estimated at firm level significantly affect economic growth <strong>in</strong> Africa. We use <strong>the</strong> efficiency<br />

scores as a relative measure <strong>of</strong> bank performance to gauge <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial market <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se<br />

African countries.<br />

Basic economic <strong>the</strong>ory also suggests capital account liberalization may benefit a country. Free capital<br />

mobility for <strong>in</strong>stance, <strong>of</strong>fers <strong>the</strong> opportunity to realize <strong>the</strong> highest return on sav<strong>in</strong>g, to borrow at <strong>the</strong> most<br />

favorable rates, and to diversify away country-specific risk (see Edison et al, 2004 and Prasad et al, 2003).<br />

A more subtle set <strong>of</strong> benefits, but ones that have <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly been <strong>the</strong> focus <strong>of</strong> discussion, <strong>in</strong>volve <strong>the</strong><br />

possibility that capital account liberalization promotes <strong>the</strong> efficiency and development <strong>of</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

<strong>in</strong>termediation, Kle<strong>in</strong> and Olivei (2008). Thus, a country which is more liberalized on <strong>the</strong> capital account<br />

780

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