Eficiencia de los bancos privados nacionales del Ecuador: Un enfoque semiparamétrico a través del análisis de frontera.

Abstract

The financial sector plays a crucial role in the economy by facilitating access to business credit, which drives economic dynamism. Efficiency in this sector is a frequently analyzed topic, as many financial crises have been attributed to inefficient behavior. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of 23 national private banks in Ecuador from 2019 to 2022, using a semiparametric approach based on the methodology of Simar and Wilson. The data comes from the databases published by the Superintendency of Bankings and Insurance. The analysis calculated efficiency levels, and the interrelationships between efficiency and various control variables were explored, such as bank size, personnel expense management, delinquency rate, and the intermediation margin. The results show that medium-sized banks achieve the highest average efficiency, followed by large and small banks. This suggests that medium-sized banks are the most efficient, while small banks require significant improvements. Additionally, it was found that bank size and proactive management of expenses positively and significantly impact efficiency. On the other hand, arrears and the intermediation margin negatively affect efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of implementing adaptive strategies to maintain competitiveness in the Ecuadorian banking sector during the study period.