Doris Neuberger

Industrial Organization of Banking: A Review

Empirical research about structure, conduct and performance in banking markets has developed mostly independently from the microeconomic theory of banking. The present paper reviews the literature by focusing on the links between theoretical and empirical research. It considers basic conditions, variables of market structure, conduct and performance and public policy special to the banking industry. It is shown that the competitive conditions are different in different market segments, and that the trend towards universal banks which are active in different geographic markets gives new challenges to research.

The role of demographics in small business loan pricing

Abstract Demographic change influences the structure of the entrepreneurially active population, which may affect credit risk and financing conditions of small firms. Using bank internal data of small business loans in Germany, we find that the lending relationship plays a larger role for loan prices than demographics. Loan rates decrease with soft information gained through longer loan processing time and a larger number of accounts at the same bank. They increase with hard information about repayment arrears and reminders. Late payments have the largest influence on loan prices. Older entrepreneurs do not seem to be discriminated. Rather, the younger have to pay more because their loans and businesses are smaller and they lack liquidity to pay in time. Marital status and population density of the business district do not matter. This is good news for aging economies with a rising share of elderly and singles and growing disparities between peripheral and agglomerated regions.

Leasing by small enterprises

Using internal data of a leasing company in Germany, we examine the determinants of the probability and use of leasing by small firms. We find that small and young firms are likely to be constrained on the leasing market but use leasing to increase their debt capacity. Beyond contract- and firm-specific characteristics, demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the entrepreneur matter. Older and higher qualified entrepreneurs have easier access to leasing than those who are younger or noneducated, but the latter lease more than highly educated entrepreneurs. Female and nonmarried entrepreneurs of young firms use leasing to increase their debt capacity. These results are important for aging populations where the financing of entrepreneurial activities by highly qualified, older and female persons are important to sustain growth.

The Banking Regulatory Bubble and How to Get out of It

We claim that we currently live in a banking regulatory bubble.We review how: i) banking intermediation theory hinges on dealing with borrower-lender asymmetry of information; ii) instead, the presence of complete information is keystone of finance theory. Next, we document how finance theory prevailed over banking intermediation theory in shaping banking regulation: This appalling contradiction is the true culprit behind lower credit standards, mounting systemic risk in banking, and macroeconomic debt overhang. Consequently, we discuss actions that, by restoring the consistency of banking regulation with the theory of banking intermediation, would make banking sounder.

The number of bank relationships of SMEs: A disaggregated analysis for the Swiss loan market

The present paper investigates the number of bank relationships of small and medium-sized enterprises in Switzerland using survey data from 1996 and 2002. We differentiate between overall bank relationships and lending relationships and disaggregate the loan market with respect to firm sizes, industries and banking groups. On average, bank lending declined, while the role of housebank relationships increased in 1996-2002. The development of the number of bank relationships seems to have been demand-driven as well as supply-driven for medium-sized firms, but only supply-driven for very small and small firms. Supply-side reductions resulted from the merger between two big banks and changes in credit risk management at major banks.

Diversification, collateral and economies of scale in banking: lessons from a continuous-time portfolio approach

Adopting a continuous-time portfolio framework with endogenous financial intermediation, this paper analyzes diversification in bank lending. First, an increase in the number of independent credits in a loan portfolio is shown to enhance intermediation activities. This supports the hypothesis of financial deepening in a growing economy. Second, diversification may reduce a banks collateral requirements, giving rise to a kind of scale economy in lending. If competition among banks is driven by collateral, big banks get a competitive edge vis-a-vis less diversified small banks, which should lead to a natural monopoly outcome in the banking market.

Evolution of Financial Systems: Convergence Towards Higher or Lower Stability?

Financial systems evolve as different mixes of markets and intermediaries to provide financial services and risk sharing opportunities to households and firms, supplemented with regulations to protect them against systemic risk. The present paper reviews the research on comparative financial systems to discuss their determinants, stability properties and evolution. Although convergence towards a uniform financial system can be excluded, there is a tendency of evolution towards an arm’s length-cum-market-oriented financial system with intermediation by institutional investors and universal banking with harmonized prudential regulation and qualitative supervision. The stability effects depend on the kind of stability aspired, on short-term and long-term relations between efficiency and stability and on the pros and cons of harmonizing regulations on an international scale. In the long run, instability tends to rise.

The Number of Bank Relationships of SMEs: A Disaggregated Analysis of Changes in the Swiss Loan Market

This paper investigates changes in the number of bank relationships of small and medium-sized enterprises in Switzerland from 1996 to 2002. It differentiates between overall bank relationships and lending relationships and disaggregates the loan market with respect to firm sizes, industries and banking groups. On average, bank lending declined, and the concentration of lending relationships increased. The changes seem to have been driven by demand and supply for medium-sized firms, but only by supply for micro and small firms. Supply-side reductions resulted from a merger and changes in credit risk management by major banks. We find evidence of increasing specialization of larger banks on transaction lending and of smaller and regional banks on relationship lending.

What's Common to Relationship Banking and Relationship Investing? Reflections within the Contractual Theory of the Firm

The financial systems in continental Europe are subject to profound changes in the institutions of market exchange. Banks traditionally holding close relationships with firms are substituted by non-bank institutional investors. The present paper examines whether this implies a substitution of relationship finance by arm’s length finance or of firm-like organization by market exchange. Within the contractual theory of the firm, we seek common features of relationship banking and relationship investing. Extending the governance structure approach, we show that both are hybrid organizations, whose comparative advantages depend on two kinds of asset specificity. They are complements to finance and control firms with different redeployability and information opaqueness of assets.

Finanzsysteme in Europa: Harmonisieren? Anglifizieren?

Abstract Within the international competition of financial systems, Europe faces the question of whether to harmonize regulations towards a bank-oriented or a market-oriented financial system. Except the United Kingdom, all European countries have bank-based financial systems, however with large differences. In order to derive policy recommendations, we review the theoretical literature on welfare effects of financial systems. Neither the theory nor the empirical evidence indicates that one system is superior to the other in all respects. Hence, competition between financial systems should be recommended. However, global competition may induce an anglification of European bank-oriented systems towards the market-oriented system, which may not always be advantageous.