ISO Certification and Technical Efficiency in the Banking Sector:An Evidence from WAEMU’s Countries Using the DEA Method

In the view of the international organization of standardization,the introduction of ISO standards is typical of quality management systems oriented towards strengthening the efficiency of enterprises.Business banks are not excluded from this requirement.The current study aims to evaluate the effect of ISO certification on the technical performance of WAEMU banks.Using BCEAO data(2020),the DEA model and Tobit estimates show that ISO certification has no effect on the efficiency scores of the banks in the sample.It is therefore appropriate for these banks to work on improving their business climate.

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

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.

The Efficiency Evaluation of Commercial Banks Based on DEA/TOPSIS

This paper brings forward an efficiency evaluation method based on DEA/FOPSIS for commercial banks. To avoid the slack of output index, the difference is taken into account in the weight of different output index, mending the shortage of traditional DEA evaluation methods.

Consumer lending efficiency:commercial banks versus a fintech lender

Fintechs are believed to help expand credit access to underserved consumers without taking on additional risk.We compare the performance efficiency of LendingClub’s unsecured personal loans with similar loans originated by banks.Using stochastic frontier estimation,we decompose the observed nonperforming loan(NPL)ratio into three components:the best-practice minimum NPL ratio,the excess NPL ratio,and a statistical noise,the former two of which reflect the lender’s inherent credit risk and lending inefficiency,respectively.As of 2013 and 2016,we find that the higher NPL ratios at the largest banks are driven by inherent credit risk,rather than lending inefficiency.Smaller banks are less efficient.In addition,as of 2013,LendingClub’s observed NPL ratio and lending efficiency were in line with banks with similar lending volume.However,its lending efficiency improved significantly from 2013 to 2016.As of 2016,LendingClub’s performance resembled the largest banks–consistent with an argument that its increased use of alternative data and AI/ML may have improved its credit risk assessment capacity above and beyond its peers using traditional approaches.Furthermore,we also investigate capital market incentives for lenders to take credit risk.Market value regression using the NPL ratio suggests that market discipline provides incentives to make less risky consumer loans.However,the regression using two decomposed components(inherent credit risk and lending inefficiency)tells a deeper underlying story:market value is significantly positively related to inherent credit risk at most banks,whereas it is significantly negatively related to lending inefficiency at most banks.Market discipline appears to reward exposure to inherent credit risk and punish inefficient lending.

Impact of learning through credit and value creation on the efficiency of Japanese commercial banks

This study investigates the learning curve of commercial banks regarding the efficiency of credit and value creation.However,current empirical methods for accessing the learning curve in organizations are not suitable for use in financial institutions.Considering bank-specific characteristics,we introduce a dynamic learning curve using a cost function adjusted to capture learning-by-doing in banks.Using the model,we test several hypotheses on the impact of bank intermediary experience(learning)on the efficiency of credit and value creation in Japanese commercial banks.The findings show that bank intermediary learning significantly improves the cost efficiency gain in the gross value created,total credit created,and investment.However,bank intermediary experience has no significant effect on the efficiency of the economic value created for all the banks analyzed.These findings have practical implications for evaluating cost dynamics in bank credit and value creation,risk management,lending to the real sector,and shareholder value creation.

Modelling and Simulating Dynamics Efficiency of Rural-Community Banks (RCBs) in Ghana

The present work seeks to develop a model for measuring efficiency of RCBs in Ghana by means of financial key performance indicators pairing macroeconomic indicators. A stochastic differential equation model for predicting the efficiency of RCBs in the future is developed and simulated using gaussian jumps to evaluate the models’ performance in unpredicted situations with four distinct phases of efficiency. Unique solution Exit multiple 4-dimensional stochastic differential equations and Macroeconomic model is proven to be the best-fitting model for the data with the lowest information criterion.

The impact of gross domestic product on the financing and investment efficiency of China’s commercial banks

China’s commercial banks have developed at a very rapid speed in recent decades.However,with global economic development slowing down,the impact of gross domestic product growth as an exogenous factor cannot be ignored.Most existing studies only consider the internal factors of banks,and neglect their external economic factors.This study thus adopts an undesirable dynamic slacks-based measure under an exogenous model in combination with the Kernel density curve to explore the efficiency of state-owned commercial banks(SOCBs),joint-stock commercial banks(JSCBs),and urban commercial banks(UCBs)in China from 2012 to 2018.The results show that SOCBs have the highest overall efficiency,followed by JSCBs,then UCBs.The efficiencies of SOCBs,JSCBs,and UCBs in the financing stage are greater than those in the investment stage,indicating that the latter stage brings down overall efficiency.Thus,all commercial banks need to focus on the efficiency of non-performing loans and return on capital.Finally,SOCBs need to strengthen internal controls,reduce non-performing loans and improve return on capital.JSCBs should actively expand its business while controlling costs,and UCBs should optimize its management.

Efficient channelized technology based on filter banks

With the appearance of novel radar signal with low intercept probability, the bandwidth of radar receiver is wider and wider. Wideband digital receiver becomes a research hotspot in the field of communication, radar and electronic reconnaissance, etc. As one of wideband digital receiver systems, digital channelized receiver has become a research emphasis due to the characteristics of full probability receiving and processing multiple signals. Digital channelized technology and signal sampling theory are deeply studied and an efficient channelized model is derived based on filter banks. The correctness of the model is verified by computer simulation The model has less computation compared with the traditional model, which is suitable for engineering application

Network efficiency analysis of Chinese inter-bank market

The inter-bank market network models are constructed based on the inter-bank credit lending relationships, and the network efficiency characters of the Chinese inter-bank market are studied. Since it is impossible to obtain the specific credit data among banks, this paper estimates the inter-bank lending matrix based on the partial information of banks. Thus, directed network models of the Chinese inter-bank market are constructed by using the threshold method. The network efficiency measures and the effects of random attacks and selective attacks on the global efficiency of the inter-bank network are analyzed based on the network models of the inter-bank market. Empirical results suggest that the efficiency measures are sensitive to the threshold, and that the global efficiency is little affected by random attacks, while it is highly sensitive to selective attacks. Properties such as inter-bank market network efficiency would be useful for risk management and stability of the inter-bank market.

Understanding Bridging Sites and Accelerating Quantum Efficiency for Photocatalytic CO_(2) Reduction

We report a novel double-shelled nanoboxes photocatalyst architecture with tailored interfaces that accelerate quantum efficiency for photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)via Mo–S bridging bonds sites in S_(v)–In_(2)S_(3)@2H–MoTe_(2).The X-ray absorption near-edge structure shows that the formation of S_(v)–In_(2)S_(3)@2H–MoTe_(2) adjusts the coordination environment via interface engineering and forms Mo–S polarized sites at the interface.The interfacial dynamics and catalytic behavior are clearly revealed by ultrafast femtosecond transient absorption,time-resolved,and in situ diffuse reflectance–Infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy.A tunable electronic structure through steric interaction of Mo–S bridging bonds induces a 1.7-fold enhancement in S_(v)–In_(2)S_(3)@2H–MoTe_(2)(5)photogenerated carrier concentration relative to pristine S_(v)–In_(2)S_(3).Benefiting from lower carrier transport activation energy,an internal quantum efficiency of 94.01%at 380 nm was used for photocatalytic CO_(2)RR.This study proposes a new strategy to design photocatalyst through bridging sites to adjust the selectivity of photocatalytic CO_(2)RR.

Enhancing I^(0)/I^(-)Conversion Efficiency by Starch Confinement in Zinc-lodine Battery

The redox couple of I^(0)/I^(-)in aqueous rechargeable iodine–zinc(I^(2)-Zn)batteries is a promising energy storage resource since it is safe and cost-effective,and provides steady output voltage.However,the cycle life and efficiency of these batteries remain unsatisfactory due to the uncontrolled shuttling of polyiodide(I_(3)^(-)and I_(5)^(-))and side reactions on the Zn anode.Starch is a very low-cost and widely sourced food used daily around the world.“Starch turns blue when it encounters iodine”is a classic chemical reaction,which results from the unique structure of the helix starch molecule–iodine complex.Inspired by this,we employ starch to confine the shuttling of polyiodide,and thus,the I^(0)/I^(-)conversion efficiency of an I^(2)-Zn battery is clearly enhanced.According to the detailed characterizations and theoretical DFT calculation results,the enhancement of I^(0)/I^(-)conversion efficiency is mainly originated from the strong bonding between the charged products of I_(3)^(-)and I_(5)^(-)and the rich hydroxyl groups in starch.This work provides inspiration for the rational design of high-performance and low-cost I^(2)-Zn in AZIBs.

Microscopic characteristics of tight sandstone reservoirs and their effects on the imbibition efficiency of fracturing fluids:A case study of the Linxing area,Ordos Basin

The Linxing area within the Ordos Basin exhibits pronounced reservoir heterogeneity and intricate micro-pore structures,rendering it susceptible to water-blocking damage during imbibition extraction.This study delved into the traits of tight sandstone reservoirs in the 8th member of the Shihezi Formation(also referred to as the He 8 Member)in the study area,as well as their effects on fracturing fluid imbibition.Utilizing experimental techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR),high-pressure mercury intrusion(HPMI),and gas adsorption,this study elucidated the reservoir characteristics and examined the factors affecting the imbibition through imbibition experiments.The findings reveal that:①The reservoir,with average porosity of 8.40%and average permeability of 0.642×10^(-3)μm^(2),consists principally of quartz,feldspar,and lithic fragments,with feldspathic litharenite serving as the primary rock type and illite as the chief clay mineral;②Nano-scale micro-pores and throats dominate the reservoir,with dissolution pores and intercrystalline pores serving as predominant pore types,exhibiting relatively high pore connectivity;③Imbibition efficiency is influenced by petrophysical properties,clay mineral content,and microscopic pore structure.Due to the heterogeneity of the tight sandstone reservoir,microscopic factors have a more significant impact on the imbibition efficiency of fracturing fluids;④A comparative analysis shows that average pore size correlates most strongly with imbibition efficiency,followed by petrophysical properties and clay mineral content.In contrast,the pore type has minimal impact.Micropores are vital in the imbibition process,while meso-pores and macro-pores offer primary spaces for imbibition.This study offers theoretical insights and guidance for enhancing the post-fracturing production of tight sandstone reservoirs by examining the effects of these factors on the imbibition efficiency of fracturing fluids in tight sandstones.

Research on a TOPSIS energy efficiency evaluation system for crude oil gathering and transportation systems based on a GA-BP neural network

As the main link of ground engineering,crude oil gathering and transportation systems require huge energy consumption and complex structures.It is necessary to establish an energy efficiency evaluation system for crude oil gathering and transportation systems and identify the energy efficiency gaps.In this paper,the energy efficiency evaluation system of the crude oil gathering and transportation system in an oilfield in western China is established.Combined with the big data analysis method,the GA-BP neural network is used to establish the energy efficiency index prediction model for crude oil gathering and transportation systems.The comprehensive energy consumption,gas consumption,power consumption,energy utilization rate,heat utilization rate,and power utilization rate of crude oil gathering and transportation systems are predicted.Considering the efficiency and unit consumption index of the crude oil gathering and transportation system,the energy efficiency evaluation system of the crude oil gathering and transportation system is established based on a game theory combined weighting method and TOPSIS evaluation method,and the subjective weight is determined by the triangular fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.The entropy weight method determines the objective weight,and the combined weight of game theory combines subjectivity with objectivity to comprehensively evaluate the comprehensive energy efficiency of crude oil gathering and transportation systems and their subsystems.Finally,the weak links in energy utilization are identified,and energy conservation and consumption reduction are improved.The above research provides technical support for the green,efficient and intelligent development of crude oil gathering and transportation systems.

Size,efficiency,market power,and economies of scale in the African banking sector

There is a growing body of evidence that interest rate spreads in Africa are higher for big banks compared to small banks.One concern is that big banks might be using their market power to charge higher lending rates as they become larger,more efficient,and unchallenged.In contrast,several studies found that when bank size increases beyond certain thresholds,diseconomies of scale are introduced that lead to inefficiency.In that case,we also would expect to see widened interest margins.This study examines the connection between bank size and efficiency to understand whether that relationship is influenced by exploitation of market power or economies of scale.Using a panel of 162 African banks for 2001–2011,we analyzed the empirical data using instrumental variables and fixed effects regressions,with overlapping and non-overlapping thresholds for bank size.We found two key results.First,bank size increases bank interest rate margins with an inverted U-shaped nexus.Second,market power and economies of scale do not increase or decrease the interest rate margins significantly.The main policy implication is that interest rate margins cannot be elucidated by either market power or economies of scale.Other implications are discussed.

Assessing Chinese Commercial Bank Technical Efficiency with a Parametric Hyperbolic Distance Function

This paper contributes to the literatures about Chinese commercial banks technical efficiency. In order to eliminate the deviation of efficiency scores caused by an undesirable output that is represented by banks’ non-performing loans, the estimation is based on an enhanced parametric hyperbolic distance function which considers not only desirable outputs but also undesirable outputs. Furthermore, we extend the model to divide the factors that affecting technical efficiency into direct factors and indirect factors and exclude the influence of the latter when analyzing the determiners of banks technical efficiency. The validity of this model is examined by a panel of bank data from 2004-2010.

Enhancing Energy Efficiency with a Dynamic Trust Measurement Scheme in Power Distribution Network

The application of Intelligent Internet of Things(IIoT)in constructing distribution station areas strongly supports platform transformation,upgrade,and intelligent integration.The sensing layer of IIoT comprises the edge convergence layer and the end sensing layer,with the former using intelligent fusion terminals for real-time data collection and processing.However,the influx of multiple low-voltage in the smart grid raises higher demands for the performance,energy efficiency,and response speed of the substation fusion terminals.Simultaneously,it brings significant security risks to the entire distribution substation,posing a major challenge to the smart grid.In response to these challenges,a proposed dynamic and energy-efficient trust measurement scheme for smart grids aims to address these issues.The scheme begins by establishing a hierarchical trust measurement model,elucidating the trust relationships among smart IoT terminals.It then incorporates multidimensional measurement factors,encompassing static environmental factors,dynamic behaviors,and energy states.This comprehensive approach reduces the impact of subjective factors on trust measurements.Additionally,the scheme incorporates a detection process designed for identifying malicious low-voltage end sensing units,ensuring the prompt identification and elimination of any malicious terminals.This,in turn,enhances the security and reliability of the smart grid environment.The effectiveness of the proposed scheme in pinpointing malicious nodes has been demonstrated through simulation experiments.Notably,the scheme outperforms established trust metric models in terms of energy efficiency,showcasing its significant contribution to the field.

Effect of building energy efficiency standards on carbon emission efficiency in commercial buildings

The building sector plays a crucial role in the worldwide shift toward achieving net-zero emissions.Building energy efficiency standards(BEESs)are highly effective policies for reducing carbon emissions.Therefore,exploring the provincial variations in carbon emission efficiency(CEE)in the building sector and identifying the effect of BEESs on CEE is crucial.This study focuses on commercial buildings in China and applies a difference in differences model to evaluate the impact of BEESs on the CEE of commercial buildings.The slacks-based measure–data envelopment analysis model is employed to assess the CEE of commercial buildings in 30 Chinese provinces from 2000 to 2019.Furthermore,heterogeneous tests are used to explore how climate characteristics and economic conditions affect the efficiency of BEESs.The results indicate that BEESs positively influence the CEE of commercial buildings.Specifically,a 1%increase in the intensity of BEESs causes a 0.1484%increase in the CEE of commercial buildings.Moreover,the impact of BEESs is particularly pronounced in the southern and western provinces.This study provides valuable scientific evidence for governments to enhance BEESs implementation.

Effect of antioxidants on the efficiency of jet milling and the powder characteristics of Sm2Co17 permanent magnets

This study investigated the effect of antioxidants on the grinding efficiency,magnetic powder characteristics,microstructure,and magnetic properties of 2:17 type SmCo permanent magnet materials.The results show that adding antioxidants helps improve the dispersion among magnetic powders,leading to a 33.3%decrease in jet milling time and a 15.8%increase in magnet powder production yield.Additionally,adding antioxidants enhances the oxidation resistance of the magnetic powders.After being stored in a constant temperature air environment at 25C for 48 h,the O content in the powder decreased by 33%compared to samples without antioxidants.While in the magnet body,the O content decreased from 0.21 wt.%to 0.14 wt.%,which helps increase the effective Sm content and domain wall pinning uniformity in the magnet.Excellent magnetic properties were obtained in the magnet with added antioxidants:B_(r)=11.6 kGs,SF=79.6%,H_(cj)=16.8 kOe,and(BH)_(max)=32.5 MGOe.

The Impact of Privatization on Terminal Efficiency: A Case Study of Tema Port

Port and terminal efficiency are of utmost importance to the container shipping industry due to their significance in enhancing the competitive advantage of ports within a region. Consequently, there have always been notable variations of studies around it. This paper analyzes the impact of privatization on terminal efficiency using the Port of Tema as a Case Study. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the efficiency trends of the public and private terminals in the port over the years. To achieve this objective, DEA-CCR methodology was employed to calculate the annual technical efficiency trends of the private and public terminals using four input variables and three output variables. The main results of the paper indicated that the public and private terminals were efficient for multiple years. However, the efficiency scores over the years demonstrated inconsistency, exhibiting notable fluctuations. The findings of this study will aid policymakers across the region on policies relating to the efficiency and ownership structure of ports and terminals.

Assessing the yield difference of double-cropping rice in South China driven by radiation use efficiency

Double-cropping rice in South China continues to break the total yield record,but the yield potential of singlecropping rice is not being realized.Radiation use efficiency(RUE)has been singled out as an important determinant of grain yield in many cereal species.However,there is no information on whether the yield gaps in doublecropping rice involve differences in RUE.Field experiments were performed over two years to evaluate the effects of intercepted radiation(IP)and RUE on the above-ground biomass production,crop growth rate(CGR),and harvest index(HI),in four representative rice varieties,i.e.,Xiangyaxiangzhan(XYXZ),Meixiangzhan 2(MXZ2),Nanjingxiangzhan(NJXZ),and Ruanhuayoujinsi(RHYJS),during the early and late seasons of rice cultivation in South China.The results revealed that grain yield in the early season was 8.2%higher than in the late season.The yield advantage in the early season was primarily due to higher spikelets per panicle and above-ground biomass resulting from a higher RUE.The spikelets per panicle in the early season were 6.5,8.3,6.9,and 8.5%higher in XYXZ,MXZ2,NJXZ,and RHYJS,respectively,than in the late season.The higher early season grain yield was more closely related to RUE in the middle tillering stage(R^(2)=0.34),panicle initiation(R^(2)=0.16),and maturation stage(R^(2)=0.28),and the intercepted photosynthetically active radiation(IPAR)in the maturation stage(R^(2)=0.28),while the late season grain yield was more dependent on IPAR in the middle tillering stage(R^(2)=0.31)and IPAR at panicle initiation(R^(2)=0.23).The results of this study conclusively show that higher RUE contributes to the yield progress of early season rice,while the yield improvement of late season rice is attributed to higher radiation during the early reproductive stage.Rationally allocating the RUE of double-cropping rice with high RUE varieties or adjustments of the sowing period merits further study.