Estimating X-Efficiency in Taiwanese Banking Using a Translog Shadow Profit Function

A multiproducttranslog normalized shadow profit function is used to examineX-efficiency and related issues with respect to Taiwan's bankingsector. The model developed here is theoretically more appropriatecompared to that proposed by Berger, Hancock, and Humphrey (1993);as the former is obtained within the framework of profit maximization.Parameter estimates from our parametric translog profit functionare shown to be robust against different model specifications.More than half of all potential profits are estimated to be lostdue to economic inefficiency. The relatively more important roleof technical inefficiency, compared with that of allocative inefficiency,implies that deficient output revenues outweigh excessive inputcosts. Translog evidence indicates that larger banks tend tobe more technically efficient than smaller ones. The data showstrong technical progress during the sample period, while themodel failing to include X-inefficiency yields no technical advance. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 2000