Informatica

Departing from conventional TFP index without variable-specific analysis, this paper applies a novel Malmquist productivity index on the basis of the multi-directional efficiency analysis to investigate not only the overall total factor productivity growth, but also the variable-specific productivity growth in the Chinese banking sector. Moreover, considering heterogenous types of banks, the metafrontier framework is taken into account. It is found that the total factor productivity tended to decline in the Chinese banking during 2005–2015 with technological change being the main source of regress. The large state-owned commercial banks performed better than the small-medium commercial banks in terms of total factor productivity growth.