Global Financial Crisis and Bank Productivity in Mexico

This chapter presents an attempt to compare the productivity of the Mexican banking sector in two different periods: the 2007-2011 period of global financial crisis and the 2003-2006 stage, which can be regarded as a relatively stable period. The purpose of this study is to disclose whether the global financial crisis affected Mexican banking productivity. Three Data Envelopment Models (DEA) are tested in order to assess whether there is a significant difference between the productivity patterns of Mexican banks before and after the financial crisis. Such models are the radial Malmquist Index, the non-radial and slacks-based model, and non-radial and non-oriented. Essentially, no significant difference of productivity indicators for both foreign and domestic banks was found. Likewise, no significant difference between the pre- and post-crisis periods was perceived, as far as productivity indicators are concerned. Therefore, the global financial crisis was effectless in banking operation.