Efficiency stands as a cornerstone for banks to foster economic growth and ensure financial stability within a nation. This study delves into the evaluation and comparison of technical efficiency between Islamic and conventional banks across Iran, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. Employing the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model, we assess the performance of eighty-three banks, considering inputs such as assets, capital, and deposits, alongside outputs including income, investment, and advances. Additionally, regression analysis is utilized to identify key factors influencing bank efficiency, encompassing bank size, liquidity, profitability, capital ratio, non-performing loans, gross domestic products (GDP), rule of law, and the bank's Islamic or conventional nature. Our findings unveil that Islamic banks, on the whole, surpass their conventional counterparts. Particularly, Islamic banks in Iran, Jordan, and Palestine exhibit superior efficiency, while conventional banks in Syria and Lebanon demonstrate greater efficacy. Regression analysis underscores the positive impact of return on assets, non-performing loans, capital adequacy, liquidity, and GDP on bank efficiency, whereas the rule of law exerts a negative influence. To bolster efficiency, regulatory bodies should contemplate establishing efficiency benchmarks for banks. Moreover, future research avenues should explore alternative efficiency measurement methodologies to deepen our understanding and enhance banking efficiency. This study contributes to the existing literature by furnishing empirical evidence on the determinants of bank efficiency in the Middle East region.

Conference Title

Resilient Future: Bridging Innovation, Business Intelligence, and Sustainability in Modern Business

Conference Country

Palestine

Conference Date

April 17, 2024 - April 18, 2024

Conference Sponsor

An-Najah National University & The University of Jordan

Additional Info

Conference Website