影響銀行分行活動之決定因素：臺灣銀行業之實證

Determinants of Bank Branch Activities: Evidence from the Taiwanese Banking Industry

本文為首篇討論銀行各類分行活動決策之文章。利用台灣本國銀行業為實證對象，從三個層面進行分析：首先利用跨期概覽的方式，比較銀行業者選擇分行活動之型態與策略；其次採用 probit模型分別探討影響銀行在地理市場分行數目增加與減少的因素，最後再以最小平方法來檢驗銀行從事各類分行活動之特性。實證結果指出：在北部地區，銀行不但持續擴大其分行數，亦重視分行據點效益之調整；但在中南部地區多以購併方式取得分行。中型分行網絡銀行傾向從事重疊區域活動，小型與大型分行網絡銀行相對上較能開發與調整分行所在之地理區域。當銀行決定擴增或縮減市場分行數目時，市場業務因素往往是重要關鍵因素，不過若要選擇採行的分行活動方式，則銀行業務因素、銀行績效因素與公司治理表現亦具有影響力，且左右各類分行活動率之特性亦大不相同。 This is the first paper to discuss the determinants of banks’ branch activities. The sample consists of 45 banks in Taiwan for the period 2000–2005. In this study, a survey is first conducted to compare the patterns and strategies of banks’ branch activities. Second, a probit model is applied to investigate the factors in determining whether a bank increases (or decreases) the number of branches in geographic markets. Finally, the ordinary least squares methodology is used to examine the characteristics of banks’ branch activities. The empirical results show that in North Taiwan, banks not only continue to increase their branches but also adjust the location of their branches to reach the highest efficiency. However, in Central and Southern Taiwan, banks choose to buy existing banks to enter the market instantly. Most of the banks choose to adjust their branches in non-overlapping markets except for banks with midsized branch networks. Market specific factors are the critical factors when banks decide to increase (or decrease) the number of branches in the geographic markets. Bank-specific factors, bank performance factors, and corporate governance also have significant effects on the choice of branch activities. The analysis indicates that different factors affect different branch activity rates.