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This study examines the social cost of banking industry in Iran (17 governmental and private banks) in an unbalanced panel data model. To conduct estimations, two different approaches were taken: 1- Welfare Triangle approach 2- Libenstein’s approach. In the former, welfare triangle is measured assuming banking industry operating in full technical efficiency however, the latter includes both the effect of welfare triangle and the cost of likely technical X-inefficiency. The result of the first method showed that the social cost of banks in Iran is little, amounting to be less than 1 percent of GDP in 2008 while within the same period, the second method resulted in 4 percent of GDP, as the social cost of banks in Iran.

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The main purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of merger, concentration and credit risk on the efficiency of Iranian Banking industry. To measure the efficiency of Iranian banking system, we have used the data of commercial & specialized bank's balance sheets during 2001-2007, and a parametric approach to estimate two empirical models. To estimate efficiency measures and determining main factors affecting the measures, we have used a Logarithmic - Linear form of a random Translog cost function. The results of the first estimated efficiency model show that the average efficiency measure of banking system in Iran is 54% and that the merger of the more inefficient banks within the efficient bank will cause the average efficiency measure rise to 70% The results of the second model - assessing the effecting factors on efficiency- show that the efficiency of banks has an inverse relationship with the concentration (competition in banking industry), and a direct relationship with the IT index (e-banking activity) and the facilities to assets and capital to assets ratios (as the indices of the credit risk).

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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the source of fractional reserve banking and to review the literature on bank credit. Evaluating the operational procedure of this banking model demonstrates a new concept of credit money shaping aspect and its affect on the practical economy. The difference in due dates between depositing and receiving loan that causes Ex-nihio money to exist, the effect of this money on prices along with economic instability are among the issues that have occupied the critic scholar's minds in fractional reserve banking realm. In this paper, the effects of the fractional reserve banking model on the consumption behavior are analyzed. Also, the view points of the critics of this banking model are addressed. In this regard, an inter-generational consumption behavior model based on Maurice Allais's perspectives has developed. Results show that optimizing the existing model is the true test of the consumption instability in a permanent state in the fractional reserve banking realm. Also, according to the results there exits the possibility of instable capital repletion under certain circumstances.

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Since the liquidity shortage has some undesirable consequences for banks, the evaluation of different strategies of providing liquidity is very important. In normal market conditions, there are plenty of adjustment strategies available for banks which allow them to have higher liquid assets when they face higher payment obligations. This paper mainly focuses on three strategies of liquidity management in country's banking system in above conditions. The main aim of current paper is to test three strategies of liquidity management based on the recommendations of Basel Committee in the condition of increasing the payment obligations of the banking network, by applying Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) method. We used the data from 20 Iranian commercial banks for the period 2001-2009. Results show that there is a positive relationship between payment obligations and securities stock growth rates and also between payment obligations and repayments of loans growth rates. However there is a diverse relation between payment obligations and long-term loans growth rates.

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This paper based on the new empirical industrial organization model (NEIO) examines the impact of market concentration and cost efficiency on bank's profit rate margin in Iran. The study uses the model developed by Azzam (1997) to evaluate the market power and cost efficiency for 15 active banks in the banking industry. The empirical findings indicate a decrease in the market power of banks during the period 2001-2011. It is also shown that the conjectural variations index associated with the loans is -0.96, while demand for the loans is completely inelastic where its value is near to 0.087. Additionally, The market power and cost efficiency in the banking industry have been estimated 0.37 and -0.30 respectively meaning a decrease about 0.3 percent for the bank's profit rate due to the efficiency of cost and an increase about 0.07 percent due to the concentration.