Off‐site monitoring systems for predicting bank underperformance: a comparison of neural networks, discriminant analysis, and professional human judgment

Abstract This study compares the ability of discriminant analysis, neural networks, and professional human judgment methodologies in predicting commercial bank underperformance. Experience from the banking crisis of the 1980s and early 1990s suggest that improved prediction models are needed for helping prevent bank failures and promoting economic stability. Our research seeks to address this issue by exploring new prediction model techniques and comparing them to existing approaches. When comparing the predictive ability of all three models, the neural network model shows slightly better predictive ability than that of the regulators. Both the neural network model and regulators significantly outperform the benchmark discriminant analysis model's accuracy. These findings suggest that neural networks show promise as an off‐site surveillance methodology. Factoring in the relative costs of the different types of misclassifications from each model also indicates that neural network models are better predictors, particularly when weighting Type I errors more heavily. Further research with neural networks in this field should yield workable models that greatly enhance the ability of regulators and bankers to identify and address weaknesses in banks before they approach failure. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.