Nicholls researchers issue second benchmark report on Louisiana banking

THIBODAUX – Faculty researchers from the College of Business Administration at Nicholls State University have issued their second technical report titled “Louisiana Community Banks: An Analysis of Recent Performance.”

The report presents the results of an analysis of Louisiana community banks with total assets of $1 billion or less – providing readers with a clear picture of the recent trends in the banks’ performance as well as their current condition relative to the national average for banks of similar size. All banks were analyzed in terms of profitability, capital risk, credit risk, utilization and liquidity. The new study, a continuation of a report issued in April 2009 that covered the years 2005 to 2008, covers the year 2009.

The report’s authors include Dr. Ronnie Fanguy, associate professor of computer information systems; Dr. John Lajaunie, professor of finance; Dr. Shari Lawrence, assistant professor of finance; and Dr. Norbert Michel, assistant professor of business administration.

“Although we observed a continued downward trend in profitability in 2009, Louisiana banks were still more profitable than their national peers,” Michel said. “This can be attributed to more conservative, less risky business practices.”

Next year’s report is likely to reveal downward trends as a result of the recent oil spill and drilling moratorium, Michel added, but so far the economy remains largely unchanged.

Dr. Shawn Mauldin, dean of the College of Business Administration, said the banking report is but one example of hundreds of academic contributions made by Nicholls business faculty over the past few years.

“And, like the banking report, many of these contributions are practical, real-world applications, designed to help business practitioners within their disciplines,” Mauldin said. “For example, an article published by the accounting faculty in the July issue of the CPA Journal provided guidance to CPAs on how to deal with disclosure or use of taxpayer information under IRS Section 7216. This is a great service to CPAs, especially considering that the penalty for non-compliance is up to one year in prison and up to $1,000 in fines.”

Further examples of practical academic research include an article titled “Crisis Management of Human Resources: Lessons from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” by Dr. Sonya Premeaux, associate dean of the College of Business Administration and Gerald Gaston Endowed Professor of Business Administration, and Denise Breaux, former Nicholls MBA graduate assistant and current assistant professor at the University of Arkansas.

“After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita wreaked havoc all along the gulf coast, new significance was placed on the need for crisis management and planning in organizations,” Premeaux said. “Our article, published in 2007 in the Human Resource Planning journal, provides guidance to human resource managers on how to minimize losses and disruptions when disasters strike. We provide practicing human resource managers with real-life examples of how organizations responded to these crises, illustrating what worked well and what did not in the human resource arena. The article gives particular attention to preparation and training, communication, pay and benefits, and other employment issues.”

Mauldin said that over the past five years, faculty members in the College of Business Administration have collectively published 171 peer-reviewed articles and produced 372 additional intellectual contributions, including textbook chapters, published conference proceedings, case studies and funded grants.

To read the full banking report, go to www.nicholls.edu/business/technical-report-on-la-community-banks-2009/ and click the link at the bottom of the page, titled “Technical Report on LA Community Banks-2009(PDF).”

For additional information about the College of Business Administration, go to www.nicholls.edu/business/.

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