Effect of Top Management Support on Implementation of Mobile Banking Projects in Commercial Banks in Kenya

Abstract

The use of mobile banking by bank customers in Kenya rose to 57 percent in 2019 from 49 percent recorded in 2018, according to the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA, 2019) Survey report. Despite the increase in uptake of mobile banking, its implementation has been experiencing several challenges ranging from availability of capable handsets, user experience, lack of clear business models, lack of global technology standards, financial regulations & legislation, support issues and consumer rights concerns. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of top management support on implementation of mobile banking projects in commercial banks in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population was mobile banking projects from six Tire one commercial banks in Nairobi County. The unit of observation comprised of 244 project officers. Stratified random sampling method was used to select 149 respondents. Primary data was obtained using semi- structured questionnaires. In analyzing qualitative data, thematic analysis was applied. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The findings indicated that top management support and implementation of mobile banking project in commercial banks are directly and significantly associated (r=0.766, p=0.000). Therefore, the study recommends the need for commercial banks’ management of to provide full support to the project team. In particular, the management should ensure that the project team has adequate resources needed for the success of the mobile banking project.