THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL BANK IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF ECO BANK)

ABSTRACT

This project work is on the impact of information technology in the banking industry. And Eco Bank is chosen as a case study.

In carrying out this research project, both primary and secondary data were collected to solve the research problem. The population of the study comprises of the personals of Ecobank and the customers that patronize them. The research instrument used for data collection were questionnaire and oral interviews. Tables, frequencies and percentages were used in presenting and analyzing the data collected. The chi-square was used in testing the hypothesis. From the data analysis, the researcher came up with the following findings. That the customer are not satisfied with the level of information technology of the bank, that high cost of information is a major set back of the company that hinders the efficient rate of the banks information technology. Based on the finding the following recommendations were made: (i) The bank should improve the information technology to help them enhance efficiency of the services and satisfy their customers. (ii) That the bank should continue to source for information that would help them satisfy their customers (iii) the problem of fund and high cost of information should be taken care of by releasing fund which will be used to improve the quality of information in technology of the bank. And in conclusion that information technology Ecobank has a vital role to play in enhancing the efficiency of the services provided by the company.

Chapter One

INTRODUCTION

1.1      Background of the Study

The world is a global village. It is due to the global state of the world that bedsore became such an organic economic activity armed at producing goods and services.

In this light of this organic nature of business, it constantly changes with  improvement in science and technology. Business men and women have seen the need to also change their mode of carrying out business activities in order to keep abreast with the current practice and to effectively face the constant and new challenges experienced on the business.

This growing expectation challenges prompt the business community into evolving means to smoothen the performance of business. There are number challenges of business. These challenges are characterized by the constant changes in trade of customer as well as the competition in the business circle by other competitors, all towards achieving or controlling the patronage of the majority of the customer in the entire industry.

Many banks in the part has strive to improve their counter services and reduce to the minimum the waiting time for such service by employing more staff to cope with increasing number of customers.

But his did not yield much result with the advert of information technology bank like all Eco bank had office has been able to automate some aspect, if not all their operation and this has resulted to lower cost in terms of paid salaries to staff and wasting of customers. With the help of information technology in Ecobank, according to information systems, the decision making proves, loans and credit evaluations and other banking services have been very efficient. The Ecobank head office having realized the existence in the competitive economy depends on the level of information technology adopt it protectively. That the range of information technology adopted Ecobank must be determined by the peculiarity of its customer.

Thus, to compete favourable and effectively in the work of today’s complex business environment, the business has to keep itself abreast with the dynamic changes and also adopt new methods currently practiced all over the worlds, i.e, by most success and business. To this end this research world is set to study and research on “using management information system (MIS) to improve customers service and growth in the banking industry.

Information for the modern organization is a resources parelled in importance to land, labour and capital. It is very vital and priceless resources for centuries, man has tried to collate, store, process and retrieved information and most importantly distribute or communicate it by the available fastest mean. It follows, therefore that man has tried various ways and methods to record and disseminate information in his attempts to proffer solution to competing tasks over the centuries. Information therefore is data that have been processed into meaningful and usable form, and it contains knowledge that reduces uncertainly in particular situation. However, information technology (I.T) is a term, which generally covers the harnessing of electronic technology for the information needs of business at all levels. It is a computer based system as well as telecommunication technology for storage, processing and dissemination of information.

It is no longer a news that we are now in information age that is characterized by an ever-changing information technology revolution and an information superhighway on which every corporate entity and profession must move, if it is to survive in the 21st century. What is news, it that many professionals in developing countries like Nigeria do not seem to be ready or prepared to embrace this information technology or revolution and join its superhighway as a means for survival and that many practitioners are among such luggards. This is quite unfortunate because the world of business and governance in the information age is further complicated by such concepts like democratization, competition, deregulation, privatization, commercialization, liberalization, globalization, internationalization and computerization.

1.2      Statement of the Problem

Information technology is entrepreneurial activity that information as a corporate resources should be managed and it greatly increase the opportunities that are available.

The operation of most banks in Nigeria are done manually with the aid of a calculator and writing machine. The banks do not recognize computers in their operations. The data processing and execution of transactions as well as their entire system for the purpose of record keeping are all done manually.

The waiting time for bank services had led to frustration and dissatisfaction of quite a number of customers.

Another big problem facing the banking sector today is fraud, which has established the banking sector to the point of lack of confidence from the average customer.

Most banks do not put their customers in the prime place as they supposed to be. These is new keen completion and to compete means to apply the marketing the other ends created negative patronage from public saving and other transaction through the bank which resulted to loss of revenue. For the bank as well as how the implementation process should be to achieve an effective computation of the bank so as to achieve greater participation by customer for the overall interest of customer and their bank as a whole. This study is aimed at researching on the effect of information technology on the marketing of banking services.

1.3      Objective of the Study

Among the objective of the study are:

a)          To explore the correlation between information technology and services delivery ability of banks.

b)         To investigate the effect of information technology, investment on profitability of the Ecobank on customer loyalty.

c)          To investigate the effect of information technology investment of banks on customer loyalty.

d)         To relate the advent of information technology to effective services delivery of ecobank.

e)          To suggest how first, banks executive can direct and mange the linage investment information technology and maximize profit.

1.4      Research Question

1)         States whether the information technology is in efficient operations of ecobank services.

2)         How can customers know the means of various bank services existence of the bank

3)         Response to whether good information technology enhances efficient running of the bank services.

4)         Response to the level of satisfaction with the current information technology on ground in ecobank.

1.5      Hypothesis

Hypothesis I

Ho:  Customer choice of banks is not a function of the level of information technology investment of the bank.

H1:  Customer choice of banks is function of the level of information technology investment of the bank.

Hypothesis II

Ho: Customer loyalties do not depend on high information technology extent in bank.

H1: Customers loyalty depends on high information technology extent in bank.

Hypothesis III

Ho:  Customer do not perceive Ecobank as high information technology bank.

H1: Customers do perceive Ecobank as high information technology bank.

1.6      Significance of the Study

Not only student of the nature in the world of competitive business and scarce resources, on completion of this study, the management of inter continental bank will benefit much and know why it is necessary using the management information system instead of manual operation system.

Delays is a problem faced by the customers of the bank, a transition that was supposed to be executed in five to ten minute with the use of computer takes one hour or more to complete because of the manual application in the operation. But this is not so in using the computer.

Efficiency and effectiveness are two important terms as far as banking sector or any establishment is concern. While efficiency refers to resources productivity in the organization. The bank can not compete favourably with other well-known banks in the banking sector without having it operations computerized. This is because the success of these perturbing banks like on the computerized operation, this then a bound impetus in the customer services. Therefore, the bank to computerize its operation so as to join the ware of success experienced by other fast giving banks within the problem faced by the banks of which this write up will work into and find some cases of the problems and possible solution so as to advise the bank on the very forward to achieving success.

1.7      Scope and Limitations of the Study

In carrying out a research work it is expected that a research of this nature, must have a boundary.

In evaluating the impact of information technology on the performance of commercial bank in Nigeria, emphasis were based on information technology and the impact of such information technology on commercial bank in Nigeria.

The researcher encountered many difficulties in the course of the research work which are as follows:

1.          Time Constraint:  The time available in carrying out this research is not much in other to meet up with the researcher’s school demand.

2.          Insufficient Fund:  The researcher lack enough fund in carrying out this research work the researcher would have visited more banks and their branches but could not do so due to the lack of sufficient fund.

3.          The non-challant attitude on the part of the respondent as they view the researcher as intruder

1.8      Definition of Terms

Management Information System:  Method of making available to management the accurate and timely, information necessary to facilitate this decision making process and enable the organization planning functions be carried out effectively.

Electric Data Processing:  The department where data processing takes place for a few organization oral function usually accounting and billing this concept of computer based.

Computer Based Information System (CIBS): Information system which becomes better known as computer based (mis).