Innovative Banking Practices and Financial Performance of Commercial Banks in Kenya

Abstract

Commercial banks serve as key financial intermediaries in facilitation of the flow of money in the banking industry. Commercial banks offer credit to investment banks in order to offer investment opportunities for risky investments especially for financial securities using depositors’ money. Globally, banks are affected by broad difficulties in the operating environment. The banking industry has embraced innovation to sustain competitiveness. Financial innovations used by commercial banks revolve around the latest product, service and its conveyance to consumers. Consequently, this information influenced the research with its aim as; investigating innovative banking applications and monetary capability of banks. Particular goals included examining how; real time gross settlements (RTGS), electronic fund transfers (EFT), pay bill innovation in mobile banking and the extent of agency banking influence monetary potential of banks. Research anchored on the Schumpeter theory of innovations, the agency and bank-led theories. It was explanatory in nature and applied a census approach to gather information. The targeted group included commercial banks registered under the Central Bank totalling to 42 tiers 1. Raw and derived data was equally utilized including, financial statements and face to face interviews with top level managers. Collected information was examined by SPSS. Given conclusions were dispensed descriptively, and by inferring to statistical presentations. The resulting conclusion was that; when RTGS, agency banking, EFT, and mobile banking are solely brought up/down by a single unit, financial performance increased/ decreased by 0.163, 0.27, 0.197, and 0.318 units. At a constant however, financial performance remained at 0.236 out of 5 units. In conclusion, commercial in banks have significantly relied on innovative banking practices to shift their financial performance to new heights. The study has particularly placed both mobile and agency banking at a more central position in driving financial performance to the desired level than other factors including the RTGS and EFT. As part of the recommendations, managements of commercial banks should consider scaling up their adoption of RTGS, agency banking, EFT, and mobile banking as ways of reducing the operating cost of their respective banks reducing banking hall congestions since most of the frequently sought banking services can be achieved without one on one meeting with the bank tellers. Management should also consider adopting more innovative banking practices besides those this research investigated.