Business Strategy of Barclays Bank Kenya

Business Strategy of Barclays Bank KenyaChapter 1 Introduction1.1 RationaleThe investigate will be looking at some of the center commerce impactes within Barclays Bank Kenya and discussions on how automation has been achieved vis--vis the hardware and software tools createoutd to beat back automation within these influencees. The research will alike outline the criteria for the option of automation tools used, how these tools work together to drive automation and how process automation could be made more efficient in the future.Singh et al. (2002) observed that, the need for banks to recurrently remain relevant in a very competitive industry and to carry out ever growing guest demands, triggered the need for an e-banking solution whose transformaton goes as far back as the 1970s. The deployment of advanced information engine room helped reduce cost by broadly speaking eliminating the need to build new brick and mortar structures. It also helped to ensure that customer s could perform transactions such as cash withdrawal and account symmetricalness checking without necessarily stepping into a banking hall. While (Arebeyen, 2011)stated that the high level of competition in the banking celestial sphere and a need to remain competitive and relevant together with customer demands for more efficient 24hour banking services led to a need for banks to re-engineer their business processes mostly with the introduction of electronic services. He also concludes by stating how the re-engineering process, through the performance of Information Systems signifi fecal mattertly improved the profitability performance of the banks.Oluwatolani, Joshua and Philip (2011) reported on the impact Information Technology has had on the banking sector. How it has become a transformational tool in do the national economy for competitive and produced a new domain of economic and social partnerships.Laudon and Laudon (1991) also argue that it is impossible for managers to ignore Information Technology as they play a fundamental role in modern day organizations. They pointed out how the worlds top 500 companies subscribe to now been linked with Information Technology and how Information Technology has increasingly changed the way banks organized their corporate structures to enhance the efficiency and speed of service delivery.Banks opt for tools that are used to change business process for versatile reasons. These tools enable banks to use up smaller operational units that result to value-adding tasks that include complex processes like deal origination as comfortably as activities requiring human interventions. Automating processes helps in reducing the use of paper, supporting decision making and digitizing work flow. By embracing fully the use of these tools, banks often acquire a substantial improvement in customer service and in productivity. In other words, these tools are cost effective and more efficient because they scissure solutions that rescue back-office procedures from unnecessary errors and expenses. Therefore the objective of this research is an attempt to fill that gap in knowledge. To conduct a study and gain insight into the tools (hardware and software) that have tremendously improved the banking services within Barclays Bank Kenya, which will be used as a case study for this research.1.2 Problem StatementThe fuss this research aims to solve is the inadequate availability of studies on the hardware and software tools that drive process automation within the Kenyan banking sector.This problem has led to a gap in knowledge between the need/analysis of Information Systems in the Kenyan banking sector and the impact Information Systems have had on the sector over the years.This study therefore seeks to bridge that gap by conducting a research on the tools (hardware and software) used to drive automation within Barclays Bank Kenya, the criteria for the selection of tools used, how these tools combine to f orm a cohesive and effective workflow of processes and how process automation could be made more efficient in the future.1.3 Justification saucily generation of modern technology tools enable organizations to resolve the paradox of having to standardize their operations and business processes as a means of achieving operational excellence as hale as cost leadership. They help the organizations to achieve signifi substructuret goals as well as changing their operational models so that they achieve efficiency and innovations. The use of technological tools in running business processes is significant more so because the priorities of organizations are sifting and at the top of the list, most organizations are considering productivity and cost control as most crucial. The technology has helped many organizations to be more effective in their services and products delivery.Business process management utilizes digital tools as a means of creating models that lead to optimization of key business processes. Within the banking system, there are four core business processes that include production, ad-hoc, administrative and collaborative. The core business within the banking systems are implemented to meet several(a) business requirements such as acquisitions or mergers by a bank, the need for more tractableness within an ever increasing competitive market as well as the regulatory changes that are inadequately handled through legacy systems.Administrative work flows entail processes that are repetitive and predictable and involves simple task coordination rules like travel request and routing an expense report via an authorization process. Ad-Hoc workflows deals with human coordination, co-decision, collaboration and mostly appear in office processes including sales proposal and product documentation. On the other hand, collaborative workflows involve several(prenominal) iterations of a similar step up to the time an agreement is reached and may also involve getti ng back to a previous stage. Lastly production workflows encompass predictable and repetitive business processes that are usually critical in nature and may include loan application. Production workflow refers to a process of information that involves access to several or one information system.Production and administrative business processes are the bureaucratic procedures that comprises of well-defined steps that are controlled through defined rules. These two processes can be described with a lot of ease by conventional modelling tools. They are automated by the use of a Workflow forethought Systems. Ad-hoc processes are quite similar to administrative processes but differ in that they deal with loosely defined or unique conditions. These conditions cannot be modelled easily nor can they be supported by current Workflow Management Systems effectively. On the other hand, collaborative processes are characterized by the number of those participating as well as by the synchronizati on required. Collaborative processes are adequately handled by the use of groupware technology. There are various tools used to automate various processes.Theres no question about the impact Information Technology has had on banking operations and still continues to have. It is therefore strategic to not only study these impacts but also to look at some of the tools that have helped automate the operations of the banking sector. This research will help fill that gap in knowledge by exposing readers to how various hardware and software tools are being used to automate some of the business operations within the banking sector.1.4 Aims and Objectives1.4.1 AimsThe aim of this research is to provide insight into the hardware and software tools that are used to drive banking process automation within Barclays Bank Kenya.1.4.2 ObjectivesThe specific objectives of this research areTo identify and analyze the various reason tools used to automate the operational processes of Barclays Bank Kenya.To determine the criteria used by Barclays Bank Kenya in selecting the tools used in automation.To identify the synergy between the various operational tools and interactivity.To identify possible upgrades to the automation system that could step-up efficiency.To write a report on the research findings1.4.3 Research QuestionsWhat is the operational workflow of the banking process?What are the hardware and software tools used to automate the banking process?What are the criteria for the selection of hardware and software tools used in the automation of the process?How does the process integrate with other processes?How can the process be made more efficient vis--vis the tools used?1.5 ScopeThis research is concerned with the hardware and software tools that have been used to achieve banking process automation within the Barclays Bank Kenya. The bank was selected due to its wide coverage branch network and its heavy reliance on Information Technology in carrying out its banking operations.The research also looks into the criteria used in selecting the tools used for automation. It describes the synergy between the various tools and how they interact. And finally it identifies possible upgrades to the tools that could increase the overall efficiency of the automation process.1.6 Ethical and Professional Issues1.6.1 Ethical IssuesInformed ApprovalThe subject of the case study must fully understand the reaching and depth of the research before the researcher can start the study.Impropriety in ResearchForgery and distortion in conducting and analyzing research must be avoided and if present should be reported to the supervisor of the research as every academic community has the responsibility of tackling research misconduct.1.6.2 Professional IssuesCiting SourcesIt is important for the researcher to distinguish the works of other authors that have been included in his/her research in other to avoid plagiarism. The use of citations is professional as it give s credibility to the researchers own work.ConfidentialityIt is important that the confidentiality of the source(s) always be maintained by the researcher unless where the source(s) has given explicit permission for their name(s) to be mentioned in the research. This increases the level of rapport between the researcher and their source, making the source willing to provide vital information to the research without fear of their identity being disclosed.1.7 ScheduleThe project schedule is shown below with the aid of a Gantt chart.ResearchDefine Research QuestionsList the cases and choose analysis toolsArrange to collect dataCollect dataanalyze the dataWrite a reportJan. 2017Feb. 2017March. 2017April. 2017May. 2017April 2016Figure 1.0 A Gnatt Chart Showing the Research Schedule1.8 BudgetTABLE 1.0 Breakdown of Proposed Estimate for Conducting this ResearchS/NO figure ITEMAMOUNT (KSH)1Phone Calls2,0002Internet Data2,0003Printing1,5004Transportation1,500TOTAL7,000