Antecedents of Agency Banking adoption among Commercial Bank Customers in Mbarara municipality

Abstract

The study sought to establish the antecedents of agency banking adoption among customers of commercial banks that offer agency banking in Mbarara Municipality. The study adopted across sectional and correlation quantitative design using a sample size 148 customers of agency banking among commercial banks in Mbarara Municipality. The data were tested for reliability and validity, analysed using SPSS version 21 and results presented based on the study objectives. The correlation coefficient analysis revealed positive and significant relationships; perceived usefulness and adoption of agency banking, perceived risk and adoption of agency banking, customer attitude and adoption of agency banking, which implies that when one variable is improved it leads to improvement of the other but on the other hand the relationship between perceived ease of use and adoption of agency banking was insignificant which implies any change in perceived ease of use will not affect in any way adoption of agency banking. Furthermore, the multiple regression analysis indicates that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk and attitude combined have a greater influence on the adoption of agency banking (Adj R2 of 0.647). However, it was further revealed that perceived usefulness and perceived risk have a more direct effect on the adoption of agency banking. Therefore, commercial banks should promote the usefulness of the agency banking by advertising and sensitizing the public about the use of agency banking, since by knowing this information, it will indicate to them the reason as to why they should use agency banking, by clearly bringing out the benefits to the customers and this will increase the use and the adoption of agency banking among the customers of commercial banks hence 0.353 is gap left for further research. Managers/owners of commercial banks and other stakeholders should promote risk awareness which is involved in agency banking, by informing the customers through newspapers and radio announcements so that they can learn how to avoid the risks in the market places of agency bankers, and this will increase the adoption of agency banking among the customers of commercial banks. The study undertook only quantitative approach. Future research in the same area could adopt a mixed approach with quantitative data and triangulates.