Martina Mulwa

Integrated marketing communication and technology adoption a case of safaricom's m-pesa mobile money transfer services in Kenya

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is an aggressive marketing plan that captures and uses an extensive amount of customer information in setting and tracking marketing strategy. This study sought to investigate the IMC strategies used with the M-PESA money transfer services in Kenya necessitated by the fact that similar mobile money transfer services existed in Kenya but did not experience the same success in uptake and use as M-PESA. The case study method was used allowing for qualitative and quantitative analysis and interpretation of data. The population was sampled using both purposive and non purposive sampling procedures. A sample of 48 users, agents and Safaricom officials participated in the actual research. Areas of concern included an exploration of critical and unique features of the product design and implementation strategies adopted by the Safaricom Company. Data collection tools included interviews, a focus group discussion, survey, observation and content analysis complimented by knowledge gained from product launches and seminars. The findings confirmed that Safaricom had used IMC strategies befitting their target market compared to its competition to diffuse information on the M-PESA innovation and thus the success of its adoption could be attributed to the unique IMC strategies.

Understanding Mobile Banking from a Theoretical Lens: Case Studies of Selected Kenyan m-Banking Products

Characteristic of every developing nation, Kenya has found itself at crossroads; defining the banking industry with the urge to provide banking services to majority of the unbanked populations. Mobile banking is a banking model that has been adopted by Kenyan Banks to reach out to unbanked populations. This paper is based on a case study conducted in Kenya on selected mobile banking products in 2012. The Actor Network theory methodology was used to identify and follow actors. Using in-depth interviews with key informants, survey of users and agents as well as focus group discussions and observation, it was established that agent phones and Point of service POS devises were used to deliver traditional banking services to users whose access mode was their mobile phone or debit cards. There existed partnerships between banks and mobile network operators whose operations were regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya and the Communications Authority of Kenya. This paper seeks to explore fundamental requirements for the interplay of actors in the execution of mobile banking services. It critically analyses data collected, with reference to the Network Society theory by Manuel Castells and Actor Network theory by Michael Callon and Bruno Latour, to inform on cross-sectoral partnerships and user attributes necessary in mobile banking uptake and use.