What drives consumer choice of Islamic banking services in the United Arab Emirates?

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anamitra Shome ◽  
Fauzia Jabeen ◽  
Rajesh Rajaguru
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Consumer Choice ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Muslim Country ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Banking And Finance ◽  
Islamic Bank ◽  
Gender Education ◽  
Research Findings

Purpose Islamic banking (IB) has witnessed remarkable growth in the past decade. The purpose of this study is to explore some factors that are influencing the choice of Islamic banking and finance (IBF) products and services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a predominantly Muslim country. Design/methodology/approach Students enrolled at a university located in a major emirate in the UAE were asked to respond to a survey on factors underlying their decision to open an account at an Islamic bank. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and regression analysis. Findings Results indicate that the decision to open an account with an Islamic bank is influenced by consumer expectations regarding the conformity of the bank’s operations with Islamic principles, as well as consumers’ Arab language skills. Variables such as consumers’ nationality, gender, education and familiarity with IB do not have a significant influence on the decision to open an account at an Islamic bank. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on university students from a certain Emirate only, which somewhat limits the generalizability of the research results. Nevertheless, the findings of this study may potentially provide some practical insights for further improving and promoting IB, with special reference to the UAE youth market segment. Originality/value The research is original in nature, particularly as there have not been many instances where the choice of potential consumers (university students) regarding IB and finance services has been explored within the IB sector in a predominantly Muslim nation such as the UAE, an emerging Gulf economy. Consequently, the research findings have important implications for Islamic banks operating in a predominantly Islamic environment.

Islamic banking and finance: potential approach for economic sustainability in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1725-1741
Author(s):  
Md Nazirul Islam Sarker ◽  
Most Nilufa Khatun ◽  
GM Monirul Alam
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Islamic Finance ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Economic Sustainability ◽  
Muslim Country ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Banking And Finance ◽  
One Belt One Road ◽  
Finance Model ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the unique aspects of Islamic finance and its role in economic development. It also explores the suitability of Islamic finance in China. Design/methodology/approach The paper explores the potential of Islamic banking and finance for economic sustainability in China. This study adopts the content analysis approach and focuses on various aspects of finance. Moreover, a critical investigation has been done by using various indicators of a new finance system adoption by considering the economic, cultural, religious and political aspects of China. Findings The study reveals that China already tested Islamic finance on a pilot basis in Ningxia, China. China is suitably positioned to adopt Islamic finance for its economic development. It also reports that Islamic finance will be more helpful to implement One Belt One Road initiative of China, as the Gulf and Arab Islamic finance-based countries are the major partners of China. This study analyzes Islamic micro-finance literature and proposes suitable measures for adoption in China. Practical implications Despite some limitations, the findings have a large implication on Islamic financing in general. It will be helpful to researchers and practitioners to understand the Islamic finance model for implementing it in a new environment. Social implications This study analyzes the demand, rules and regulations, related challenges and potential of launching Islamic banking and finance in China. Originality/value This study analyzes the demand, rules and regulations, related challenges and potential of launching Islamic banking and finance in China. The paper fills a gap to the existing literature on Islamic finance uniqueness, challenges and opportunities from the perspective of a non-Muslim country.

Islamic Banking and Finance in Theory and Practice

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdus Samad ◽  
Norman D. Gardner ◽  
Bradley J. Cook
Keyword(s):  
Financial System ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Equity Financing ◽  
Banking And Finance ◽  
Financial Products ◽  
Islamic Bank

This paper’s primary objective is to identify the relative importance of various Islamic financial products, in theory and in practice, by examining the financing records of the Bank Islam Malaysia (Berhad) and the Bahrain Islamic Bank. Currently, seven available Islamic financing products are considered viable alternatives to interest-based conventional contracts: mudarabah (trust financing), musharakah (equity financing), ijarah (lease financing), murabahah (trade financing), qard al-hassan (welfare loan), bay` bi al-thaman al-ajil (deferred payment financing), and istisna` (progressive payments). Among these financial products, mudarabah and musharakah are the most distinct. Their unique characteristics (at least in theory) make Islamic banks and Islamic financing viable alternatives to the conventional interest-based financial system. The question before us is to determine the extent of mudarabah and musharakah in Islamic financing in practice. The data are as follows: the average mudarabah is 5% of total financing, and the average musharakah is less than 3%. The combined average of mudarabah and musharakah for the two Islamic banks is less than 4% of the total finance and advances. The average qard al- hassan is about 4%, while istisna` does not yet exist in practice. Murabahah is the most popular and dominates all other modes of Islamic financing. The average use of murabahah is over 54%. When the bay` bi al-thaman al-ajil is added to the murabahah, the percentage of total financing is shown to be 2.68%. This paper also explores some possible reasons why these two Islamic banks appear to prefer murabahah to mudarabah and musharakah.

Loyalty towards Islamic banking: service quality, emotional or religious driven?

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dwi Suhartanto ◽  
Christopher Gan ◽  
Ira Siti Sarah ◽  
Setiawan Setiawan
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Emotional Attachment ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Service Quality ◽  
Islamic Bank ◽  
Bank Managers

Purpose This paper aims to integrate and examine three loyalty routes (i.e. service quality, emotional attachment and religiosity) in developing customer loyalty towards Islamic banking. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 412 Islamic bank customers from Indonesia. Variance-based structural equation modelling was applied to evaluate the association between service quality, emotional attachment, religiosity and customer loyalty. Findings This study reveals that customer loyalty is more driven by emotional attachment and religiosity rather than by perceived service quality. Although not directly affecting customer loyalty, service quality strengthens customer satisfaction towards Islamic banks. Practical implications This study provides an opportunity for Islamic bank managers to increase their customer loyalty through the development of emotional attachment and religiosity. To improve customer loyalty, this study suggests that Islamic banks have to provide prompt, accurate and non-personal service. It is also important for Islamic bank managers to keep the bank operation compliant with the Sharia law. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to assess the three loyalty routes simultaneously in influencing customer loyalty.

Is Islamic bank profitability driven by same forces as conventional banks?

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajer Zarrouk ◽  
Khoutem Ben Jedidia ◽  
Mouna Moualhi
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Panel Data ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Subprime Crisis ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Bank Profitability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Large Sample ◽  
Islamic Bank ◽  
Conventional Banks

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether Islamic bank profitability is driven by same forces as those driving conventional banking in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Distinguished by its principles in conformity with sharia, Islamic banking is different from conventional banking, which is likely to affect profitability. Design/methodology/approach The paper builds on a dynamic panel data model to identify the banks’ specific determinants and the macroeconomic factors influencing the profitability of a large sample of 51 Islamic banks operating in the MENA region from 1994 to 2012. The system-generalized method of moment estimators are applied. Findings The findings reveal that profitability is positively affected by banks’ cost-effectiveness, asset quality and level of capitalization. The results also indicate that non-financing activities allow Islamic banks to earn higher profits. Islamic banks perform better in environments where the gross domestic product and investment are high. There is evidence of several elements of similarities between determinants of the profitability for Islamic and conventional banks. The inflation rate, however, is negatively associated with Islamic bank profitability. Practical Implications The authors conclude that profitability determinants did not differ significantly between Islamic and conventional banks. Many factors are deemed the same in explaining the profitability of conventional as well as Islamic banks. The findings reported in the current paper might be of interest for policy makers. It is recommended to better implement non-financing activities to improve Islamic bank profitability. Originality/value Unlike the previous empirical research, this empirical investigation assesses the issue whether Islamic banks profitability is influenced by same factors as conventional model. It enriches the literature in this regard by considering the specificities of Islamic banking to identify the determinants of profitability. Moreover, this study considers a large sample (51 Islamic banks) through a different selection of countries/banks than previous studies. In addition, the period of study considers the subprime crisis insofar it ranges from 1994 to 2012. Hence, this broader study allows the authors to draw more consistent conclusions.

The consumers’ commitment and materialism on Islamic banking: the role of religiosity

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junaidi Junaidi ◽  
Ready Wicaksono ◽  
Hamka Hamka
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Islamic Bank ◽  
Muslim People ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether and how religiosity (e.g. extrinsic and intrinsic) influences the mediator variables (consumers’ commitment and materialism) in the Islamic bank consumers context. It also examines how the mediators should be influence consumers’ preferences. Design/methodology/approach In total, 658 Muslim people and Islamic bank consumers were recruited for a survey study and structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. Findings The empirical results indicate that religiosity (e.g. extrinsic and intrinsic) has significant and positive effects on consumers’ commitment and materialism, whereas intrinsic religiosity has no significant effect on consumers’ commitment which subsequently influences consumers’ preference. Furthermore, mediator variables (e.g. consumers’ commitment and consumers’ materialism) have partial mediators between religiosity and consumers’ preferences. Research limitations/implications The current study was limited to Indonesian Muslim people; there is a future need to study consumers’ attitudes and engagement in religious products and services (e.g. Islamic brands). It is can help practitioners, regulators and researchers to observe the dynamic behavior to elaborate on the impact of religion and Islamic products on consumers’ preference. Practical implications The bank managers and regulators should enhance the information of products and services Islamic banks and the difference principle between conventional banks. Moreover, enlighten the consumers about the principle operation of Islamic banks from the perspective of marketing and religiosity. Originality/value This study contributes to consumers’ behavior literature and, specifically, for the decision-making process through developing and testing a model of religious determinants toward Islamic bank products, as well as offers new insights into the determinants of religion and consumers’ decision process toward Islamic banking.

Drawing ethical mentation in Islamic banks; addressing operational lines heterogeneity with special reference to Al-Ghazali’s ethical philosophy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinaj Valangattil Shamsudheen ◽  
Saiful Azhar Rosly ◽  
Syed Abdul Hamid Aljunid
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Special Reference ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Islamic Finance ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethical Philosophy ◽  
Divine Knowledge

Purpose This study aims to examine the decision-making behaviour of Islamic banking practitioners of the United Arab Emirates with special reference to the operational line heterogeneity by employing factors that are religious in nature such as intellect, satanic force and divine knowledge as encapsulated in al-Ghazali’s ethical philosophy. Design/methodology/approach A total of 337 samples were collected from the Islamic banking practitioners in the United Arab Emirates using a purposive sampling technique, and the empirical analysis was conducted with the measures of model fit and bootstrapping technique using Partial least square Structural equation modelling and multi-group analysis. Findings The empirical findings reveal that the dedicated use of intellect in making decisions related to ethical issues where desires and emotions tend to overwhelm reason and human choices. While divine knowledge is found ineffective guidance of the intellect, the element of satanic force is found significantly impacting decision-making. As the lack of religious consciousness is evident among respondents, higher exposure to operational risk is expected. These findings were found identical across the Islamic banking practitioners in different lines of operations. Research limitations/implications The span of the study is limited to a single country. Future studies are recommended to replicate the study to more markets where the share of Islamic finance is significant. Practical implications Findings of the study highly suggest respective authorities of Islamic financial institutions to intensify the capacity-building programs on the foundation of faith which includes Islamic thought and worldview, to enhance the corporate ethical decision-making. Moreover, equal importance should be given to all the banking practitioners regardless of line of business operations. Originality/value With undue emphasis is given to the juristic (fiqh) aspects of Shariah compliance in the Islamic banking and finance industry, less has been attempted to explore its ethical dimension (akhlaq) in the compliance parameters that leave a relatively large gap to address prevailing unethical practices in Islamic finance institutions. Findings from this study can be useful as a warning to the Islamic banking firms to enhance the sense of God-fearing and improve existing measures in the organisation in mitigating operational risks that may arise from people or system and consequently ensure the smooth governance of the Islamic banks.

SME Financing: A UAE Entrepreneur Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abid Mahmood Muhammad ◽  
Mohammed Bilal Basha ◽  
Gail Al Hafidh
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Motivating Factors ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Statistical Tools ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Convenience Sampling ◽  
Sme Financing

This research is an investigation into the motivating factors driving choice of bank for SME entrepreneurs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study aims to highlight the challenges and suggest solutions in addressing the credit gap between the cash flow needs of SME entrepreneurs and the finance policies of UAE banks. The data collected was generated from a sample of SME owner-managers in three emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. A structured research questionnaire was distributed and the convenience sampling method resulted in 380 completed responses. These were analyzed using appropriate statistical tools. The results of the study will enable banks to better understand and analyze the key determinants that impact the SME entrepreneurs’ attitude in bank selection and the products and services this particular group values. Research findings are also envisaged to be of particular interest to scholars and practitioners of Islamic Banking specifically, inspiring further studies across the MENA region.  

Farmers' perception and preference of Islamic Banking in Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Bulut ◽  
Harun Celik
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Income Level ◽  
Islamic Finance ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Knowledge Level ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Agricultural Finance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Islamic Bank

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence farmers' preference for the use of Islamic banks in Turkey and to investigate their knowledge level and perception about Islamic finance.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data used in this study is obtained by drawing a sample of 1902 farmers who are members of the Agricultural Credit Cooperatives Union (ACCU) from 37 provinces of Turkey. Pearson's Chi-square test is used to analyze the association between the demographic features of farmers, conventional bank usage and Islamic bank usage. Binary logistic regression model is used to estimate the factors influencing the preference for Islamic banks. Explanatory variables include knowledge on Islamic banking and finance, perception of compliance to religion, saving ability and cost concern along with the control variables of Islamic bank branch number in the region and age of respondent. Robustness check is conducted via alternative models using ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic regression.FindingsLess than 10% of the participant farmers use Islamic banks and 59% declare they know nothing about Islamic banking. Age, education level, income level, nonagricultural income level, saving ability, duration of working in agriculture, land size and region are significantly related to farmers' preference of using Islamic banks. Knowledge level, perception of religious compliance, saving ability and cost concern are statistically significant factors that influence the probability of using Islamic banks.Research limitations/implicationsThis study does not include the analysis of the relationship between being religious and using Islamic banks because questions related to the assessment of religious practice were excluded due to the ACCU's sensitivity to investigate personal beliefs. Therefore, future studies can expand the scope of this research by investigating religiousness. The sample is chosen from the ACCU members who are already benefiting from a formal source of credit; therefore, the results should not be attributed to all farmers.Practical implicationsIslamic banks and microfinance institutions' further engagement in the agricultural sector and ACCU's implementation of Islamic finance instruments.Social implicationsIslamic banks' further diversification in the agricultural sector and ACCU's implementation of Islamic finance instruments.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to investigate the farmers' perception and preference of Islamic banking in Turkey. The sample size of 1902 is much larger and geographically diversified compared to studies in agricultural finance. This study will be valuable for the agricultural finance empirical studies in Turkey as well as an important addition to the emerging literature on Islamic finance.

Do academic and professional institutions promote the awareness and knowledge of Islamic banking and finance in Nigeria?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Umar Habibu Umar ◽  
Mustapha AbuBakar ◽  
Abubakar Jamilu Baita ◽  
Tasiu Tijjani Kademi ◽  
Md Harashid Haron
Keyword(s):  
Training Programs ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Professional Associations ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fully Integrated ◽  
Banking And Finance ◽  
Finance Industry ◽  
National University ◽  
And Training

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the contribution of academic and professional institutions in promoting the awareness and knowledge of Islamic banking and finance in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The data were generated through a documentary research method by examining the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) for Nigerian universities and Nigerian university curricula for the relevant undergraduate programs, as well as examination syllabi and training brochures for the relevant professional associations. Findings The study found that universities do not promote significantly the awareness and knowledge of Islamic banking and finance. Similarly, the relevant professional associations through their examinations and training programs contribute little or nothing to the promotion of awareness and knowledge. Research limitations/implications This study solely relied upon documentary evidence upon which the findings were based. In addition, for academic institutions, only undergraduate BMAS and curricula were examined. Practical implications There should be collaborations between the National University Commission of Nigeria, relevant Islamic and non-Islamic professional bodies and Nigerian Universities to ensure that courses (subjects) that could promote the awareness and knowledge of Islamic banking and finance are fully integrated into academic and professional curricula and training programs. Social implications The integration of an adequate number of relevant courses/topics into academic curricula and professional institution examination syllabi and their Mandatory Continuing Professional Development programs would greatly contribute to the production of competent and skillful employees to work for the growth and development of the Islamic banking and finance industry. Originality/value This study provides better ways of ensuring that knowledgeable and qualified employees are produced to work for the sustainability of the global Islamic banking and finance industry.

Islamic bank selection criteria in Nigeria: a model development

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1837-1849
Author(s):  
Precious Chikezie Ezeh ◽  
Anayo D. Nkamnebe
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analysis ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Islamic Ethics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Islamic Bank

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop a model for the study of Islamic bank choice and to test the significant importance of the constructs that influence bank customers to choose Islamic bank in a pluralistic-secular nation. Design/methodology/approach Total of 348 conventional and Islamic bank customers were sampled. Five-point Likert-type question containing 27 bank selection items was used in collecting primary data. Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability and average variance extracted are used to test the reliability and validity of the instrument. Also various descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and one sample T-test are equally used in analyzing the work. Findings Exploratory factor analysis identified four factors. They are Islamic ethics, convenience, Islamic bank services awareness and physical evidence. Furthermore, the factors that show significant importance in the choice of Islamic banking are Islamic ethics and Islamic bank services awareness. The result equally shows that people are aware of Islamic banking. Practical implications This study provides insight on the factors that influence the selection of Islamic banking, an innovative banking concept. This study has obvious management and theory implications. Also, the study will assist the bank managers in developing effective marketing strategy to increase the market share. Originality/value This study reports Islamic banking selection criteria in a pluralistic-secular Nation. The study also developed a model that can be used in studying the choice of Islamic bank in special type of environment. Thus, Islamic banking is a new reality in the Nigerian financial scene.

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