BCOM Research Projects (2012)

Permanent URI for this collection

Browse

Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 5 of 34
  • Item
    High real estate prices and the economic fundamentals
    (Strathmore University, 2013) Mathenge, Gladys Gathoni
    The case of affordable housing in Kenya is particularly acute and as decent housing remains inaccessible to the population, informal ettlements and slums continue to grow as does the housing deficit.In light of this, the objectives of this research are: To find out the economic variables affecting the prices of residential houses in Nairobi and to find out whether these economic variables are the determinants of high residential housing prices.The research is an explanatory study that has been used to develop explanations as to why residential property prices are rising with regards to the economic fundamentals. The population used is real estate companies in Nairobi who have either sold, managed or constructed residential properties. A sample size of 30 real estate companies in Nairobi was selected and the survey was administered through use of questionnaires.It emerged that, in establishing the deteminants of high residential property prices, factors such as the cost of land, availability of land and the construction cost have been identifed as key factors influencing the high residential property prices. Economic variables such as interest rates and inflation are a positive influence on residential property prices. However, variables such as income,availabilty of construction materials and unemployment have been identified to be of no significant effect in determinig the prices ofresidential property.The current housing prices emerged not to be justifiable in that they are overstated in the market. This is because, the economy is growing at a very slow pace if compared to the rising real estate pnces. The research generates strong implications such as: policy, reform amd government initiatives,finance and business opportunities.The research ends having identified some limitations as well as having given some few recommendations for further study.
  • Item
    Adoption of internet banking : a customers perspectives
    (Strathmore University, 2013) Marugu, David Kariuki
    The purpose of this study is to determine the level of customer acceptance of online banking in Kenya and what factors influence their decisions to use it. The paper also uses the Technology Acceptance Model and applies it to bank customers in Kenya. The findings suggest that internet bank use increases insofar as customers perceive it as useful and not risky to use. The results show that bank customers in Kenya are more concerned about the security of transaction as most important factor in adopting online banking. The perceived usefulness is central because it determines whether the perceived ease of internet bank use will lead to increased use of the internet bank. However, reluctance to change is a major obstacle to the use of internet banking. This problem has been further encountered by banks in encouraging customers' adoption oftheir internet banking service. Implications for banks are that they need to put much effort not only into providing a more secure means of transaction, but also into explaining to their customers how the internet bank is useful to them.
  • Item
    An evaluation of the job performance differences between graduate and non-graduate CPAs among insurance companies in Nairobi, Kenya
    (Strathmore University, 2013) Ng'ang'a, Erasto Mukuria
    This research sought to examine the perceived job performance differences between CPAs with academic degrees and those without them. The research was carried out among insurance companies and took a period of three months from January to April 2012. The research was necessitated by the fact that employers seem to prefer CPAs who also hold academic degrees and therefore there was need to examine whether graduate CPAs possess more skills than nongraduate accountants or whether non graduate accountants have skill gaps in the performance of their duties. The study was carried out among the 42 insurance companies that have offices in Nairobi, Kenya. Three qualified accountants from each of these insurance companies were sampled meaning a total of 126 CPAs formed the sample. The method of choice of the three CPAs was purely random. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of sampling were used.The results indicate that there is no appreciable difference between the job performance of graduate and non graduate CPAs. The general competence index, on a scale of 5, for graduate accountants is 4.5692 and 4.6885 for the non graduate accountants. The non graduate accountants are actually more competent than their graduate counterparts. It would be necessary, however, to extent this study beyond the insurance companies in Nairobi for more comprehensive conclusions to be made.
  • Item
    Competitive forces and growth In the Telecommunication industry in Kenya
    (Strathmore University, 2013) Kabuga, Linus
    This study examined how increasing competition is pressuring the operations within the Kenya's telecommunication industry causing intense competitive rivalry within the industry. The study was designed to understand the competitive forces in this industry and determine the factors that influencing the industry attractiveness reinforcing its likelihood to succeed or fail. The study focused on the four key players in the Kenya's telecommunication industry, that is, Safaricom, Airtel Kenya, Orange Kenya and 'YU' giving statistical evidence of each organization market position. The study findings reveal potential growth of the industry prior to the government deregulation and liberalization of the telecommunication industry bringing out the constraints and challenges within the industry. We are in the 3rd Revolution of the world that is World of technology. The use of mobile phone technology has been on the last for the last few years and the trend is expected to grow in future and Kenya is not the exemption. The study reveal that there a great use of the technology in the business world and hence economy improvement. Social media networks has been in the use and the trend is growing day after day.