Title: Application of computer simulation for optimising branchless banking opportunities via cell phones

Authors: Ashraf Y. Al-Astal; Yousif H. Ashour

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Islamic University of Gaza, P.O. Box 108, Palestine ' Department of Business Administration, Islamic University of Gaza, P.O. Box 108, Palestine

Abstract: Mobile financial services (MFS) are a new phenomena in the world of mobile commerce (m-Commerce) which helps customers to interact with a bank via a mobile device and makes banking virtually anywhere on a real-time basis a reality. This study investigates the impact of adopting MFS applications on minimising service channels costs for Palestine Islamic Bank (PIB) in Khan Younis. Two types of models to analyse and evaluate the impact of adopting banking servicing opportunities via cell phones are presented. The first is a computer simulation model used for shedding some light on how inputs may affect the responses of interest. The second depends on the outputs of a simulation experiment for finding the optimum combinations of input parameters by following response surface methodology (RSM) assuming a certain level of customers representing the early adopters will use MFS.

Keywords: computer simulation; modelling; optimisation; response surface methodology; RSM; mobile commerce; m-commerce; m-services; mobile financial services; MFS; mobile phones; cell phones; service channels; branchless banking; mobile banking; m-banking; Palestine Islamic Bank.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOR.2014.062452

International Journal of Operational Research, 2014 Vol.20 No.3, pp.301 - 314

Received: 03 May 2012
Accepted: 28 Nov 2012
Published online: 21 Jun 2014 *

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