THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) ON THE OPERATION OF AN ORGANISATION

ABSTRACT

Computers and telecommunication system have become very important tools for operation and service aid for electronic data and information. Nigerian banks have now realized that banking today requires prompt delivery of services, efficiency and the ability of customers to be served in any of their branches any part of the country, without any encumbrance. As a result of this, banks embarked on the use of Integrated banking application that can help them to provide efficient, comprehensive and nation-wide services to their customers, through the use of WANs(wide area network). The focus of this study is on “The impact of information and communication technology on the operation of an organization with reference to the banking sector, A case study was on First Bank Nigeria Plc. 48 staff was used for the study and Questionnaire drawn distinctly to suit the purpose of this study were administered to various respondents. The chi-square statistical tool was used in testing the hypothesis by testing the “Goodness or Fitness” of the frequencies. 

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Every organisation, business, industry and government uses technology to convert its inputs into output to attain its organisational objectives, structures and strategic planning processes (Glover R.H, 1993). The quality of strategic planning is limited by the quality of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) available to the decision makers and executive information system. The Nigerian banking sector is not an exception. Technology and more specifically Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are one of the resources needed in the banking sector for effective management. It has significantly improved the ability of the manager to monitor individual or team Operation and performance and it has allowed employees to have more complete information to make faster decisions.

Through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services available to First Bank Plc Kaduna, it can now give its customers a unified access to manage their personal financial information. The adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by this bank has increased its operational efficiencies, reduced cost through high utilization rates in the ICT environment to ensure compliance with changing time and to gain competitive advantage (Haggani A.B, 2003).Methods of handling financial services has to change from old manual transactions and data processing to a faster, more effective and highly efficient electronic data processing and Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) i.e. deposits, withdrawals, bills-pay-in, purchases of draft, value for cheques, third party transactions, fund transfer and inquiries are all done electronically within seconds. The adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has also helped First Bank Plc Kaduna to keep the pace with the changing customers’ needs and market dynamics and create a competitive differentiation in products and services (Haggani A.B, 2003).The complex nature of the banking system, its products and services have made it necessary for banks to embrace this change as quick as possible since this medium of banking has proven to be very efficient in most countries of the world( for example America)and Nigeria is no exception. Indeed, the impact of ICT has reshaped the banking industry in terms of providing and delivering effective and efficient services to enhance its operations and general Operation and performance and does not need to be overemphasised. This research work is therefore an attempt to determine the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on Nigerian Banks’ Operation and performance.