Assessing the readiness by SMEs and financial institutions in the establishment of an integrated ICT infrastructure for financial transactions in Kenya

Abstract

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), mostly in the third world countries face many challenges in the management of finances; namely: the ability to determine daily net earnings after the daily ratios for recurrent monthly deductions such loan premiums and utility bills are made. The main reason is the lack of an elaborate information technology infrastructure that directly targets this vital economic sub-sector for linking it to the general infrastructure that administers other financial transactions. In this article, we report the findings of a research conducted in assessing the readiness of SMEs and the Kenyan financial institutions in the use of information technology to specifically address these challenges.