The relationship between bank managers' beliefs and perceptions towards automation of services: a comparative study of the UAE national vs foreign banks

A survey of 38 (16 national and 22 foreign) United Arab Emirates' (UAE) bank managers was conducted investigating their perceptions toward automation. Analysis of the survey combined with collected financial performance data yielded several important findings. First, the UAE banks are adopting automated banking technologies on the expectation of enhancing their assets utilization, a short-term oriented profitability objective, in national banks whereas their foreign counterparts are striving for improving their equity multiplying effect, a long-term perceived improved service, quality reduced customer complaints, and improved operations accuracy as the most important benefits arising from banking automation. The system security, training personnel on the use of the system, and customer awareness were preceived as the most important problems in operating the automated system in both and foreign banks. Third, analysis of the interrelationships among national and foreign bank managers' beliefs, experience, and participation on one hand, and their perceptions toward automation on the other, was successful in identifying the most important influencing beliefs on the perceived benefits and problems of automated systems.