Effect Of Material Flow Systems' Automation On The Performance Of Financial Market Intermediaries In Kenya

Purpose: To establish the effect of material flow systems' automation on the performance of financial market intermediaries in Kenya.Methodology: The study adopted a longitudinal approach, with study population being 218 employees in 109 financial market intermediary firms. The study used a census approach which greatly helps deal with the sampling errors involved in most studies of this kind. Additionally the study employed both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected through questionnaire while secondary data was obtained from the firm's financial records. A pilot study was conducted to measure the research instruments reliability and validity. Descriptive and inferential analysis was conducted to analyze the data while multiple and simple regression analysis was used to measure firms' performance as influenced by supply chain automation. The data was presented using tables, graphs and charts.Results: Based on the findings the study concluded that material flow processes influenced the performance of financial market intermediaries in Kenya. This can be explained by the regression results which showed that the influence was positive and also showed the magnitude by which material flow processes influenced the performance of financial market intermediaries. The regression results showed that material flow processes influenced the performance of financial market intermediaries by 0.426units.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommended for fully automation of material flow systems in the financial market intermediaries. This is because management and control of material flow systems is an important method of increasing firms' profitability, more so given the process' centrality in matching supply of materials, production of goods, warehousing on the one hand, and consumer demand and marketing on the other.