A research proposal submitted for approval to carry out a research for partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Business
Administration of Mzumbe University
This study has been carried out to identify customer’s and service provider’s orientation towards Islamic Banking. Islamic Banking is a financial institution that operates with the
objective to implement and materialize the economic and financial principles of Islam in the banking arena. Islamic banking like any other banking system, must be viewed as an evolving system. No one dispute that there is a definite desire amongst muslim savers to invest their savings in way that are permitted by the islamic Shariah.
The Islamic banking system is currently gaining momentum. Many international
conventional banks have started to open branches which operate in accordance with
the Islamic Shariah principles including Tanzania. The Islamic banking system is
expected to face strong competition not only from the Islamic banks but also from
well-established conventional banks offering Islamic products and services. In this
study, an attempt was made to assess customers and service providers orientation
towards Islamic Banking services.
A sample of 50 respondents took part in this study with three different organisations
(Banks) in Dar es Salaam, being KCB, NBC, and Amana Bank. The analysis of their
responses revealed that Islamic Banking not only deal with muslim customers but also
non muslim customers even though most Muslim customers seems to be greatful for
the services due to riba free system which is against their faith. And both bank
employees and the customers are very much aware of the Islamic banking services.
However being Sharia compliance, these banks also generate profit like other
conventional banks, even though there is a certain degree of involvement on religious
belief of many of the Islamic banks facilities and products.
The big challenge was associated with the training and experience of staffs, and
sometimes the Muslims themselves are not very much aware of islamic principles
involved in islamic banking. The managers have admitted that this product helps to
increase profitability and also it is another new way of ensuring customer retention. In
general findings have indicated that there is an increase in the use of Islamic Banking
services as well as increase in the customer’s awareness about the product.