Analyzing Growth Strategies of Banking Sectors: A case study on Kurdistan International Bank

Abstract

Time to time, the banking sector around the world face difficulties and challenges whether it is a locally or internationally. The Iraqi banking sector has been shifted to a new era after the development and rebuilding the country since 2005, which acquired new technology - provide better services and products. Within the growth rate in Iraq as a whole and Kurdistan region in particular, a massive number of companies entered Iraq through opening its branches and offices in Kurdistan region. Kurdistan international bank was the first bank opened it’s headquarter in Erbil (the capital city of Kurdistan region) which benefit from the increased attraction to the region’s booming economy. But without practicing the strategic management, Kurdistan international bank could not reach its objectives, and with low experience in stock market, weak public relations, luck of coordination with financial institutes and intermediates, the bank suffered from low share traded percentage, low share volume, low market capitalization and low turnover ratio each year in 2006-2008. After the industry and competitors been analyzed by using PESTLE analysis and Porter’s five force model of analysis, then the environmental factors (internal and external) has also been analyzed through using SWOT analysis, Internal factors analysis summary (IFAS), External factors analysis summary (EFAS), TOWS matrix, and Strategic factors analysis summary (SFAS). Thus, the top management must overcome with firstly a clear vision shared with its employees in various organizational levels, improving its human resources, increasing the marketing awareness, using marketing strategies like marketing relationships, using penetration strategy to enter new markets, improving the current services, products, creating unique products and services which differ from rivals lead to better growth in market share, market capitalization, shares traded volume and percentages, and turnover ratio.

Keywords: Bank Performance, Financial Analysis, PESTLE analysis, SWOT analysis.