| dc.description.abstract | Since the introduction of mobile phone communication in Kenya in late 1999, the client base
has grown steadily to about 18 million (Safaricom: 15M, Zain: 2.5M, Orange/YU: 600
thousand-September 2009) and it is still on the rise. In a span of about 10 years,
communication through mobile phones has leapfrogged other communication technologies to
immerge the communication medium of choice for majority of Kenyans. Use of mobile
phones has created a variety of applications and value added services that have influenced the
traditional e-commerce in Kenya.
This case study was based in Nairobi and its environs, The arm of the study was to
understand the behavior and attitudes of Kenyans towards use of mobile phones with a view
to identifying popular applications and value added services suitable for m-commerce and the
impact of m-commerce on traditional e-commerce, Results of study were used to leverage mcommerce
framework for the Kenyan environment.
The study revealed that cultural beliefs and practices influence use of mobile phones. It
further revealed that the social nature of Kenyans and their close family ties influence use of
mobile phones. Geographical factors and a person's mood influence the use of mobile
phones. Social security influences the use of mobile phone services. Fairuse, privacy and
intellectual property rights are important factors in the developer/provider planes that
influence use of mobile phone infrastructure.
Employees were found to contribute to the social class that controls m-commerce. The age
group 26 to 45 years was found to control the m-commerce economy (i.e. about 9 million or
25% of Kenyan population-source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2008).
Entertainment services (Music, games and ring tones) were identified as the core mcommerce
value added services driving our m-commerce, closely followed by information
services (checking of account balance and bills). Third in line were transactional services of
sending money (M-Pesa, Zap). Transactional services are in the upward trend because ofMPesa
and Zap and may soon catch up or overtake the entertainment services. Mobile value
and wireless value have improved performance, efficiency, productivity and telecommuting
over and above traditional e-commerce. Homegrown solutions in terms of frameworks,
business models and policies provide suitable platforms for success of m-commerce. | en |
