Determinants of bank selection in the United Arab Emirates

Purpose - This study aims to identify the determinants of bank selection for Islamic and conventional banks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from 246 respondents in the Emirates of Dubai and Sharjah and focused on aspects such as bank products, service quality, profit, reputation, cultural and religious factors, in addition to demographic attributes of the sample. Multiple discriminant analysis is used to identify the most important determinants of bank selection. Findings - The study concluded that the determinants for bank selection are more distinguishable amongst Islamic bank customers. Bank reputation and expectation of profit on deposits are not determinants of bank selection; however, religious preferences are the most important considerations in selection between Islamic and conventional banks. Research limitations/implications - Use of convenience sampling due to lack of resources may result in insufficient representation of population. Additionally, analysis of differences between the Muslim and non-Muslim population with respect to their bank selection process may provide an avenue for future research. Practical implications - The study has implications for both Islamic and conventional banks that can appropriately target the customers using bank selection determinants that are valued by the customers. Originality/value - The study adds to the existing literature on consumer preferences for Islamic and conventional banks in the context of the UAE with a relatively large and recent data set.