Abstract
An analysis of the banking market in Ireland: The banking sector in Ireland is a major contributor to the Irish economy. In 1998 alone, banks spent more than 2.3 billion in the economy, paying over 813 million to the exchequer in taxes. This sector is also one of the largest employers in the state, providing over 30,000 jobs. The aim of this study is to look at customer's loyalty to their existing banks, and their satisfaction and retention levels. Furthermore, we aim to identify the images associated with the different banks. The main areas we are going to look at are, satisfaction, perceived quality, perceived value, and corporate image, as these are significant elements in constructing customer loyalty. There has been an international trend towards increased financial sector consolidation in recent years, with a notable pick-up in mergers and acquisitions.
