African Journal of
Business Management

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Bus. Manage.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1993-8233
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJBM
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 4187

Article in Press

STRATEGIC ASSOCIATION AND GROWTH OF FINTECH FIRMS: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

Justin Irungu Gachigo

  •  Received: 25 June 2020
  •  Accepted: 05 August 2020
Fintech represents an innovative and evolving field that has gained the attention of investors and regulators in equal measure. The 2008 post-crisis paradigm marked an era of new explorations by the skilled bankers who were rendered jobless and looking for new ventures and incidentally started innovative start-ups in the form of Fintech Firms. The collaboration between Fintech Firms and incumbent industry players like banks and telecom companies is on the rise. The alliances are symbiotic in nature where each party benefits. The purpose of this study was to undertake a literature review and identify research gaps between strategic associations and the growth of Fintech Firms. Search strategy was employed and the studies extracted were subjected to inclusion and exclusion criteria. This study focused on 13 cases which passed the criteria. The findings of the review showed that strategic associations have a significant association on the growth of Fintech Firms. Majority of the literature reviewed did not reveal the contribution of moderating, intervening, extraneous and controlling variables which have been identified in this review. A research showing possible desirable effects of strategic associations can be done as the current one only indicates the competitive advantages of the strategic associations. Research on the potential risks of Fintech Firms and the future outlook for Fintech Firms is highly recommended.

Keywords: Fintech, Strategic Alliance, Partner Selection, Business Environment