Assessing the potential number of ATMs in banks, financial and credit institutions using Analytic Network Process (ANP) and Gray Clustering Analysis (GCA) Case study: between Enghelab Sq and Ferdowsi Sq- Enghelab Street of Tehran

Most organizations and financial institutions are facing with spatial decision makings. Optimum decision making affects the institutes’ success, achievement to their objectives and attracting customers. Modern banking services have evolved by the development of modern technologies. The most sensible aspect of banking services evolution is based on using the modern technologies of ATMs. The rapid growth in application of these devices could have been caused by the increasing acceptance of them among customers (Foukerdi, 2005: 2). Because of the same reason, in spite of the high costs of purchase, initiation and maintenance, banks, financial and credit institutions are still interested in the development of ATMs. On the other hand, inattention and mismanagement in site selection and the number of such devices could be effective in failure of these systems. Selecting the optimum and most proper location to install the ATMs takes into account with respect to various factors that have different impact factors. Economical zoning of the cities for selecting potential and capable locations of such activities is assumed as the success agent of institutions and is a powerful method for future decisions. Therefore, the overall purpose of this research is to provide a model for economic zoning to install the services and facilities of banking system (ATMs). The research type is developmental- applied and the research method is descriptive-analytical. In the first step, effective economic factors in banking system were specified throughout library studies (previous studies) with respect to research purposes, then it was supplemented by expert’s viewpoints, also, spatial data were obtained from area by surveying with respect to relevant criteria. Weight of each criterion was specified with Analytic Network Process (ANP) after supplement of couple comparison circular by experts and it was used in Gray cluster analysis for spatial modeling and zoning based on radius of influence. The Software “Super Decision” was used for computations of ANP mode and ArcGIS9.3 was used for spatial analysis and modeling. Then current state of bank departments’ installation and their ATM numbers were analyzed and eventually the model was evaluated based on field observation and expert’s viewpoints. This process was conducted on 153 branches of 22 banks in part of Tehran city, including regions 6, 11 and 12, that is focused.