Mobile banking adoption by Moroccan very small enterprises: Insights from ecosystem stakeholders
Keywords:
Financial Inclusion, Informality, Mobile Banking, Tax Avoidance, Very Small EnterprisesAbstract
Mobile banking is often presented as a means of expanding financial inclusion for very small enterprises (VSEs), but the reasons that actually drive Moroccan business leaders to adopt it remain poorly documented. This article draws on a review of the international literature and twelve qualitative interviews conducted with stakeholders in the Moroccan financial ecosystem, including a commercial bank, participatory banks, microfinance institutions, payment institutions, public agencies, and support organizations. The main finding challenges the prevailing narrative. The obstacle that these stakeholders spontaneously describe as “cultural” is in fact a calculated decision: leaders avoid traceability because they fear the consequences of formalization, particularly in terms of taxation. To interpret this finding, the article draws on three theoretical frameworks and derives three research propositions concerning the nature of the barrier, institutional governance, and the conditions for sustainable usage.
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