Effect of gender as a moderating variable on financial vulnerability using hierarchical regressions: Survey evidence from Indonesian traditional market traders

Financial technology or commonly known as fintech is relatively a new thing in Indonesia. This article is attempting to capture the dynamics of such technology in Indonesia. This paper was aimed to help researchers and academics who are interested in studying the phenomenon of fintech more broadly. This study is descriptive and exploratory by nature. Data were gathered from secondary sources, as well as interviews with practitioners, policy makers, and users. Data were collected during the period from 2016 to 2018, which was divided into several different stages. The results of the study show that fintech is more than just a phenomenon, it cannot be compared to other start-ups, and has the potential to fundamentally change the business and economic landscape.

The current pandemic situation in the global economy has urged the need to revolutionize the financial services industry with a keen eye on consumers’ financial needs for sound financial decisions, which is necessary for financial well-being. The purpose of the study is to assess the financial well-being of Indian Gen Z students in relation to financial literacy, financial fragility, financial behavior, and financial technology. In addition, the study also tries to determine how Gen Z students’ financial well-being is influenced by other factors such as gender, age, parental education, employment status, and monthly income in India. The study uses the scientific data analysis approach, Partial Least Squares-SEM model to estimate, predict, and assess the hypotheses. A sample of 271 University students from India was surveyed using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Questions were incorporated to understand the effect of financial literacy, technology, fragility, behavior, demographic and parental characteristics on financial well-being. The results indicate that financial behavior is positively related to financial well-being, while financial fragility is negatively associated. However, financial literacy and financial technology do not significantly affect financial well-being. The results also show that financial well-being is significantly influenced by gender, parental education, employment status, and monthly income change. Understanding Indian Gen Z student financial well-being will expand the students’ understanding of the importance of financial literacy for well-planned financial behavior and informed decisions, hence high levels of financial well-being. Government and financial institutions can more effectively identify gaps and deficiencies in student financial well-being.

Researchers have long pondered on the online banking transaction adoption. Some of these studies focus primarily on the motivating factors that affect customers’ intention to adopt/accept these services (technologies). However, research into the constraining factors, in particular socio-economic factors, barely exist in the literature, especially in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. Against this background, the paper seeks to fill in this gap by: (1) assessing the socio-economic factors impeding the engagement of e-banking transactions among retail bank customers in Ghana, and (2) examining the moderating effect of ‘customer experience of Internet’ on the identified factors that inhibit the engagement in online banking in Ghana. The paper used a quantitative research approach to obtain data from two leading Ghanaian banks. Out of the 450 questionnaires distributed, 393 were valid for analysis. Data were analyzed with the aid of PLS-SEM (partial least squares and structural equation modeling). Findings revealed that perceived knowledge gap and the price of digital devices were directly important to the intention to disembark on e-banking transactions among Ghanaian bank customers. Whilst customer experience (frequent use of the Internet), as a moderator variable, has a significant effect on the interaction between perceived knowledge gap and the intent to disembark on e-banking transactions; and finance charges and the intent to disembark on e-banking transactions. Study implications and directions for future research are discussed in the paper.

Acknowledgment
This work was supported by the Internal Grant Agency of Tomas Bata University under the Projects no. IGA/FaME/2019/008 and IGA/FaME/2020/002. The authors would like to extend their appreciation to Prof. Boris Popesko (Vice-dean for Research and Business Liaison) at the Faculty of Management and Economics for facilitating the financial readiness of this project.