Examining The Linkages Between Mobile Money Services, Digital Inclusion and Adverse Digital Incorporation in Ghana

Abstract

The role of mobile money services in the achievement of digital inclusion is profound, especially in developing countries. While evidence in the literature points to the role of mobile money services in achieving digital inclusion, mobile money services have created an opportunity for the most vulnerable to be digitally exploited leading to adverse digital incorporation. Despite this, extant research has concentrated on the benefits of mobile money services for ensuring digital inclusion thereby ignoring the exploitative avenues it creates for many. Again, this study is being carried out to understand and examine the linkages between mobile money services, digital inclusion and adverse digital inclusion, which has greatly been ignored by previous researchers. The relationship between mobile money services, adverse digital incorporation, and digital inclusion has not received enough attention from information systems researchers. This work fills this gap by employing partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze survey data gathered from users of mobile money services in Ghana and the capability approach as the theoretical lens. The study examines the mediating role of digital inclusion on the effect of mobile money services on adverse digital inclusion. Findings reveal that more than 80% of the working population in Ghana use mobile money services, however, this has created a large pool of opportunities for digital exploitation. The study provided some implications for research practice and policy that could aid in curbing or reducing digital exploitation. In addition, this study recommends the government to ensure that network service provides heed to the laws governing subscriber privacy to ensure the that personal details and the privacy of subscribers are not tempered with. The government must also regulate and levy taxes fairly on digital systems to prevent subscribers from feeling exploited. With regards to research, this study adds to literature in the field of research on mobile money usage, digital inclusion and adverse digital incorporation. The study deepens the discourse on the linkages between mobile money services, digital inclusion and adverse digital inclusion by understanding the extent to which the use of mobile money services may lead to people being digitally exploited. The findings from the study revealed that every subscriber using mobile money is at a risk of being digitally exploited. In addition, it was revealed that digital inclusion has a positive influence on adverse digital incorporation.