Mobile wallet inhibitors: Developing a comprehensive theory using an integrated model

The concept of the mobile wallet is increasingly adopted in developed and developing countries for improving the scale, productivity, and excellence of banking services. Oman is one of the most growing countries of the Middle Eastern economies. Acceptance of mobile wallets in Oman is being hindered by various inhibitors. There is no study in the Middle Eastern countries that addressed the concerns of probable inhibitors influencing mobile wallet acceptance from expert's perspective. In this study, eleven key inhibitors to mobile wallet adoption are identified from the literature and expert's feedback. This study employed Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) in conjunction with fuzzy MICMAC to reveal the intricate relationship among inhibitors to mobile wallet acceptance. To the end, an integrated hierarchical model is developed to understand the influence of a particular inhibitor on others. ‘Anxiety towards new technology’ ‘Lack of new technology skills’ ‘Lack of awareness of mobile wallet benefits’ and ‘Complexity of new technology’ have been reported as key inhibitors to promote mobile wallets in Oman. This study also suggests several recommendations for banking organizations and policymakers in developing the effective model to popularize mobile wallets in Oman.