Mediating Effect of Financial Behaviour on the Influence of Financial Literacy and Financial Technology on Financial Inclusion Development in Jordanian MSMEs

Bashar Younis Alkhawaldeh, Hamzeh Alhawamdeh, Mohammad Abdel Mohsen Al-Afeef, Shireen Maher Mohammad Abu-Alhija, Hani Ali Aref Al_Rawashdeh, Sohail Mohamad Bani Mustafa, Aseel Mostafa Abozraiq, Mohammad Almarshad

Abstract

This research investigates the relationship between financial literacy, financial technology, financial behavior, and financial inclusion development in Jordanian MSMEs. Specifically, it seeks to examine whether financial behavior mediates the influence of financial literacy and financial technology on financial inclusion development. This study employs a partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to investigate the relationship between financial literacy, financial technology (FinTech), financial behavior, and financial inclusion development in Jordanian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Based on a sample of 334 MSMEs in Jordan, the study found that financial literacy and FinTech have a significant impact on financial inclusion development in MSMEs. Additionally, financial behavior was found to mediate the relationship between financial literacy and FinTech on financial inclusion development. The findings of this study suggest that financial literacy and FinTech can be useful tools in promoting financial inclusion in MSMEs, and that financial behavior plays a crucial role in realizing their full potential. The study provides insights into the factors that influence financial inclusion in MSMEs and has implications for policymakers, financial institutions, and MSMEs in Jordan and other emerging economies. The use of PLS-SEM in this study provides a robust statistical approach for analyzing the complex relationships between the variables of interest. The scientific novelty of this study lies in its focus on the mediating effect of financial behavior on the relationship between financial literacy, financial technology, and financial inclusion development in Jordanian MSMEs.

 

Keywords: financial behaviour, financial inclusion development, financial literacy, FinTech, partial least square structural equation modeling.

 

https://doi.org/10.55463/issn.1674-2974.50.3.10


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