Mobile social money: an exploratory study of the views of managers of community banks

Abstract

This article aims to evaluate the adoption potential of a digital social currency model using mobile phones. Despite the significant literature concerning both social currencies and mobile payments, there are few studies with a focus on social currencies being operationalized via mobile payments. An important aspect of the literature on mobile payments and social currencies is the role that both instruments may play in the financial inclusion. Despite the absence of lasting experiences for an empirical analysis in Brazil, we believe that there may be synergy between these two types of payment instruments. To evaluate the potential of a mobile digital social currency, we conducted interviews with community bank managers, focusing on their perceptions of acceptance of this innovative model in their communities. As a theoretical basis, we articulated the concept of transformational framing, originated from the perspective of interpretive frames of collective action. As a result, we identified a transformational discourse by which community bank managers create new meanings and understandings of this emerging payment system model.