Role of perceived countries’ advantages of cashless economy in behavioral intentions of using cashless transactions: an empirical analysis

Purpose The ultimate aim of this paper is to contribute an extension of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. The modified UTAUT provides a better explanation for the adoption of cashless transactions. However, it does not consider individuals’ perceived countries’ advantages when cashless transactions are made in the economy. Hence, this research investigates whether individuals’ perceived countries’ advantages of the cashless economy influence behavioral intentions of using cashless transactions. Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire has administered with 375 respondents in selected commercially vibrant places, such as Shopping Malls, big retail shops, hotels, and the like, covering the 15 zones of Greater Chennai city Corporation, India. From the 375 respondents, 325 respondents returned the filled-in questionnaire in time. For analysis, exploratory factor analyses used for underlying new latent factors from the identified variables used for measuring the individuals’ perceived countries’ advantages of a cashless economy. After identifying the latent factors, the extracted factors regressed with the intention level of using cashless transactions to validate the influence of newly identified factors. Findings The results of the regression analysis proved that the identified new factors, such as Perceived Economic Offense Reduction (PEOR), Perceived Economic Benefit (PEB), and Perceived Economy’s Security (PES), are positively and significantly influencing the behavioral intention of using cashless transactions. Research limitations/implications This study’s unique contribution is the validation of a measurement scale based on individuals’ perception of countries’ advantages when cashless transactions are made in the economy. The scale development in the present study is an essential step toward the advancement of the UTAUT research model, and this study also proved that identified new latent factors such as PEOR, PEB and the PES are positively and significantly influencing individuals’ behavioral intention toward the use of the cashless transaction. Hence, this study’s result may help contribute an extension of the UTAUT model in a comprehensive view, and this extension may enrich UTAUT’s ability to explain and predict the acceptance of cashless transactions. Originality/value In recent literature, many conceptual and empirical studies have discussed the countries’ advantages resulting from cashless transactions. This study attempts to integrate those advantages as variables through measurement instruments, whether they influence the behavioral intention to use cashless transactions from the general public perspective.