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An Empirical Examination of Why Mobile Money Schemes Ignite in Some Developing Countries but Flounder in Most

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  • Evans David S.

    (Market Platform Dynamics; Executive Director, Jevons Institute for Competition Law and Economics, and Visiting Professor, University College London; and Lecturer, University of Chicago Law School, and 111 Devonshire St., Suite 900, Boston, MA 02109, USA)

  • Pirchio Alexis

    (Market Platforms Dynamics and Teaching Assistant, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Universidad Argentina de la Empresa, and 111 Devonshire St., Suite 900, Boston, MA 02109, USA)

Abstract

Mobile money schemes have grown rapidly in some developing countries but failed in many more. This paper reports the results of an empirical study of mobile money schemes in 22 developing countries chosen based on prior evidence to include roughly equal numbers of successes and failures. It uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative evidence to determine why some countries succeeded in launching mobile money schemes and others failed. The analysis is guided by multi-sided platform economics and in particular recent work on the role of ignition and critical mass. It finds among other things heavy regulation, and in particular an insistence that banks play a central role in the schemes, which is generally fatal to igniting mobile money schemes.

Suggested Citation

  • Evans David S. & Pirchio Alexis, 2014. "An Empirical Examination of Why Mobile Money Schemes Ignite in Some Developing Countries but Flounder in Most," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 13(4), pages 397-451, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:rneart:v:13:y:2014:i:4:p:397-451:n:3
    DOI: 10.1515/rne-2015-0020
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. G. M.P. Swann, 2009. "The Economics of Innovation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13211.
    2. Evans David S. & Schmalensee Richard, 2010. "Failure to Launch: Critical Mass in Platform Businesses," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 9(4), pages 1-28, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Luc Jacolin & Massil Keneck & Alphonse Noah, 2019. "Informal Sector and Mobile Financial Services in Developing Countries: Does Financial Innovation Matter?," Working papers 721, Banque de France.
    2. Naito, Hisahiro & Yamamoto, Shinnosuke, 2022. "Is better access to mobile networks associated with increased mobile money adoption? Evidence from the micro-data of six developing countries," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(6).
    3. Liu, Yang & Luan, Lin & Wu, Weilong & Zhang, Zhiqiang & Hsu, Yen, 2021. "Can digital financial inclusion promote China's economic growth?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    4. Lepoutre, Jan & Oguntoye, Augustina, 2018. "The (non-)emergence of mobile money systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: A comparative multilevel perspective of Kenya and Nigeria," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 262-275.
    5. Luc Jacolin & Joseph Keneck Massil & Alphonse Noah, 2021. "Informal sector and mobile financial services in emerging and developing countries: Does financial innovation matter?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(9), pages 2703-2737, September.
    6. Hisahiro Naito & Shinnosuke Yamamoto, 2022. "Is Better Access to Mobile Networks Associated with Increased Mobile Money Adoption? Evidence from the Micro-data of Six Developing Countries," Tsukuba Economics Working Papers 2022-001, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba.
    7. Kabengele, Christian & Hahn, Rüdiger, 2021. "Institutional and firm-level factors for mobile money adoption in emerging markets–A configurational analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    8. Pal, Abhipsa & Herath, Tejaswini & De', Rahul & Raghav Rao, H., 2021. "Why do people use mobile payment technologies and why would they continue? An examination and implications from India," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(6).
    9. Michael N.A. Mensah & Adusei Jumah, 2021. "Electronic Money and Consumer Spending Behaviour: Evidence from Ghana," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 11(3), pages 1-6.
    10. Apeti, Ablam Estel & Edoh, Eyah Denise, 2023. "Tax revenue and mobile money in developing countries," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    11. Ahmad, Ahmad Hassan & Green, Christopher J. & Jiang, Fei & Murinde, Victor, 2023. "Mobile money, ICT, financial inclusion and growth: How different is Africa?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    12. Avom, Désiré & Bangaké, Chrysost & Ndoya, Hermann, 2023. "Do financial innovations improve financial inclusion? Evidence from mobile money adoption in Africa," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    13. Antoine Dubus & Leo van Hove, 2017. "M-PESA and financial inclusion in Kenya: of paying comes saving?," Working Papers hal-01591200, HAL.
    14. Bonnie Batsirai Mtengwa & Agripah Kandiero & Stanislas Bigirimana, 2021. "Drivers of Mobile Money Services Development in Zimbabwe: The Case of EcoCash," International Journal of E-Business Research (IJEBR), IGI Global, vol. 17(1), pages 1-23, January.
    15. Rouse, Marybeth & Batiz-Lazo, Bernardo & Carbo Valverde, Santiago, 2020. "All about the state-Fifty years of innovative technology to deliver an inclusive financial sector," MPRA Paper 102159, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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