Marketing lecturer obtains PhD degree

Posted on June 21, 2018

Dr Michael Humbani received his PhD degree at the Autumn graduation ceremony of the University of Pretoria on 2 May 2018.
 
Dr Humbani, a staff member in the Department of Marketing Management in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, completed his PhD in three years, under the study supervision of Prof Melanie Wiese. The title of his thesis is ‘Consumers’ adoption and continuance intention to use mobile payment services’.
 
Dr Humbani on the day of his graduation with his study supervisor, Prof Wiese.
 
The study aimed to determine the predictors of the adoption and continuance intention to use mobile payment services. Despite an enabling environment in South Africa characterised by merchants, banks and telecommunications operators who are active partners in the mobile payments space, few consumers are actively engaged in mobile payments. Thus, research was needed to further the understanding of why some consumers who may initially adopt a mobile payment technology, may decide to discontinue using it.
 
A three-step approach was used in the study. First, the study empirically tested the ability of the Western-based technology readiness index (TRI) to predict adoption of mobile payments in South Africa. Second, and after the TRI was validated, the study examined the applicability of the extended expectation-confirmation model, in the context of information technology (E-ECM-IT), to predict continuance intention to use mobile payment services. Prior studies indicate that adoption and continuance intention constructs have been investigated separately, leading to a compartmentalised approach of doing research which in turn leads to a fragmented view instead of a more integrated and holistic perspective. This study took a view that adoption is an important but the initial step for continued use to take place, suggesting that two phenomena could be studied collectively. Until the continued usage of an information technology can be established, it would be premature to classify its initial adoption as a success. To supplement the paucity of research in this regard, the study examined the combined effect of TRI and E-ECM-IT to predict adoption and continuance intention concurrently in a single study – a novel perspective not covered in depth thus far in existing research.
 
The study contributes to building knowledge in the field of adoption and continued use of mobile technologies by empirically testing three models: the extended TRI, the EECM-IT, and the integrated model of technology readiness extended expectation confirmation model in the context of IT. The results show that the integrated model may provide an ameliorated way of understanding the factors that influence adoption and how it impacts on the continuance intention to use mobile payment apps. Thus, results of the study imply that our proposed model could be used in future studies of adoption and continued use of various technologies in the context of an emerging economy such as South Africa.
 
From a practical perspective, the study provides managers with insights about the pertinent factors that influence adoption and continuance intention as a basis upon which marketing strategies can be formulated and implemented. Recommendations concerning how service providers can increase adoption and foster continued use are proposed in the study.
 
Dr Humbani with some of his family members on the day of his graduation.
 
From left to right: Charity Kufahakurambwi Humbani (sister-in-law), Natasha (daughter), Michelle (daughter), Advella (wife), Dr Michael Humbani, and Simbarashe Humbani (brother)
- Author Marketing Management

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