Investigating Diffusion of USSD Technology in Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculty Member, Institute for Science and Technology Studies, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 Master Student of Technology Management, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

3 Faculty Member, Institute for Science and Technology Studies, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

4 Master Student of Technology Management, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran,

Abstract

A given technology goes through a unique path in the process of its diffusion. Factors residing in a socio-technical environment either inhibit or strengthen the path and speed of technology diffusion. In this regard, the aim of this research analyzes the diffusion curve of unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) technology in Iran. The scope of this paper includes mobile phone subscribers who have adopted USSD technology from 2010 to 2019. By adopting Roger’s technology diffusion framework, this article depicts and analyzes the diffusion curves of different applications of USSD technology through the historical data of USSD technology subscribers in the Hamrahe Avval operator in Iran. To better understand and explain the diffusion and the influential factors in the diffusion in the context of Iran, 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with USSD experts affiliated to the regulatory bodies, policymakers, and mobile phone operators. Our findings reveal that USSD was mostly used in the operator and banking services while its adoption in other survives was been limited. We also found that relative advantage, complexity and Trialability have the highest strengthening effect on the diffusion of USSD; in the same vein price, regulations, and the interaction of actors are the key barriers to the diffusion of USSD in Iran. The findings of this paper provide policy and management implications for regulation and business activities of financial technologies and in particular USSD. To this end, the significant influence of regulation needs to be taken into account which could be a barrier to financial technologies diffusion as the case of USSD in Iran indicates.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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