Drivers of mobile commerce adoption intention by Saudi SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Abstract Grounded in the technology-organization-environment framework, this paper investigates critical drivers of mobile commerce (m-commerce) adoption intention by SMEs in Saudi Arabia, a developing country in transition, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative approach was adopted in this study for data collection and analysis. A proposed research model was tested and validated using PLS-SEM on data collected using a structured questionnaire from a sample of 171 Saudi SMEs located in the capital city of Riyadh. The findings reveal that top management support, environmental uncertainty and perceived benefits are the critical drivers of m-commerce adoption intention. However, perceived costs do not influence firms’ intentions to adopt m-commerce. This study contributes to a better understanding of m-commerce adoption intention in developing countries, particularly in Saudi Arabia. Both theoretical and practical implications of interest can be derived from this study.

Keywords

• Critical drivers
• Mobile commerce
• Technology adoption
• SMEs
• Saudi Arabia