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Online banking adoption: We should know better 20 years on

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Abstract

During the 20 year lifetime of the Journal of Financial Services Marketing the study of online banking adoption has emerged and matured as a field. Now 20 years on, we reflect on the accumulated online banking adoption knowledge and consider what this tells us. On the basis of an audit of published research over a 10-year period, 1998–2008, we identify the core theories and approaches utilised to study online banking. The findings reveal the widespread application of the Technology Adoption Model (TAM). Drawing on the current debate regarding TAM within the Information Systems domain, we critically evaluate the ongoing appropriateness of TAM for online banking adoption research, and call for a refreshed approach to the study of bank technology adoption. The paper concludes by highlighting other theories that offer potential to extend knowledge in this area.

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1(BA (Hons), Dip CIM, MBA, MSc, PhD) is Assistant Professor in Marketing at the School of Management and Languages, Heriot Watt University. Her research interests relate to the adoption and utilisation of digital technology by organisations and consumers. She is particularly interested in patterns of information search, provision and empowered decision making in the context of financial services consumption. Her work has appeared in, among others, Journal of Financial Services Marketing, International Journal of Bank Marketing, European Journal of Marketing and Information and Management.

2(BA (Hons), PhD, DipM) is Professor of Financial Services Marketing and Consumption at the University of Edinburgh Business School, and Editor of the Journal of Financial Services Marketing. Her research interests are in the area of financial services marketing and have included segmentation of financial services consumers, loyalty, relationships and retention, having written a number of articles on these subjects as well as a book Financial Services Marketing. Her current research projects include pension purchasing, employee benefits and pensions and the Internet.

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Waite, K., Harrison, T. Online banking adoption: We should know better 20 years on. J Financ Serv Mark 20, 258–272 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1057/fsm.2015.19

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