The Transformative Influence of Digital Finance on Rural Women's Financial Inclusion: Evidence from Kenya |Chapter 6 | New Advances in Business, Management and Economics Vol. 10

 

Financial inclusion refers to the process of ensuring access to financial services and providing timely and adequate credit when needed by vulnerable groups like the weaker sections and low-income groups at an affordable cost. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in increasing financial inclusion worldwide; however, disparities still exist. Digital finance has emerged as a transformative solution to address this critical issue. This chapter explores the significant impact of digital finance on the financial inclusion of rural women, a group that has historically been underserved by traditional banking services due to geographical and socio-cultural barriers. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design with a sample of 961 rural Kenyan women, the chapter utilized Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and the Chi-Square test of independence to assess the relationship between digital finance adoption and financial inclusion. The findings reveal a strong positive relationship between the use of digital financial systems and increased financial inclusion. The PLS-SEM analysis produced a path coefficient (β) of 0.728, indicating a significant direct influence. The R-squared (R2) value was 0.530, which means that digital finance accounts for 53% of the variance in financial inclusion. Additionally, the chapter found a very substantial effect size (f2) of 1.129, far exceeding the threshold for a large effect, confirming the practical significance of this relationship. The Chi-Square test of independence further reinforced these findings with a Pearson Chi-Square value (χ2) of 158.715 and a p-value of .000. This value is significantly higher than the critical values of 3.841 (α=0.05) and 6.635 (α=0.01) at one degree of freedom, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis and confirming a statistically significant association between digital finance and financial inclusion. Despite these positive findings, the average digital finance score among rural women was 6.609, which is below the target threshold of 8, indicating low overall adoption. However, the study also found that over half of the respondents (70.27%) owned a mobile device and a significant majority (66.14%) had mobile money accounts, highlighting the widespread nature of mobile money in the region. Overall, the study demonstrates that digital finance provides a secure and convenient way to save and transact, serving as a gateway to formal financial services and entrepreneurial opportunities for rural women. The results emphasize the need for targeted digital literacy programs and supportive policies to empower rural women and ensure equitable financial inclusion.

 

 

Author(s) Details

Mildred Amugune
School of Business, Economics, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Machakos University, Kenya.

 

Josephat M. Kiweu
School of Business, Economics, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Machakos University, Kenya.

 

Charles Ombuki
School of Business, Economics, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Machakos University, Kenya.

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/nabme/v10/6294

Navigating the Future of Higher Education: AI Integration and Global Crisis Resilience | Chapter 13 | Crisis, AI and the Future of Higher Education

 

The global higher education landscape has undergone profound disruptions due to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, while simultaneously being reshaped by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI). This chapter synthesizes key findings on the transformative impact of global crises and artificial intelligence (AI) on higher education, employing a literature review method to critically examine research limitations and future directions. Empirical evidence from the literature reveals how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted graduate education through declining academic engagement and research productivity, with notable gender and disciplinary disparities. Concurrently, AI has reshaped pedagogy through personalized learning and data-driven governance, yet raises ethical concerns regarding algorithmic bias, data privacy, and digital wellbeing. Despite these insights, the research faces limitations in geographic generalizability (primarily China-focused samples), short-term outcome measurement, and insufficient empirical validation of ethical AI frameworks. The chapter proposes three critical future research trajectories: (1) interdisciplinary studies integrating cognitive science and AI ethics to design wellbeing-centric tools, (2) global equity investigations addressing the AI accessibility divide, and (3) policy-research partnerships to develop standardised ethical guidelines. These directions aim to balance technological innovation with equitable, human-centred education systems in an era of disruption. Our study is framed within the theoretical perspectives of crisis resilience and technological disruption, aiming to provide valuable insights for diverse audiences, including researchers, policymakers, and educators.

 

Author(s) Details

Yuanyuan Shi
School of Teacher Education, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, China.

 

Please see the link:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-81-990398-9-6/CH13

Econometric Study: Impact of Digital Economy and Financial Inclusive Policy on China's Rural Revitalization | Chapter 22 | Theoretical Key Issues and Practical Development Trends of China’s Digital Economy

With the increasingly mature development of internet big data and cloud computing, digital inclusive finance—an emerging form of inclusive finance closely related to these technologies—plays a crucial role in promoting rural development. Through the clever use of network technology, including computer "information processing", "data communication", "big data analytics" and "cloud computing" and other cutting-edge technologies, digital inclusive finance not only realizes the extensive sharing of information but also significantly reduces financing costs and difficulty. This innovative model effectively expands the coverage of financial services and makes full use of the advantages of digital finance, such as sharing, security, low cost and low entry threshold. By integrating cutting-edge technologies such as big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, a financial management system was built based on big data, so as to comprehensively improve the level of financial management. These measures have injected new vitality into rural development and provided more convenient and efficient financial services for farmers.

Focusing on the two core issues of digital inclusive finance and rural revitalization, this paper puts forward a series of specific strategies in view of the four challenges of the digital divide, weak development foundation, imperfect credit system and lack of digital financial literacy. At the micro level, the study will promote enterprise research and innovation, encourage residents to start businesses and find jobs, and increase residents' disposable income, so as to consolidate the economic foundation of rural revitalization. At the macro level, the study will promote regional financial development, eliminates the income gap between urban and rural areas, alleviate the income gap between regions, and provide strong financial support for rural revitalization. In order to achieve the strategic goal of rural revitalization, it is necessary to comprehensively promote the in-depth development of digital inclusive finance, provide all-round support for rural revitalization, and actively explore a new path supported by inclusive finance. The research results of this project will provide solid theoretical support and practical guidance for the solution of major problems such as the implementation of a rural revitalization strategy and accelerating the construction of new countryside.

 

Author (s) Details

 

Jiacheng Lyu
Shexian No. 1 Middle School, Handan, 056400, China.

 

Yingbo Lyu
Shexian Communist Party School, Handan, 056400, China.

 

Wenbo Lyu
Saxo Fintech Business School, University of Sanya, Sanya, 572000, China.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-48388-89-6/CH22

Digital Divide in Online Education: A Statewise Survey of Internet Accessibility and Usage Patterns in India | Chapter 12 | Digital Crossroads: Integrating Humanities, Science and Technology Edition 1

This study explores the digital divide in online education across five Indian states—Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengal—focusing on internet accessibility, usage patterns, and participation in digital learning. The study surveys five states: Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and West Bengal. Utilizing secondary data from the National Sample Survey (NSS) 77th Round (2019-2020), the research aims to analyze the disparities in online education between rural and urban households. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were applied to examine statewise variations in internet access and usage, with key variables such as digital literacy and socio-economic status factored into the analysis. The results reveal significant rural-urban divides in all five states, with Karnataka showing relatively better internet penetration, while Uttar Pradesh faces the most severe challenges in rural internet access. Socio-economic factors further compound the digital divide, with high-income households having greater access to online education, while lower-income and rural households are disproportionately disadvantaged. Additionally, the study found substantial gender disparities, with lower female participation in online education, particularly in rural areas. These findings highlight the urgent need for region-specific policy interventions, focusing on improving digital infrastructure, enhancing digital literacy, and addressing socio-economic and gender-based barriers. The study concludes that bridging the digital divide is essential for ensuring equitable access to quality online education across India.

 

Author (s) Details

 

Bivash Mandal
Department of English, Hyderabad Institute of Technology and Management (HITAM), Hyd., Telangana, India.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-48859-10-5/CH12

Bridging the Digital Divide in ESL Classrooms: Designing Educational Websites for Inclusive Language Learning | Chapter 8 | Digital Crossroads: Integrating Humanities, Science and Technology Edition 1

English language teaching in India has undergone several changes in recent years. Owing to technological advancements, the teaching of the English language has been coupled with online platforms and AI tools. However, it is observed that students who cannot avail themselves of digital platforms are kept oblivious to the advantages that it entails. It creates a sense of isolation and anxiety in students, thereby affecting their linguistic performance. This digital divide can be compensated by incorporating online tools like educational websites into classroom pedagogy. The paper intends to analyze the impact and scope of educational websites in English language teaching in light of my experience creating a sample website as a B. Ed. trainee at the school level. The study demonstrates how educational websites can be integrated effectively into ESL classrooms to enhance language learning. After implementing the tool in the target group, it was revealed that interacting with educational websites increases interest in language learning, better participation in classroom activities, and a better understanding of technology and its uses. It enables all the students in a classroom to have a hands-on experience of technology-assisted language learning, wherein, the four-fold skills of language are enhanced.

 

Author (s) Details

 

Aksa Ann Kuriakose
Vallath Education Pvt. Ltd, Thiruvananthapuram, India.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-48859-10-5/CH8

Challenges and Opportunities for Digital Payments in Rural India: Impacts, Initiatives, and Policy Considerations | Chapter 11 | Contemporary Research in Business, Management and Economics Vol. 2

 In this study, the factors that impact and support towards digital transactions in rural economy is reviewed taking stock of current trends, market analysis, readiness of the infrastructure and the stakeholder accountabilities, to gain insights to the critical success factors to be addressed. The economic progress of India is greatly influenced by its rural areas. Therefore, it is imperative to improve the digital payments model trends in rural India in light of the impact of demonetisation, emerging changes in ICT penetration, and ongoing digital initiatives for rural populations. It is imperative that the shift to digital payments, even in the rural economy, is accelerated in light of the advantages such as increased ease of doing business, potential to reduce the parallel economy, and transaction transparency. Some of the revolutionary developments in the recent past like launch of many digital wallets like – Paytm, Mobiwik, Free Charge etc. and government launching many UPI (united payment interface) solutions and BHIM app for smooth transition to digital payments, there are significant developments taking place.

Stats from the market research also depict considerable rise in digital transactions post de-monetisation period. In terms of challenges, certain key factors like limited options for digital transactions based on feature phones, issues of awareness towards digital transactions, constraints of PoS transactions etc are some of the intrinsic issues that impact the digital transactions. Considering the quantum of opportunities that are unfolding for market dynamics of digital payments, if the challenges that are discussed are addressed and improved solutions in terms of UPIs, mobile wallets, and digital transactions with more secured features, ease of transactions and reduced cost of managing the digital payments could lead to more potential developments and supporting in improved conditions of digital payments processing in rural sectors.

Despite the fact that the social trends are being very positive in rural segments for embracing the digital payments, still there are considerable challenges too in succeeding the paradigm shift. The futuristic steps like enabling digital payment transactions based on Aadhar numbers could be a game changers if handled effectively. It is imperative from the review of research reports, statistics over the digital payment trends, that if some of the key macro challenges, business limitations and consumer related issues are addressed, there could be potential developments envisaged in the process.

Author(s) Details:

S. Md. Shakir Ali,
Department of Digital Business, Lithan Academy (eduCLaas Pte Ltd.), Singapore.

Md. Wasim Akhtar,
Council for Social Development (CSD), Hyderabad, India.

S. K. Safiuddin,
Department of Management, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, India.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/CRBME-V2/article/view/13697

Keywords: Digital payment, rural ecommerce, UPI, BHIM, M-wallet, digital divide, rural and urban India, government, PoS, digital transactions, demonetization, opportunities for digital payments