Playful finance: Gamification and intermediation in FinTech economies

This paper examines how digital gamification techniques, which incorporate video gaming elements (rather than full-fledged games) into apps, are reshaping the logics and practices of intermediation that are core to FinTech economies. First, we argue gamification brings into view socio-technical knowledges, such as behavioral science, digital marketing, and user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, which are increasingly important to constituting FinTech intermediation. Second, gamification features specialist firms that are presently overlooked by research into the roles of changing advanced producer services (APS) complexes in FinTech and financial intermediation. Third, gamified apps are deployed to advance competitive intermediary positions which playfully capture user attention and configure user behavior, contrasting with FinTech strategies that typically promise users’ ease of access, reduced transaction costs and personalized products and services. We illustrate these arguments through three firm-level case studies from across Asia, where the development of gamified FinTech apps has been especially prominent

Financial Inclusion Gone Wrong: Securities and Cryptoassets Trading for Children

According to studies, money is a major source of anxiety for most Americans. In looking for ways to remedy the source of such anxiety, some believe that increasing children’s financial orientation could help lower their money-related anxiety levels as adults. Identifying this market as a business opportunity—and reassured by research that shows that by age six, children are already veteran consumers of mobile apps—financial technology (fintech), decentralized finance (DeFi), and even traditional financial entities have started offering services and products to children. These services and products include a broad array of financial-related products and services, from enabling children to earn money for doing their chores, to trading stocks and cryptoassets, and even to earning digital assets and currencies while playing video games. The potential of this new market’s clientele is valuable for two reasons. First, having more customers is always a good thing. Second, children will eventually mature into adult customers who presumably will continue using the services and products they like and are familiar with. And, although some legal challenges are associated with children—who are minors—entering financial-based online contracts, this business trend will continue to grow as it becomes socially acceptable to offer financial services to children. Society’s newly adopted paradigms for describing, understanding, and shaping children’s rights, domestic relationships, custodial status, and even digital purchasing power are all supportive of this trend. Moreover, fintech and DeFi apps and games can help teach children about the value of money, the importance of investing, and the risks involved in trading. Yet fintech and DeFi apps and games could also have a disruptive effect on children, both developmentally and behaviorally, similar to that of other consumed digital content. This disruptive effect should be a source of concern to anyone focused on investor and consumer protection, including regulatory agencies like the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which have already expressed concerns over gamification and digital engagement practices. In light of “the financialization of everything,” this Article looks to both legal and ethical reasoning and behavioral economics tools to call for the search for effective financial literacy education for children to be replaced by a search for policies more conducive to good consumer and investor protection outcomes. These policies should guide lawmakers in regulating fintech and DeFi apps and games offered to children in light of the following considerations: (i) the addictiveness of digital gaming; (ii) how gamifying finance makes it feel less serious; (iii) the connection between gamification and gambling; (iv) how children’s financial choices are more susceptible to the influence of outside parties than are those of adults; (v) fintech and DeFi apps and games’ failure to teach children the importance of concepts such as debt, credit, and financial commitments; and (vi) the unrealistic burden on young parents, who are already struggling to constantly supervise their children’s online activities, to monitor their children’s online financial activities in our digital era

What do people "like" on Facebook? Content marketing strategies used by retail bank brands in Australia and Singapore

Previous research has yet to examine the effectiveness of social media content strategies in the financial services sector. This study advances knowledge of content strategies used by retail bank brands by examining how the type of message, the post format and the source of the content influence customer engagement independently and interactively. A total of 541 posts from the Facebook pages of ten banks in Australia and Singapore are analysed using multiple regressions. Results suggest that in the Singaporean sample, persuasive-only content and mixed content lead to more likes and emoji responses, whereas informative-only content is effective in generating comments and questions. Furthermore, videos and third-party sources strengthen the relationship between informative-only content and customer engagement. In the Australian sample, informative-only content and mixed content are more effective than persuasive content in engaging customers. The findings support an integrated view of content design and highlight the importance of adjusting the content strategy to suit the utilitarian nature of banking services and engage high-involvement customers

Impacto del Trastorno por Déficit de Atención e Hiperactividad en el Comportamiento Empresarial: Un enfoque neurobiológico

The objective was to study the relationship between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and entrepreneurial behavior, specially in characteristics such as risk-taking, creativity, and decision-making. Three groups of ten individuals (5 women; age 36.3 ± 14.0) were selected using social media platforms: one group with ADHD (four participants), one group of entrepreneurs (three participants), and one control group without ADHD or entrepreneurial experience (three participants). 10-question interviews, tailored to their respective profiles, were conducted individually via Zoom. After interviews transcriptions, significant statements were extracted for data analysis. Participants were also instructed to play the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) from an online platform to assess decision-making and risk-taking. Individual data were compiled, compared and statistically processed with Microsoft Excel. As results, comparing interview statements between individuals with ADHD, entrepreneurs, and the control group, in terms of risk-taking, attention, and creativity showed that individuals with ADHD can bring unique traits and skills to entrepreneurship, while entrepreneurs have specific strategies for managing distractions and maintaining focus. The control group emphasizes organization and analysis rather than creativity. The findings from the IGT suggested that people with ADHD may exhibit impulsive tendencies and difficulty evaluating the long-term consequences of their actions. Entrepreneurs were willing to take calculated risks to seize opportunities and achieve their goals, and they were also aware of the need to limit risk and make prudent decisions to protect their investments. The control group highlighted the individual differences in risk-taking in randomly selected individuals, without any special condition. They showed a certain caution in opting for low-risk choices. In conclusion, the study underscores the importance of considering individual and contextual factors in decision-making processes, incorporating neurobiological aspects of ADHD. Although available data did not directly examine the influence of these factors on entrepreneurship success, it highlights the significance of understanding the complex influences involved in decision-making.El objetivo fue estudiar la relación entre el trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad (TDAH) y el comportamiento emprendedor, especialmente en características como la asunción de riesgos, la creatividad y la toma de decisiones. Se seleccionaron tres grupos de diez personas (5 mujeres; edad 36,3 ± 14,0) mediante plataformas de redes sociales: un grupo con TDAH (cuatro participantes), un grupo de emprendedores (tres participantes) y un grupo de control sin TDAH ni experiencia empresarial (tres Participantes). Se realizaron entrevistas de 10 preguntas, adaptadas a sus respectivos perfiles, de forma individual a través de Zoom. Después de la transcripción de las entrevistas, se extrajeron declaraciones significativas para el análisis de datos. También se instruyó a los participantes para que jugaran Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) desde una plataforma en línea para evaluar la toma de decisiones y la asunción de riesgos. Los datos individuales fueron recopilados, comparados y procesados estadísticamente con Microsoft Excel. Como resultados, la comparación de declaraciones de entrevistas entre personas con TDAH, emprendedores y el grupo de control, en términos de asunción de riesgos, atención y creatividad, mostró que las personas con TDAH pueden aportar características y habilidades únicas al emprendimiento, mientras que los emprendedores tienen estrategias específicas para administrar distracciones y mantener el enfoque. El grupo control enfatiza la organización y el análisis más que la creatividad. Los hallazgos del IGT sugirieron que las personas con TDAH pueden exhibir tendencias impulsivas y dificultad para evaluar las consecuencias a largo plazo de sus acciones. Los emprendedores estaban dispuestos a asumir riesgos calculados para aprovechar las oportunidades y lograr sus objetivos, y también eran conscientes de la necesidad de limitar el riesgo y tomar decisiones prudentes para proteger sus inversiones. El grupo control destacó las diferencias individuales en la asunción de riesgos en individuos seleccionados al azar, sin ninguna condición especial. Mostraron cierta cautela al optar por opciones de bajo riesgo. En conclusión, el estudio subraya la importancia de considerar factores individuales y contextuales en los procesos de toma de decisiones, incorporando aspectos neurobiológicos del TDAH. Aunque los datos disponibles no examinaron directamente la influencia de estos factores en el éxito empresarial, destacan la importancia de comprender las influencias complejas involucradas en la toma de decisiones

Individual Online Routines: External Guardianship, Personal Guardianship, and the Influence of Breaches

Computer crime increases in frequency and cost each year. Of all computer crimes, data breaches are the costliest to organizations. In addition to the harm data breaches cause to organizations, these breaches often involve the exposure of individuals personal data, placing the affected individuals at greater risk of computer crimes such as credit card fraud, tax fraud, and identity theft. Despite the breadth and severity of consequences for individuals, existing IS literature lacks coverage of how users respond to data breaches. Routine Activity Theory provides the studys theoretical frame. Routine Activity Theory states that crime occurs when the routine activities of a potential target place them in proximity to a motivated offender in the absence of a capable guardian. This work examines in detail the target-guardian dyad. Using semi-structured interviews, we inquire into potential antecedents to users beliefs about external guardians, how users beliefs about external guardians affect users online routines, and how this process alters in the aftermath of a data breach. This study employs a qualitative case study design to explore, at an individual level, the process by which users outside organizations determine their online routines, in light of their reliance for data protection on external guardians over which they have little to no control, and how the process is affected by awareness of a data breach. The cases selected are 1) the 2017 data breach at the consumer credit agency Equifax and 2) the Facebook Cambridge Analytica data compromise that became public in 2018. Our findings show that users individual, situational, and data characteristics affect users\u27 external guardianship beliefs and online routines. Additionally, under certain circumstances, users can fail to identify data guardians or develop adversarial feelings towards organizations that act as data guardians through control of user data. With some well-defined limitations, after data breaches users report changes in individual characteristics, perceptions of situational and data characteristics, and online routines. Based on these findings, we draw conclusions for future research and practice

Social Networking Sites, Personalization, and Trust in Government: Empirical Evidence for a Mediation Model

Political communication via social media might well counter the eroding political trust. In particular, social networking sites (SNS) enable direct flows of communication between citizens and the political elite, thereby reducing social and political gaps. Based on the concept of personalization of politics, we argue that interactions with politicians on SNS affect trust in government through a two-step process: First, interactions on SNS make citizens evaluate politicians’ characters more favorably. Second, these evaluations serve as cues for the citizens to develop or withdraw trust in government. We test indirect effects using four character traits as mediators: leadership, benevolence, responsiveness, and likeability. A representative online survey (n = 1117; in Germany) reveals that interactions with politicians on SNS increase the perceived likeability of candidates, and thus also trust in government. However, they do not affect the evaluation of the other traits: leadership, benevolence, and responsiveness

Financial Inclusion, Cryptocurrency, and Afrofuturism

As a community, Black people consistently face barriers to full participation in traditional financial markets. The decentralized nature of the cryptocurrency market is attractive to a community that has been historically and systematically excluded from the traditional financial markets by both private and public actors. As new entrants to any type of financial market, Black people have increasingly embraced blockchain technology and cryptocurrency as a path towards the wealth-building opportunities and financial freedom they have been denied in traditional markets. This Article analyzes whether the technology’s decentralized system will lead to financial inclusion or increased financial exclusion. Without reconciling the racially discriminatory history or effects of the current central financial system, the innovative decentralized appeal to Black people will do little to overcome economic inequity. It may be possible that some cryptocurrencies can be tools for financial inclusion by improving economic outcomes and building wealth outside of traditional financial institutions, but without an intervention, a decentralized system will not necessarily lead to decentralized wealth. The rise of cryptocurrency presents an opportunity to think about how to create a fairer, more inclusive financial system. Taken together with the financial exclusions of the past, cryptocurrency can be a vehicle through which we think about true financial inclusion. However, asking traditionally marginalized groups to participate in an extremely risky cryptocurrency market in pursuit of racial equity is an unrealistic solution given the legacy and reality of financial exclusion. A decentralized system cannot fix the systemic racial inequality that has been embedded in our financial systems. This Article proposes using an Afrofuturist framework in the shaping of policy toward cryptocurrency. An Afrofuturist paradigm pushes for systemic problems to be solved through wholesale systems change rather than tinkering at the margins. Moving forward using an Afrofuturist lens would facilitate a rethinking of our financial systems and the role of cryptocurrency as a portal for racial equity

B2B buying decision-making and social media: examining the role of emotions and social media in organizational buying decisions

Social media has increased in its usage and opportunities during the past decade and gained significance for B2B companies. The purchasing decision-making process can be shaped by using social media to trigger essential emotions of the buyers. However, the current literature landscape does not embody the same scope as it occurs in the economy. This study aims to understand the emotional states in the B2B buying decision-making process and the correlating impact of social media on buying behavior. A total of 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed. The analysis reveals emotions such as expectation, joy, fear, excitement, interest, hope, and trust as the most commonly encountered ones in theB2B buying decision-making process. Further, it emphasizes the buyers' social media usage behavior and discloses social media as a tool to evoke emotions. The study contributes to an improved understanding of the emotional appeals and social media effect in the organizational purchasing decision. Hence, managerial implications consist, for instance, of an efficient resource allocation in terms of B2B social media campaigns

Interparental conflict and emerging adults’ romantic relationships: The role of emotional dysregulation and relationship commitment

The interparental relationship provides a model for offspring’s relationships, and research has shown that destructive interparental conflict has negative implications for emerging adults’ romantic relationships. Specifically, studies in this area have shown harmful effects of interparental conflict on emerging adults’ emotional regulation skills and relationship commitment, as well as on their satisfaction with, and the quality of, their romantic relationships. However, little is known about the role of relational commitment and emotional regulation skills in the relationship between exposure to interparental conflict and the satisfaction and quality of these relationships. To address this gap in the literature, the present study investigated the mediating role of emotional dysregulation and relationship commitment in the association between exposure to destructive interparental conflict and emerging adults’ romantic relationship quality and satisfaction. Participants were 425 emerging adults, aged 18 and 25 years old, who were, or had been in the past 6 months, in a romantic relationship. Supporting our hypothesis, results revealed that exposure to destructive interparental conflict was associated with less satisfaction and worse relationship quality through greater emotional dysregulation and less commitment to the relationship. This study supports previous research by reinforcing the role of interparental conflict as a predictor of emerging adults’ difficulties in their romantic relationships and highlights the importance of emotional regulation skills and commitment to the relationship as explaining mechanisms of that association, thus providing important implications for practice.A relação interparental fornece um modelo para os relacionamentos amoroso dos filhos e a investigação tem mostrado que o conflito interparental destrutivo tem implicações negativas para os relacionamentos amorosos dos adultos emergentes. Especificamente, os estudos nesta área têm mostrado efeitos nocivos do conflito interparental nas competências de regulação emocional e no compromisso relacional dos adultos emergentes, assim como na sua satisfação com, e na qualidade das relações de namoro. Contudo, pouco se sabe acerca do papel do compromisso relacional e das competências de regulação emocional, na relação entre a exposição ao conflito interparental e a satisfação e qualidade dessas relações. Com o objetivo de aumentar o conhecimento científico sobre este tema, o presente estudo analisou o papel mediador da desregulação emocional e do compromisso com a relação, na associação entre a exposição ao conflito interparental destrutivo e a qualidade e satisfação da relação de namoro de adultos emergentes. Participaram neste estudo 425 adultos emergentes entre os 18 e os 25 anos, que estão, ou estiveram nos últimos 6 meses, numa relação de namoro. Os resultados revelaram que o conflito interparental está associado a menor satisfação e a pior qualidade da relação de namoro através de maior desregulação emocional e menor compromisso com a relação. Este estudo reforça o papel do conflito interparental enquanto preditor de dificuldades nas relações de namoro de adultos emergentes, e salienta a importância das competências de regulação emocional e do compromisso com a relação enquanto mecanismos explicativos dessa associação, tendo assim importantes implicações para a prática