Mobile payment system: theory and cases of services modularity

This thesis applies modularity theory to services using the case of mobile payment systems. We compare three mobile payment projects—Oi Paggo in Brazil, TCASH in Indonesia, and M-PESA in Kenya—as case studies. The study of modularity is influenced by literature from the field of production and manufacturing sciences and the present work modifies and extends the theory. It also demonstrates the potential of modularity theory in managing complexity, increasing flexibility, and achieving efficiency in the service context. Modularity is a principle that shows how a system can be designed with subsystems while reducing complex interdependencies via standardised interfaces in order to retain efficiency. Modularity offers greater flexibility through recombination and efficiency through economies of scale from reusability. We sought to find how a service provision can be dissolved into coarse-grained service modules that minimise interdependencies and make the whole system more comprehensible. We argue that, first, the application of modular thinking in services will be likely affected by three key attributes which differentiate services from products: customer involvement, intertwined elements in the final service offerings, and modular packages that incorporate technical and human attributes. These analytical approaches are likely to be valid in those industries that are particularly technology-intensive and incorporate network effects. Second, contrary to what has been proposed by literature on product modularity, we find empirical evidence in the case of mobile payments that transactions between participants such as customers and regulators were mainly conducted at thick crossing points. This thesis contributes to the emerging literature on modularity in services. First, we test and validate the theory of modularity in services using the case of mobile payment services. Second, we propose a redefinition of modularity in services that emphasises the peculiar characteristics of service provision. Finally, we propose an indicative proposition for service modularity that can be used to help better develop modular services. This thesis also contributes to literature on mobile payments. We posit that technology-intensive services such as mobile payments should be developed and managed in such a modular way. Not only is it associated with flexibility and agility, modular thinking in services allows companies to maximise compatibility in fulfilling customers’ needs as well as complying with regulators

A unified data repository for rich communication services

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is a framework that defines a set of IP-based services for the delivery of multimedia communications to mobile network subscribers. The framework unifies a set of pre-existing communication services under a single name, and permits network operators to re-use investments in existing network infrastructure, especially the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), which is a core part of a mobile network and also acts as a docking station for RCS services. RCS generates and utilises disparate subscriber data sets during execution, however, it lacks a harmonised repository for the management of such data sets, thus making it difficult to obtain a unified view of heterogeneous subscriber data. This thesis proposes the creation of a unified data repository for RCS which is based on the User Data Convergence (UDC) standard. The standard was proposed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a major telecommunications standardisation group. UDC provides an approach for consolidating subscriber data into a single logical repository without adversely affecting existing network infrastructure, such as the IMS. Thus, this thesis details the design and development of a prototypical implementation of a unified repository, named Converged Subscriber Data Repository (CSDR). It adopts a polyglot persistence model for the underlying data store and exposes heterogeneous data through the Open Data Protocol (OData), which is a candidate implementation of the Ud interface defined in the UDC architecture. With the introduction of polyglot persistence, multiple data stores can be used within the CSDR and disparate network data sources can access heterogeneous data sets using OData as a standard communications protocol. As the CSDR persistence model becomes more complex due to the inclusion of more storage technologies, polyglot persistence ensures a consistent conceptual view of these data sets through OData. Importantly, the CSDR prototype was integrated into a popular open-source implementation of the core part of an IMS network known as the Open IMS Core. The successful integration of the prototype demonstrates its ability to manage and expose a consolidated view of heterogeneous subscriber data, which are generated and used by different RCS services deployed within IMS

The economic outcomes of financial innovation and digital infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa

This thesis examines whether the use of mobile money among formal firms can accentuate the effect of traditional financial services on labour productivity. Further, it investigates the effect of mobile money on access to credit in the informal sector and subsequently explores local digital lending development and its effect on welfare. Finally, the thesis examines whether digital infrastructure is a contributing factor to services sector employment in Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings suggest that mobile money can complement traditional financial services leading to firm performance. Also, mobile money can facilitate access to external finance in the informal sector. The thesis reveals that local digital lending development is crucial for decreasing deprivation, especially in rural communities. Digital infrastructure is also found to drive employment creation in the services sector