Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between financial self-efficacy (FSE) and financial inclusion (FI) among individual financial consumers in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative approach and cross-sectional research design, a sample of 400 individuals from urban Central and rural Northern Uganda was drawn. SPSS and AMOS™ 21, regression analysis and structural equation models were used to establish the hypothesized relationship between FSE and FI. Findings The results suggest a strong positive and significant relationship between FSE and FI. The results further suggest that other variables which were controlled for, such as age and gender, had significant influence on an individual’s usage of formal financial services. Research limitations/implications The study was assessed using both potential and actual consumers of financial services collectively. However, if separately assessed, possibly there would be a variation in behavioral responses toward FI. Practical implications Formal financial service providers need to enhance individuals’ levels of confidence in management of finances and utilization of formal financial products and services, so that the financial consumers can realize the changes in financial behavior and consequently FI. Social implications The enhancement of individuals’ level of confidence in evaluating the available financial service options will guide them to take financial decisions that will improve their livelihood. Originality/value The results contribute toward the limited empirical and theoretical evidence for FSE and FI from a behavioral demand-side perspective.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of financial self-efficacy (FSE) on the relationship between financial attitude, financial literacy and financial inclusion (FI) among individuals in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative approach and cross-sectional research design, a sample of 400 individuals from urban Central and rural Northern Uganda was drawn. Using SPSS and AMOS™ 21, structural equation models and bootstrapping methods were used to establish the hypothesized relationships and mediation effects between financial attitude, financial literacy and FI. Findings The results suggested FSE as a mediator of the relationship between financial attitude, financial literacy and FI. Further, there was a significant and insignificant relationship between financial literacy, financial attitude and FI, respectively. Research limitations/implications The study was assessed using both potential and actual consumers of financial services collectively. However if separately assessed, possibly there would be a variation in perceptions or behavioural responses towards FI. Practical implications There is a need to develop and sustain high levels of financial confidence among individuals to enable them use formal financial services. Social implications Possession of financial knowledge, skills, an evaluative judgement with high levels of financial confidence enable individuals make financial decisions that improve their integration into the formal financial system and improved welfare. Originality/value The results contribute towards the limited empirical and theoretical evidence regarding the mediating role of FSE in explaining the financial behaviour.

Purpose This paper to examine the relationship between performance expectancy and behavioural intention to use mobile-based communication technologies for agricultural market information dissemination in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive field survey method was adopted. A total of 302 commercial farmers and agribusiness traders in Eastern Uganda participated in the study from whom data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, correlation and regression analyses were used in the study. Findings The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between performance expectancy and behavioural intentions to use mobile-based communication technologies for agricultural information access and dissemination. This implies that, commercial farmers’ behavioural intentions to use mobile-based communication technologies for agricultural market information dissemination and access will be influenced if they anticipate mobile-based communication technologies to offer greater performance in their daily transactions. Research limitations/implications This study was conducted in the context of resource constrained countries particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, however reflecting knowledge from other contexts. The study was conducted with a structured questionnaire being the main data collection tool, and this limited the study from collecting views outside the questions asked in the questionnaire. The variables studied could not be analysed for a long time, given that the study was cross-sectional in nature. Practical implications The study provides recommendations on how to further boost farmers’ behavioural intentions to use mobile-based communication technologies for agricultural information dissemination. Policy makers need to ensure that policies are put in place that encourage third party software developers and telecommunication companies to provide software products and solutions that are beneficial to the commercial farmers and can enable them complete their agricultural transactions in time. Social implications The study provides critical literature on the influence of performance expectancy on commercial farmers’ behavioural intentions to use mobile-based communication technologies for agricultural market information access and dissemination in resource constrained settings. Originality/value It is noted that farmers in Uganda are slowly progressing to newer mobile information and communication technology tools for market information access and dissemination; however, little is known as to why there is slow adoption of these mobile technologies for agricultural purposes; yet policy makers need to come up with proper strategies to encourage wide scale use of mobile technologies for agricultural market purposes.

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