Dialectical Interfaces of Digital Banking Adoption: A Multi-Methodological Investigation of Technological Perception Determinants and Financial Inclusion Trajectories in Vietnam's Transitional Economy

This research establishes an integrative epistemic framework for understanding the complex dialectical relationship between digital banking adoption and financial inclusion trajectories within Vietnam's distinctive transitional economic landscape. Employing a multi-methodological research design, this study synthesises structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to interrogate the configurational pathways through which technological perception determinants influence financial inclusion outcomes. Data collected from 437 respondents across urban and rural Vietnamese contexts were subjected to rigorous analytical protocols. The empirical findings reveal multifaceted causal mechanisms linking perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, and social influence to financial inclusion, with technological self-efficacy demonstrating significant moderating effects. The fsQCA results further illuminate equifinal pathways to financial inclusion, suggesting complex conjunctural causation patterns that transcend linear analytical frameworks. This research contributes to the theoretical discourse by developing a comprehensive model of digital banking adoption in transitional economies, whilst offering practical insights for financial institutions and policymakers seeking to leverage digital technologies to enhance financial inclusion. The integration of variance-based and set-theoretic methodological approaches represents a methodological innovation in financial inclusion scholarship, providing a more nuanced understanding of the complex socio-technical phenomena underlying banking digitalisation processes in emerging economic contexts.