The Interplay of Self-Efficacy and E-Service Quality in Driving Mobile Banking Adoption: Evidence from India

<ns5:p>Background Mobile banking has a great potential to improve rural financial inclusion and is an essential channel for financial transactions. However, it is less common than account ownership, especially where socioeconomic, infrastructure, and awareness challenges persist. India’s coastal areas offer a distinctive setting with seasonal fishing-based incomes and erratic digital connectivity, are underexplored in mobile banking research. By analysing the effects of computer self-efficacy (CSE), e-service quality (ESQ), perceived behavioural control (PBC), perceived credibility (PC), perceived ease of use (PEU), and social influence (SI) on mobile banking adoption, this study aimed to assess the familiarity and usage of mobile banking applications among coastal communities and test a context-sensitive adoption framework. Methods Data were gathered from 286 customers in coastal regions, representing eight public and private commercial banks in India, using a quantitative, cross-sectional design and the convenience sampling approach. A seven-point Likert scale was used for the measurements; internal consistency was determined to be acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha &gt;0.7); partial least squares structural equation modelling (SmartPLS 2.0) was used; convergent and discriminant validity were largely supported (PEU AVE marginal; CSE item alignment requiring improvement). Measurement properties supported structural testing despite inferior global fit indices (SRMR = 0.162; low NFI). Results Descriptive statistics showed that adoption was strong (91.3%), with younger respondents accounting for the majority of uptake. Only CSE (β = 0.074, T = 2.114, p = 0.035) and ESQ (β = 0.058, T = 2.053, p = 0.040) showed statistically significant positive impacts on adoption; PBC, PC, PEU, and SI showed negligible negative values. Conclusion The findings suggest that digital literacy programs, improved and localised e-service quality, and improved connectivity are crucial for long-term mobile banking adoption and successful financial inclusion policies. They also show that in coastal rural settings, capability and experience-based factors outweigh normative and convenience perceptions.</ns5:p>