Evolving “affordances” and “constraints” in mobile payment use: a study of Indian micro-enterprises’ UPI adoption process

Purpose

This research aims to uncover how the adoption process of a mobile payment solution unfolds in its local use. We examined micro-enterprises’ adoption of UPI-based payment system in India.

Design/methodology/approach

We employed an ethnographic approach to study the micro-entrepreneurs’ daily practice and adopted a relational ontology to conduct an “in-practice” enquiry of the UPI payment adoption process.

Findings

Applying the practice perspective of Technology Affordances and Constraints Theory, we found that UPI adoption was shaped through a dynamic interplay of emerging affordances and constraints. New features, such as All-in-one QR, enabled actions like cross-platform money transfer but also introduced challenges like fraud. Advancements in the technology addressed previous challenges but also created new hurdles. This cycle of evolving affordances and constraints within the contextual use of UPI payment technology shaped its adoption process.

Research limitations/implications

The findings contribute to the existing body of mobile payment literature by elucidating the role of localized and ongoing enactment of affordances and constraints. Unlike existing adoption theories, using relational concepts of affordances and constraints revealed how the integration of mobile payment into practice leads to emergent use patterns and widespread adoption.

Practical implications

We emphasize the need for solutions that address localized challenges and contextual needs. The study advises policymakers to consider technology’s benefits and limitations in interventions.

Originality/value

The study offers a unique view on mobile payment adoption, highlighting the role of technological materiality and temporality. It reveals how the changing materiality of technology shapes the adoption process through localized affordances and constraints.