Dr Mostafa Mohamad - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Dr Mostafa Mohamad

University of Manchester, 2015

This thesis highlights how the motives, utility and benefits, and challenges of Mobile Money Syst... more This thesis highlights how the motives, utility and benefits, and challenges of Mobile Money Systems (MMS) shape the financial inclusion in today's dynamic environment and increase its sustainability. Recently, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have been acting as financial service providers to tap the unbanked population at the Base of the Pyramid market (BoP). This approach of bankless banking requires a network of private, non-governmental, retail agents, and governmental organizations to develop and implement a sustainable MMS. Such networks are constantly changing and growing and it is vital for the successful enhancement and evolution of these systems that they adapt to these changes. Appropriate development of a correct system in accordance to different institutions' needs helps to reconcile different (sometimes conflicting) economic and social goals and maintain high level of sustainability. The environment of MMS development represents a wicked problem situation that requires an inclusive Kantian approach to reconcile the disparate views of individuals, groups, and organizations that constitute this type of information society. "People only see what they are prepared to see" (Ralph Waldo Emerson cited in Holmes, 2007). Interestingly enough that it has been said long time ago and we all know it very well, yet ironically people fail to accept, digest or even see other perspectives or different point of views other than their own. Their various viewpoints are contingent by their indigenous experiences and day-today situations and no party can be claimed as the holder of all strands of knowledge or absolute truth. This thesis offers the Mutlview4 as a contingent methodology for Information System Development (ISD) to analyze the unique action case of e-Masary as an MMS from multiperspectives (i.e. from organizational, technical and personal views). We found these TOP perspectives helpful in investigating how multilayer stakeholders see the benefits and challenges of MMS being developed in the case of e-Masary and how to make it more sustainable. Multiview4 has been developed through a mix of the Multivew2, a framework for MMS development, and action case study. This set of tools have been used to interpret and capture a rich picture of the Egyptian BoP context where e-Masary multidimensional system has been developed. The financial sector in Egypt has been resilient to the global financial crises and the political unrest following the 25 th of Jan revolution. However, this thesis pointed out the failure of the financial sector to provide a stable and equitable access to finance to 90% of the Egyptian population who represent the BoP. During this period of time the position of each actor in the payment and the transfer value chain remains highly awkward in the proposed mobile solutions. Macro-level actors (e.g., Central Bank) do not want to lose control, while others would like to fully control the end-user relationship (e.g., MNOs).Therefore, we found tussles facing absolute solution. Instead, we mapped contingent solutions proposed by the key stakeholders. We also explained why numerous actors failed when they have attempted to launch systems with a full control or have sought to bypass the current incumbent (i.e., Microfinance Institutions, MNOs) have faced dismal results. This thesis contributed to the multiperspectives theory as a theory of information society with practical evidence from the BoP context. This theory has also been used to conceptualize the BoP ICT-based initiatives. Employing action case as a design for data collection also contributed to the rising debate of engaged scholarship to offer solutions that make our lives better (Welsham, 2012). The practical value of our research offer a systematic tool kit for mobile money professionals, developers, regulators, and customers.

Social Science Research Network, 2023

Social Science Research Network, Jun 1, 2010

The expansion of mobile telecoms in the Egyptian market has contributed to different development ... more The expansion of mobile telecoms in the Egyptian market has contributed to different development paradigms. The entry mode and the way telecoms follow to access the Base of the Pyramid market in Egypt identifies which paradigm will take place in the future. Using the case of "My Village Phone" we developed a scenario analysis to explore the linkages between the entry modes and development paradigms. We found that "Pro-poor", "Para-poor", "Per-poor", "Per-poor exports" and "Networked" are expected to take place if telecoms followed the Base of the Pyramid entry mode. However, they may fail to achieve one or more of these paradigms if they followed different entry modes such as "Capitalists mode", "Skimming mode", "Social responsibility mode", or "Sustainability mode". This study contributes toward a typology of entry modes and development scenarios for mobile telecoms market in general and for mobile microfinance in specific. At the policy level, we provide a testable business model for the candidate mobile telecom that looks for holding the fourth mobile license in Egypt. At the theoretical level, we offer a new conceptual framework the balance of power (Albin, 1997; Jasperson et.al, 2002) that is drawn from three social science domains, systems thinkings, systemic foresight, and theories of power.

Bottom of the Pyramid Enterprises (BoPEs) now rank high on the participatory development agenda. ... more Bottom of the Pyramid Enterprises (BoPEs) now rank high on the participatory development agenda. In this type of social enterprise, inherent and ongoing conflicts between the demands of economic and social profit objectives are facts of life. Without good corporate governance these organizations may fail to achieve the desired development outcomes. This agenda particularly makes the BoPEs accountability and enterprise an issue, due to a single problematization. This problematization assumes judicious accountability to be the core of good governance, with accounting at its hub. It also assumes that BoPEs are the very seedbed of any developing economy, irrespective of what form they take, or what enterprise they display. By combining these assumptions, the relationship between accountability and enterprise is deproblematized, so that de-regulation and decoupled accountability will further liberate BoP enterprise. A better grasp of the greater flexibility and heterogeneity of BoPEs would make the boundaries of their accountability and enterprise clearer, and leave their respective margins more suitably exposed. As an essential instrument, accounting and reporting systems might then better inform the debate by specifically rendering these boundaries more visible, while also identifying the precise scope for manoeuvre at/across their margins.Microfinance is a dominant application of BoPE in which the participation of different business partners (e.g. MNCs) and social partners (e.g. NGOs, state, and community) necessitates them becoming more transparently accountable. This implies that more accountability is better, and will lead to required social and financial goals being legitimately pursued through policies whose performance has been independently measured. Research concerning mobile phones and microfinance services in developing countries has undergone rapid growth in recent years. In mobile microfinance programs (M-MIF), the traditional accounting and reporting systems have been replaced with CAM applications, SIM toolkit (STK)-based, and loan tracking mobilizer mobile reporting systems. While some studies seek ways for banks to translate the potential of mobile phones into greater financial access for poor people, this study analyses how the performance of BoP microfinance enterprises can be assessed using mobile accountability and reporting systems, and how mobile networks could be used by loan officers to reconcile varying types of accountability in BoP. This paper uses a social business model and grassroots accountability frameworks to construct and interpret the case of managerially accounting for a BoP mobile microfinance working across margins, from the perspective of a reflective practitioner‘ acting as a field researcher. By using a qualitative case study, this research will conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups with key microfinance and telecoms specialists, managers and accountants, clients, and current loan officers. NVIVO will be the data analysis technique used. Expected contributions of the study will be an assessment model for the BoPEs that can be used to compare and contrast case studies. This model may include a framework for accountability in social e-enterprises in general, and in microfinance in particular. Finally, a corporate governance framework for BoP mobile microfinance projects is also expected to be a part of the study results.

International Conference on Networks, 2011

Academy of Management Annual Meeting, 2015

ABSTRACT This chapter highlights how the motives, utility and benefits, and challenges of Mobile ... more ABSTRACT This chapter highlights how the motives, utility and benefits, and challenges of Mobile Money Systems (MMS) shape the financial inclusion in today’s dynamic environment and increase its sustainability. Recently, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have been acting as financial service providers to tap the unbanked population at the Base of the Pyramid market (BoP). This approach of bankless banking requires a network of private, non-governmental, retail agents, and governmental organizations to develop and implement a sustainable MMS. Such networks are constantly changing and growing and it is vital for the successful enhancement and evolution of these systems that they adapt to these changes. Appropriate development of a correct system in accordance to different institutions’ needs helps to reconcile different (sometimes conflicting) economic and social goals and maintain high level of sustainability. The environment of MMS development represents a wicked problem situation that requires an inclusive Kantian approach to reconcile the disparate views of individuals, groups, and organizations that constitute this type of information society. "People only see what they are prepared to see" (Ralph Waldo Emerson cited in Holmes, 2007). Interestingly enough that it has been said long time ago and we all know it very well, yet ironically people fail to accept, digest or even see other perspectives or different point of views other than their own (Mitroff & Linstone, 1993). Their various viewpoints are contingent by their indigenous experiences and day-to-day situations and no party can be claimed as the holder of all strands of knowledge or absolute truth. It is argued that while the financial sector in Egypt has been resilient to the global financial crises and the political unrest following the 25th of Jan revolution, it has failed to provide stable and equitable access to finance (Farazi et.al, 2011).During this period of time the position of each actor in the payment and the transfer value chain remains highly awkward in the proposed mobile solutions. Macro-level actors (e.g., Central Bank) do not want to lose control, while others would like to fully control the end-user relationship (e.g., MNOs).Therefore, tussles are likely in any solution, if we want to go forward. This explains why numerous actors which have attempted to launch systems with a full control or who have sought to by-pass the current incumbent (i.e., Microfinance Institutions, MNOs) have faced dismal results. This motivated us to analyze the unique case of e-Masary for mobile money and payment services from multiple perspectives (i.e. From organizational, technical and personal views) (Linstone, 1989). This trilogy will help to investigate how multilayer stakeholders see the benefits and challenges of MMS being developed in the case of e-Masary and how to make it more sustainable. In doing so, the Multiview framework (Avison & Wood-Harper, 1998) has been adopted as a methodology for data collection and interpretation aiming to capture a rich picture of the study results and deeper understanding of the phenomenon.

IGI Global eBooks, 2020

Manchester Business School Mobile financial services is one of the uprising movements to bank the... more Manchester Business School Mobile financial services is one of the uprising movements to bank the unbanked by integrating philanthropic and business approaches for financial inclusion. In this paper, we address how a systemic view help integrate the Philanthropic Initiatives (PI) and the Commercial Initiatives (CI) to get a sustainable impact on the unbanked microentrepreneurs. However, each approach has pros and cons as they go along the stages of design, deployment, and sustainability. Using the soft system thinking we theorise the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) as a business system to mix-up the relatively high start-up capabilities of the PI with the relatively sustainable impact of CI. Our mobile money case shows that donors, local private enterprises, and multinational corporations follow the BoP strategy to develop an online grid that offers a reconciled balanced scorecard for economic returns, social benefits and local impact. Such a strategy guarantees flexible, long-term investments and facilitate developing innovative financial services.

ABSTRACT This research explores the enablers and challenges of virtual collaboration on Mobile Mo... more ABSTRACT This research explores the enablers and challenges of virtual collaboration on Mobile Money Systems (MMS) as a networked society. We capture different technical, organizational, and personal factors that affect the stakeholders’ collaboration to enhance the financial inclusion at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) market. The MMS is managed by a network of private, non-governmental, retail agents, and governmental organizations who have different information requirement to fulfill a wide variety of business functions. This creates in some tensions between macro level actors, such as the Central Bank, who do not want to lose control, and MNOs, who want to fully control the end-user relationship. Numerous actors who have sought to bypass the current incumbent have faced dismal results.

Islamic investment: David Cameron moves to make London a Mecca for Middle East wealth.

Multimedia Tools and Applications, Aug 6, 2019

Design and development of a spatial mixed reality touring guide to the Egyptian museum. Multimedi... more Design and development of a spatial mixed reality touring guide to the Egyptian museum. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 79 (5-6). pp. 3465-3494.

International Journal of Enterprise Information Systems, Oct 1, 2018

is a doctoral scholar who has an emerging profile in the areas of Cloud Computing, Enterprise Res... more is a doctoral scholar who has an emerging profile in the areas of Cloud Computing, Enterprise Resource Planning, and Virtual learning systems. He recently, published in the journal of Small Business Innovation, and the British Academy of Management Proceedings. He is currently investigating the area of cloud education, including different technical, organizational, and political issues associated with its adoption.

Advances in human resources management and organizational development book series, 2015

This paper offers a systematic framework for Managerial Innovation (MI) that could be used in the... more This paper offers a systematic framework for Managerial Innovation (MI) that could be used in the military context as a significant public sector. The corporate sector and public sector have different characteristics, which create different internal environment and capacity to dynamically change to the surrounding environment. Strategy and Innovation science has always been a military endowment. However, the last four decades have witnesses unprecedented evolution of MI in the corporate sector than the military sector. This gap has been pointed out in Shultz (2016) and yet to be addressed.In this paper, the authors offer a systematic literature review to highlight the subjects, objects, tools, and outcomes of corporate MI. Then it proposes the activity theory as a conceptual lens to narrow down the gap between the corporate sector and military sector in understanding and practicing MI. Alternative innovation theories (including, innovation diffusion, open innovation, and inclusive innovation) have been reviewed and a gap has been found towards a systemic theoretical lens. Karanasios & Allen (2013) presented the activity theory a systemic lens to manage the public-sector decision-making activities in contaminating Chernobyl nuclear power disaster. Aiming to extend this attempt, our study offers a military perspective of MI activities that could be applied by the public sector in countries where the corporate sector does not have enough capacity to serve the economic ambition. This paper offers a pathway for military MI and encourage its contribution towards economy by enhancing their subjects, objects, tools, and outcomes. It offers transplants from the corporate sector to push new blood of MI in the military and overall public sector institutions

Business information systems, Dec 1, 2014