Cultural Financial Narratives, Technology-Enabled Informal Accounting Competencies, and Financial Inclusion at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Toward Sustainable Economic Development

Abstract

This study explores how the cultural financial narratives connect to technology based informal accounting competencies and financial management abilities towards financial inclusion of  Bottom-of-the-Pyramid (BoP) households. Our study is trying to expose such important social issues in the era of modern financial technology which is yet understudied. We select sample across rural and semi-urban areas of India, conducted with 48 qualitative interviews from 687 low-income respondents in form of survey method  using sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. Quantitative analysis shows that culturally embedded financial narratives significantly predict the uptake of mobile accounting tools (r = .42, p < .001) adoption results cascading into better informal accounting competencies and advanced digital inclusion. Digital inclusion has potential to contribute  and positive measurable impact on the economic resilience of households at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP). Associations of variables are unveiled through different quantitative and qualitative findings. collective narrative practices considered as an informational framework play a significant role that accelerate monetary transactions competencies, reduce financial risk, uncertainties in decision making, cultural judgment to financial behavior and foster trust in technology. Impact of technology use at the BoP is focused on access to our literacy limitations. The main challenge insights into our study are influence of digital technology for financial inclusion which needs policy intervention shaped by narratives and aligned with shared cultural values. The primary conclusion of this study is practical methods for building inclusive digital ecosystems at the BoP that develop accounting competencies, financial behavior and sustainable economic resilience in resource-constrained environments.