The influence of cultural and behavioral factors on clients’ adoption of digital tools in smes: evidence from a driving school digitalization initiative

Abstract

This dissertation examines the influence of behavioral and cultural factors on candidates’ adoption of digital tools within Algerian SMEs, using driving schools as a case study. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative data collected from 109 candidates with qualitative interviews conducted with six stakeholders, based on the UTAUT2 theoretical framework. The results confirm that H1 (digital lifestyle) positively influences digital adoption (β = 0.552, p < 0.001, R² = 30.5%), while H2 (hedonic motivation and trust) demonstrates a stronger impact (β = 0.746, p < 0.001, R² = 55.6%). H3 (socio-demographic profile) was partially supported, as no statistically significant differences were observed among the examined variables, except for gender (p = 0.016). The qualitative findings reveal a stakeholder structure composed of candidates, managers, and institutions. They also highlight a systemic gap between the strong user demand for digitalization and the hesitation of managers due to trust-related concerns and the absence of certified digital platforms. Three major structural gaps were identified: the listening and action gap, the trust and enablement gap, and the voice and visibility gap.