THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN BANKS TO ENGENDER THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND THEIR FINANCIAL INCLUSION IN ARAB COUNTRIES

Abstract

This study aims to classify and interpret the interacted communications between banks and users on social media and understand the role of these digital platforms to enhance the empowerment of women and their financial inclusion in banks in Arab countries. From five leading banks in five Arab countries, 100 users of the banks’ social media site were selected; their interactive utterances were classified, analysed and interpreted. Content analysis tools were applied. The study reveals thesekeyresults:first,theuseofsocialmediainbanksentailstwo-foldempowerment dimensions that are mutually beneficial for Users and Banks. Second, both flows of utterances from ‘User to Banks’ or ‘Banks to Users’ demonstrate that the highest ratios of the shared content are more closely associated with financial inclusion dimensions than aspects of users’ empowerment. Third, women are found to be more socially and emotionally involved than men who show a relatively higher interest in banks’ financial services and products. It was also determined that banks use social media to raise social and economic themes that support women in the region. However, the second and third results imply a gender gap in financial inclusion due to women still lagging behind. This study is different to others because it highlights the power of banks’ social networks to trigger important gender and economic development themes in a highly conservative society; it also contributes to the literature by analysing and interpreting shared content from three extensive outlooks, which yield ample details and draw implications for banks’ management and social media policy makers and regulators.