Jambi- Strong organizational and technical support, rather than perceived usefulness or ease of use, plays the most decisive role in encouraging employees to adopt digital financial features in the PNM Digi application. This conclusion comes from a 2026 study by Afjul Yazi and Eduardus Suharto of Perbanas Institute Jakarta, published in the East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research. Focusing on employees of PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) at its Jambi Branch, the research sheds light on how internal digital transformation succeeds—or stalls—inside state-owned financial institutions.
The study matters because PNM Digi is a core platform supporting Indonesia’s broader push toward digital finance and financial inclusion. While digital applications are now widespread, many organizations still struggle to ensure that employees fully utilize advanced features, especially those related to personal or voluntary financial services. Understanding why employees choose to use or ignore these features is critical for improving efficiency, governance, and the long-term impact of digital transformation initiatives.
Digital Finance Expands, Internal Adoption Lags
Indonesia has emerged as Southeast Asia’s largest digital economy, driven by rapid growth in e-commerce, fintech, and digital payment systems. Financial technology is now deeply embedded in everyday life, often used without conscious reflection by consumers across age groups. This transformation has also reshaped expectations for state-owned enterprises, particularly financial institutions tasked with supporting micro, small, and ultra-micro businesses.
PT Permodalan Nasional Madani, a state-owned enterprise under Indonesia’s ultra-micro finance holding, responded to this shift by launching PNM Digi. The application functions as a multifunctional digital ecosystem, supporting administrative tasks while also offering optional financial services such as digital loans, investment products, and personal payment features. Although these tools are readily available, their voluntary nature means adoption depends heavily on employee willingness rather than formal obligation.
According to the authors, this situation reflects a broader national pattern in which access to digital financial services often grows faster than users’ readiness or motivation to fully engage with them. The result is a gap between technological capability and actual usage.
How the Study Was Conducted
The research analyzed responses from 173 employees of PNM Jambi Branch, drawn from a total workforce of 654 staff members. Most respondents worked in the Mekaar program, which focuses on empowering underprivileged women through group-based financing. The sample largely consisted of younger employees with early to mid-level work experience, representing a digitally familiar but operationally diverse workforce.
Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using a quantitative approach. The researchers applied the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, or UTAUT, a widely used framework for understanding why people accept or reject new technologies. In simple terms, the model examines whether individuals use technology based on perceived benefits, ease of use, social influence, and facilitating conditions such as infrastructure, training, and organizational support.
The study also explored whether financial literacy, age, and work experience strengthened or weakened these relationships, given their frequent role in shaping technology adoption behavior.
What the Researchers Found
The findings challenge several common assumptions about digital adoption. Perceived usefulness, ease of use, and social pressure from colleagues did not significantly influence employees’ intention to use the financial service features in PNM Digi. Instead, facilitating conditions emerged as the most powerful factor shaping both intention and actual usage.
The analysis showed that when employees felt supported by adequate infrastructure, clear guidance, and accessible technical assistance, they were more likely to intend to use the application and to translate that intention into real behavior. Behavioral intention itself strongly predicted actual usage, confirming a core principle of technology adoption theory.
By contrast, financial literacy did not moderate the adoption process. Employees with higher levels of financial knowledge were not significantly more likely to use the digital financial features than those with lower literacy. Age and work experience also failed to show a meaningful moderating effect.
In their discussion, Afjul Yazi and Eduardus Suharto explain that the organizational context helps clarify these results. Because PNM Digi is already used for mandatory administrative tasks, employees may see additional financial features as optional extras rather than essential tools. In such settings, adoption depends less on individual perceptions and more on whether the organization actively supports and normalizes usage.
As the authors note, “The availability of technical and organizational support plays a crucial role in transforming intention into actual system use,” highlighting that digital readiness is as much an institutional issue as a personal one.
Why These Findings Matter
The study carries important implications for public institutions, financial organizations, and policymakers overseeing digital transformation. Many digital initiatives fail not because technology is poorly designed, but because users lack confidence, support, or consistent guidance.
For PNM and similar organizations, the findings suggest that investments in training, help desks, user assistance, and internal communication may yield greater returns than focusing solely on feature development. Strengthening facilitating conditions can ensure that digital tools are not only available, but actively used.
The results also contribute to broader debates on financial inclusion and digital literacy. While improving financial knowledge remains important, the study shows that literacy alone does not guarantee adoption. Without a supportive environment, even knowledgeable users may hesitate to engage with digital financial services.
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