Shariah compliance as a moderator between determinants and customer satisfaction toward behavioral intention in Islamic banking

Abstract

Behavioural intention can predict consumers' possibility to repurchase, use, or adopt Islamic banking, and it is a relatively accurate predictor of customer retention. Literature has shown compelling arguments that customer satisfaction and Shariah compliance are important drivers for consumers' behavioural intentions toward Islamic banking. However, only a few studies have examined such drivers in the context of customers' behavioural intentions toward Islamic banking products. Customer satisfaction has been considered a mediator that enhances the relationship between technology acceptance factors and customers' behavioural intentions toward Islamic banking; however, current literature leaves the mediating role of customer satisfaction without empirical validation. Moreover, the literature lacks empirical validation of the moderating role of Shariah compliance with behavioural intentions toward Islamic banks. A survey collected data from 310 Libyan Islamic banks' clients to validate the hypothesised relationships. The SmartPLS was employed in this study to test the proposed hypotheses. This study found that technology acceptance factors (i.e., financial risk, cost-benefits, and trust) directly influence behavioural intentions toward Islamic banking and indirectly through the mediating role of customer satisfaction. Further, the study found that the relationship between financial risk, cost benefits, trust, and customer satisfaction is moderated (reinforced) by Shariah compliance.