Abstract

This study uses the Push-Pull and Mooring (PPM) paradigm, which is based on migration theory, to examine the many reasons that are causing Omani clients to switch from conventional to Islamic banking.  Pull factors include perceived relative advantage, such as price, religion, and social status; mooring factors include switching cost, complexity, locked-in effects, and apathy; and push factors include customer satisfaction, trust, and service quality (interaction, physical environment, and outcome).  400 traditional banking clients in Oman’s largest cities were given a structured questionnaire as part of a quantitative approach.  SPSS and AMOS were used to analyse the data using SEM.  The results show that switching intentions are highly influenced by interaction quality, customer satisfaction, and trust, but not by the physical environment or outcome quality. Among pull factors, religious motivation emerged as a strong determinant, whereas price and social prestige showed no significant effect. Mooring factors such as switching cost, complexity, and locked-in constraints significantly discourage switching, while apathy did not yield a significant impact. These findings suggest that while religious motivation, trust, and service interaction quality play pivotal roles in influencing switching, perceived complexity of Islamic banking procedures and institutional lock-in remain key barriers. To encourage consumer transition, Islamic banks must simplify offerings, provide transparent processes, and invest in staff training to enhance service interaction ensuring a more accessible, trustworthy, and customer-centric banking experience in Oman.

Keywords: Switching decision, Islamic banking, Service quality, PPM model, SEM, Switching barriers, Religion, Migration Theory.

Asian Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 9(1), 15–32

https://doi.org/10.54392/ajir2612