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Transaction laundering has become an increasingly intricate and rampant form of financial misconduct in the age of digital commerce. This research paper conducts an exhaustive examination of this issue, categorizing the various techniques criminals use to highlight areas where existing risk management practices could be further refined. Amid escalating regulatory scrutiny of both financial and nonfinancial entities, the paper stresses the implications of not meeting regulatory standards. As a novel contribution, this study advocates for a shift in risk management strategies. It argues that entities under obligation should harness advanced technological methods to counter transaction laundering challenges effectively. The study serves as a relevant guide for online businesses aiming to strengthen their measures against transaction laundering. For future work, the potential effectiveness of technology-driven countermeasures deserves further scrutiny.

This study used a conceptual legal research method, using a library-based doctrinal legal research approach with a conceptual legal perspective, drawing from existing literature. This study reviewed primary and secondary legal sources, including case law and provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amended) Act, 2012, and the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 (as amended). This study also assessed the provisions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004. This research further incorporated a blend of archival and secondary legal sources. This study conducted comparative analyses, examining the legal frameworks of Canada, the UK, Hong Kong and China alongside Nigeria to identify potential lessons for enhancing Nigeria’s legislation concerning money laundering and terrorism financing. This study also assessed problems and derived insights from the study’s findings. This research method was chosen to establish the credibility of the findings regarding the issues of money laundering and terrorist financing.

The analysis uses a comprehensive network dataset, encompassing ties among individuals and businesses in the Netherlands from 2005 to 2019. It integrates administrative data, including family ties, shared bank accounts and employment history, with corporate information and ownership relations from the Chamber of Commerce. Criminal data related to police interventions, legal convictions and suspicious money laundering transactions are linked to these networks. This unique approach overcomes the scarcity of large empirical datasets in criminological research, offering valuable insights into criminal network behavior and dynamics. Understanding how criminal networks adapt to anti-money laundering policies aids regulatory authorities in designing more effective and efficient measures while also enhancing the tools available to enforcement authorities for detection and investigation.

AML policies are often criticized for their high costs relative to the perceived benefits. This paper's method avoids dark number estimations and relies on high-quality administrative data. The theoretical contribution includes an examination of specialization, competition and collaboration within criminal networks. The empirical aspect uses a unique dataset and emerges as a methodology for evaluating the effects of AML policy measures using temporal cluster analysis.

The purpose of this study is to reflect on and analyse the sensory experiences related to the transition to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research seeks to understand how these experiences have influenced the integration of work practices into home and family life and the subsequent adaptations and embodied learning that arise in response.

The authors' research approach incorporates autoethnographic methods to explore the sensory, affective and emotional experiences of transitioning to remote work. The authors draw on principles of embodied learning, as influenced by Gilles Deleuze, and utilise a range of ethnographic tools including note-taking, audio memos, photography, shared conversations and written reflections to gather their data.

The study illuminates the ways bodies learn to accommodate the new organisational contexts that arise when the spaces, affects and forces of home and work intersect. It demonstrates how the integration of work into the private domain resulted in new affective and material arrangements, involving novel sensory experiences and substantial embodied learning.

This study provides a distinct, sensory-oriented perspective on the challenges and transformations of remote work practices amid the pandemic. By focussing on the affective resonances and embodied learning that emerge in this context, it contributes to the emerging discourse around post-lockdown work practices and remote work in general.

This paper aims to derive a model that explores how the interplay between knowledge integration capability and innovation impacts strategic orientation, leading to the attainment of sustainable competitive advantage. The study considers the constituents of strategic orientation, namely, customer orientation, competitor orientation and technology orientation, as the basis for achieving sustainable competitive advantage. The study suggests that the firm’s capacity for integrating external and internal knowledge shapes how strategic orientation influences sustainable competitive advantage through service innovation.

This empirical research relies on qualitative and quantitative data gathered from telecom professionals to assess how knowledge integration and service innovation influence sustained competitive advantage. Structured equation modeling is used to examine the model and its interrelationships.

The research establishes significant relationships between strategic orientations, knowledge integration capability, service innovation and sustainable competitive advantage. Knowledge integration capability and service innovation are found to mediate the relationship between strategic orientations and the achievement of sustainable competitive advantage.

The study highlights the significant contribution of a firm’s knowledge integration capability in driving service innovation, especially in technology-intensive service industries facing hypercompetition. It also advocates prioritizing technology orientation and integrating knowledge from internal and external sources for competitive advantage.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to model the effect of knowledge integration capability and service innovation on strategic orientation-led sustainable competitive advantage.

There is an increasing shift toward cashless societies worldwide, with electronic payment networks at the forefront of facilitating this transition. The purpose of this research is to explore the critical role of domestic payment networks and to propose recommendations for the effective implementation of such networks.

This research paper uses a multiple-case study design, informed by global best practices in domestic payment systems. Using thematic and content analysis methodologies, this research rigorously analyzes secondary data sources to investigate the strategic importance of domestic payment networks to national economies and the motivations driving their developments.

This paper illuminates the role of domestic payment networks in advancing cost-effective transactions, enhancing financial inclusion and safeguarding national sovereignty. It highlights the growing trend among nations to prioritize the development of their own payment systems. The research further explores the strategic initiatives undertaken by governments to prefer domestic over multinational networks, thereby maintaining control over their financial systems and safeguarding economic interests. Additionally, the study addresses the challenges these networks face, providing a thorough analysis that serves as insight for policymakers and financial institutions aiming to develop and improve their domestic payment infrastructures amidst current and future challenges.

This study contributes to the existing literature on domestic payment networks by studying their significance within the global financial ecosystem, particularly highlighting their role in advancing financial inclusion and ensuring national financial sovereignty. This research paper uses competition state theory as a foundation for its arguments and provides policy and practical recommendations for policymakers and financial institutions. Through this synthesis, the research aims to facilitate the enhancement and strategic development of domestic payment infrastructures globally.

The description of “blockchain banking”, the determination of “the sub-processes” of “blockchain banking” as a “business process”, and the assessment of “maturity level” in Parsian Bank.

Theoretical sources on “blockchain banking” were initially investigated. Then the “sub-processes” of “blockchain banking” as a “business process” were extracted by Parsian Bank's experts through the “Delphi method”. Next, the “sequence” of the “sub-processes” was determined by means of the “AHP”. Eventually, Parsian Bank's maturity levels for all the sub-processes as well as the overall maturity level were specified on the basis of the “CMMI” V1.3 in order for Business Process Management (BPM).

Blockchain banking’ combines traditional banking with cryptocurrencies, which can be provided by merging “hybrid e-wallet” with “bank account” and “bank card” – all together as “crypto bank account”. Plus, “hybrid e-wallet” is a form of mobile e-wallet on blockchain that supports both cryptocurrencies and traditional currencies in the same platform by which the purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies are possible. Besides, “Blockchain banking service” can also be offered within the framework of “open banking” aligned with “open innovation” through a FinTech (or a beta bank) in collaboration with a licensed bank via “open API”, which is called “blockchain banking based on FinTech”. At last, the eight sub-processes of “blockchain banking” were determined and Parsian Bank's “maturity level” was specified.

This is the very first practical guide to “blockchain banking service”.

This study uses big data analysis aimed at discovering city bus passenger ridership patterns. Hence, marketing managers can get sufficient insights to formulate effective business plans and make timely decisions about company operations.

This study uses a mixed-method analysis to analyze the results. First uses the RFM (recency, frequency, and monetary) model combined with a big data technique (K-means) to analyze bus passenger boarding behavior. In order to improve the validity and quality of the research, this study also conducted interviews with senior managers of the bus company from which the data was obtained.

The study identifies six distinct groups of passengers with different boarding behaviors, ranging from “general passengers” to “most valuable passengers”. General passengers constituted the largest group. As such, they should be the main target for municipal governments when promoting bus ridership as part of energy conservation and carbon-reduction activities. This group of passengers should be encouraged to take public transport vehicles more, instead of relying on personal vehicles. The fourth group identified included elderly passengers with hospitals as their destinations. Bus companies can cooperate with municipal government to provide morning “medical bus” services for the elderly. Interviews with bus company managers confirmed that the analytical results of this study correspond with the observations, experiences, and actual business operating plans of bus companies.

Only few studies have analyzed passengers' boarding behavior applying a mixed-method analysis.

In the face of escalating urban populations, the quest for seamless mobility in cities becomes increasingly complex, even in regions where transit options are presumably accessible within the developing world. The imperative to confront urban mobility challenges and forge sustainable cities equipped with adept transportation and traffic management systems cannot be overstated. This study delves into the technological paradigms employed by developed nations and evaluates their pertinence in the current milieu for mitigating urban mobility challenges. Simultaneously, it scrutinizes the deployment of smart city technologies (SCTs) within developing nations, investigating potential technological strides that can be harnessed to achieve sustainable urban transportation. By dissecting the intricacies of SCTs in developing countries, the study aims to unearth viable technological advancements that can be judiciously implemented to foster sustainable urban mobility. It aspires to provide nuanced recommendations for the integration of latent SCTs, unlocking untapped potential to augment the sustainability of urban transportation in the developing world. The research also elucidates strategies geared towards fostering international collaborations which are instrumental in propelling the development of cities characterized by equity and inclusivity. The study underscores the significance of a global alliance in overcoming urban challenges, emphasizing the need for shared knowledge, resources and experiences to propel the evolution of cities towards a more sustainable and equitable future. This research serves as a comprehensive exploration of the intricate interplay between technology, urbanization and international cooperation, offering insights and recommendations pivotal to steering the trajectory of urban development in developing nations.

After completion of the case study, the students will be able to analyze the FinTech industry in emerging markets, distinguish the growth strategies for startups in the hyper-growth phase, using the Ansoff matrix, evaluate and select geographical markets for expansion (foreign country selection) and understand the liability of foreignness concept.

In 2015, Islam Shawky, Alain Al-Hajj and Mostafa Menessy founded Paymob in Egypt, a FinTech start-up providing technological and financial solutions to consumers and merchants in the country. The company had grown into one of Egypt’s most prominent digital payment providers by deploying infrastructure and technologies that empower the underserved with access to financial services. In 2021, Paymob had gained a lot of support from venture capital investors that ended with closing the largest in Egypt Series A fund of $18.5m led by Dubai-based venture capital firm Global Ventures. Although Paymob had already reached great success in Egypt, the founders’ vision was to become the regional leader of digital payments, focusing on small and medium-sized enterprises. So, they are considering regional markets similar to Egypt’s, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a call with a lot of structure but a lot of competition, and Pakistan, a market with much less competition but relatively unstructured. The founders found themselves in early 2022 deciding between these two markets in preparation for the next round of Series B $50m funding.

This case study can be useful for courses in executive education.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

After completion of the case study, the students will be able to explore the challenges involved in growing a business during its early stages inorganically, discuss the challenges faced by start-ups in their quest for growth in an emerging market, investigate the reasons behind the mergers and acquisitions, comprehend the issues in the merger of a start-up and a conventional bank, identify the various possible synergies out of the merger and examine the growth strategies that a troubled start-up such as Slice can follow to survive and expand its business operations.

The case study discusses the challenges that Slice, a modern fintech organization, and North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB) face due to the changing business and regulatory environment. After working tirelessly to earn the trust of India’s banking regulator, Slice got the approval for its merger with NESFB. While Slice and NESFB got a new lease of life after the approval of their merger, Rajan Bajaj, founder of Slice, needed to make the merger a success by leveraging on the strength of the combined entity and meeting all the lending and other regulatory requirements applicable to small finance banks.

This case study is suitable for MBA/MS/BBA/BS students.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

This study aims to explore the eye movement behavior of preadolescent children accessing and diagnosing information.

The researchers tracked the eye movements of 30 children with an eye-tracking apparatus. Using the kit of factor-referenced cognitive tests to measure perceptual speed and associative memory, they measured information-searching behavior with screen recordings, the data of which were analyzed by IBM SPSS Statistics 26.

Regarding information accessibility, there was a correlation between the child’s age, associative memory and the number of round-trip choices, and there were differences in the total fixation area among children of different age groups. Regarding diagnosticity, perceptual speed was positively correlated with the total fixation area, and the number of round-trip choices was negatively correlated with fixation duration.

Empirical evidence suggests that during information encoding, perceptual speed is the most important influencing factor. Extensive research indicates that children predominantly rely on recall and familiarity when searching for new information, both of which play roles in associative memory. Through an examination of the psychological and behavioral indicators of children, the study elucidated the cognitive processes involved in information processing and how children engage with information at both visual and cognitive levels.