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Since the appearance of COVID-19 social distancing and staying home have been recommended repeatedly by the governments for disease prevention. As the challenge continues to remain the current study seeks to examine the factors affecting social distancing through space planning and management. More specifically the current study aims to examine the appropriateness of the spatial organization and space configuration of a clubhouse with a linear plan layout in the mitigation of the spread of infections due to serious pandemic COVID-19.

For an enhanced understanding of the impact of spatial arrangements of public spaces plan on the effective implementation of social distancing this study has used the space syntax analysis method. The MPSP clubhouse building in Penang, Malaysia was selected as the case study. The level of permeability and wayfinding were determined in the building plan and were illustrated using photoshop software to depict the interrelation between the indoor spaces and building circulation. Graphs of the depth of space were used to analyze the level of permeability and wayfinding to illustrate the possibility of social distancing in the plan.

The result of the study shows the significant role of proper plan layout design on social distancing. While clear and direct wayfinding can positively be associated with more effective social distancing, the inefficient design of user access, inappropriate locations of multiple entry and exit and indefinite directions of users' inside buildings can impose slight limitations. The average level of permeability might suggest ineffective spatial arrangement, ignoring the needs of spatial segregation. The study further found that the linear plan layouts with proper zoning and effective management strategies can be considered a proper layout to facilitate social distancing and the spread of COVID-19.

The current study is unique in terms of examination of the spatial configuration of linear public spaces plan layout for possible temporary adaptability to curb disease spread during the unexpected advent of a pandemic. Based on researchers' best of knowledge it is the first time that the impact of recreational space design on social distancing has been examined. The study also originally sheds light on the fact that the commonly used guideline for the social distancing of 1–2 m between 2 persons, in reality, is practically inadequate given the nature of the sports activities.

Neural network topology selection refers to a systematic procedure for selecting between competing models. Naturally, it is regarded as a key aspect in optimisation and replicability of neural network performance. When constructing neural network topologies, it is necessary to determine from the outset the general taxonomy of the neural network architectures to be constructed. The taxonomy considered in this study is the general taxonomy of time‐varying patterns which subsumes many existing architectures in the literature and points to several promising neural network architectures that have yet to be examined. The context of the problem is that choosing the right neural network topology for use in a particular domain such as corporate bankruptcy prediction with optimum generalisation performance is not, in any case, a trivial problem. The results of experiments presented in this paper would serve as a baseline against which to select between two competing architectures.

Collaborating with consumers during new product development can provide companies with significant benefits and competitive advantages. Although several studies have been conducted on the design of co-innovation platforms, there is still a need for a more comprehensive understanding of the co-innovation phenomenon. To address this gap, this research aims to identify the critical success factors of co-innovation platforms and provide an extensive analysis of the variables that determine their effectiveness.

This study presents a systematic literature review of co-innovation platforms based on an analysis of 89 articles published in 50 scholarly journals in the disciplines of information systems, marketing and business, covering the years from 2006 to 2022.

The review synthesizes the current state of scientific knowledge and groups prior studies thematically as critical success factors of co-innovation platforms. As a result, eight success factors have been identified in terms of quantity and quality of contributions. These factors include product involvement, perceived fairness, sense of community, interactive environment, employee involvement, participant diversity, assessment structure and task design.

The study consolidates existing research about the critical success of co-innovation platforms. It also provides a research framework that incorporates a diverse set of variables that can be used to assess co-innovation performance in future studies.

This paper aims to investigate the effect of learning styles on HyFlex learning towards equity of learning in higher education.

A quantitative approach was used, with data collection through a structured online questionnaire. The study participants were undergraduate students (n = 451) studying at various public and private universities in Indonesia. Measurement analysis is used to test the validity of the instrument used. Analysis of structural equations is used to test the relationships between the constructs under study.

Survey instruments have satisfactory internal validity and consistency. The learning style of students in higher education positively influences the use of HyFlex’s three learning modalities. All three modalities of HyFlex learning positively affect learning equity, especially the asynchronous online modality. However, the synchronous online effect is insignificant. Active/reflective learning styles only affect face-to-face mode but do not significantly affect the two online modalities, synchronous and asynchronous. Some of the learning style dimensions have an indirect effect on equity through three HyFlex learning modalities. Face-to-face and online asynchronous mediate well the indirect relationship between learning style and equity. The impact of gender and higher education status was not shown to strengthen the relationship between learning styles, HyFlex learning modalities and equity.

This study will provide valuable understanding for lecturers, educators and developers to adapt and develop HyFlex learning strategies based on the positive dimensions of the Felder–Silverman learning style that can support equitable and inclusive learning. The study forms a foundation for researchers to investigate more constructs that could improve HyFlex learning in future studies.

This research is a pioneer in using learning styles to investigate trends in using three HyFlex learning modalities, particularly emphasising modalities that can provide equitable learning.

The study aims to describe the impact of supervisor’s and co-worker’s ostracism on the employee's responses (emotional, psychological and behavioral) through the mediation of employees' efficacy needs and relational needs. Moreover, psychological capital is treated as a moderator to handle the adverse responses of ostracized employees.

The study employed a three-wave quantitative research design to gather data from employees and their respective supervisors who belonged to various healthcare units (N = 510) using self-administered close-ended questionnaires. After that, SmartPLS software was used to analyze the data through a structured equation modeling (SEM) technique.

The empirical results of the study endorsed that ostracism adversely (negatively) affects employees' responses (comprised of emotional, behavioral and psychological). Moreover, the results revealed that employees' needs (efficacy and relational) mediate the relationship between ostracism experienced by employees (supervisor’ and co-workers’ ostracism) and their emotional, behavioral and psychological responses. In addition, it is also evidenced that employees' psychological capital improves the negative association between employees' needs and responses.

The literature in this domain is scarce, and the theoretical stance is weak due to the traditional approaches that are more concerned with the outcomes rather than analyzing the employee's conditional what they are going through. The present study enhances the knowledge of the transactional mode of coping and its application to ostracism in the workplace. The results of the current study may also support the practitioners in formulating interventions to foster a favorable workplace environment.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the period of uncertainty created by the referendum. The focus is the UK real effective exchange rate (REER). The authors set out to measure the additional impact of the uncertainty surrounding the referendum. The authors distinguish this from the longer trend value of Sterling.

The study applies a reduced form exchange rate model, first introduced by Edwards (1994), and makes use of Bank of England daily data for the period November 2015–July 2016.

The results indicate a sharp depreciation of Sterling with reference to its long-term trend. The authors set out some of the possible context which may account for fluctuations during the referendum campaigning period. This can be distinguished from other longer-term factors likely to be previously responsible for trend depreciation, and also from the further sharp depreciation effects triggered by the referendum outcome. The principal finding is that during the week of the referendum, up to the declaration of the result, exchange rate depreciation deviated from the long-run trend by approximately 3.5 per cent, but the actual immediate effect on the exchange rate was an 8 per cent depreciation. Over the period from the announcement of the referendum, the exchange rate fluctuated markedly around its trend and one can also identify a larger effect based on the “wrong-footing” of markets at the point when the outcome was announced.

The research has important implications, as one might further infer that this marks a step change in attitudes to Sterling as Brexit became a real issue rather than a notional concern. One can thus consider the exchange rate as both symptom of and indicator for determinations of the underlying economic strength or weakness of the economy. In essence, it has acted as a litmus test.

The research has important practical implications in understanding the dynamics of the exchange rate market and the role of uncertainty in its dynamics.

The study has important social implications as the changes to exchange rates are a perennial cause for concern. Exchange rates sit as one among many problems for the contemporary UK economy. Brexit has resulted in a significant subsequent depreciation of Sterling. Inter alia, though the immediate effect of Brexit on growth was muted due to unexpected sustained consumer spending, throughout the latter half of 2016 and the first two quarters of 2017, business investment slowed, the rate of deficit reduction slowed (but without any concomitant meaningfully rise in government investment in infrastructure, etc.) and both main measures of inflation began to rise.

The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by exploring the period of uncertainty created by the referendum and its implications for the UK REER. The study differentiates and reflects on the weakness of Sterling due to the weak external position of UK’s economy and the further role played by the uncertainty surrounding Brexit. In this sense, it important contribution to theory as well as practice.

Although the research stream in the area of career plateau acknowledges its ramifications, yet investigation on how this phenomenon can be reduced is sparse. This study aims to address this gap by illuminating the role of proactive personality (PP) as a factor of minimizing plateau via playful work design (PWD), career adaptability (CA) and perceived work-life balance (PWLB).

A cross-sectional study design was applied and structural equation modelling was used to assess the hypothesized relationships among PP, CA, PWD, perceived work design and career plateau. A total of 338 employees from public and private universities were sampled from February 2020 to July 2020.

The results highlighted that CA mediated the relationship between PP and PWLB, as well as, PWD mediated the association between PP and PWLB. Further, the authors got support for both serial mediation paths i.e. PP, CA, PWLB and career plateau and PP, PWD, PWLB and career plateau.

The findings of this study provide much needed ways to overcome career plateau in the academic sector. Moreover, the use of multiple serial paths has enhanced the underlying factors of PP and career plateau nexus.

This paper aims to evaluate the recent steps and enforcement mechanisms employed in Nigeria to combat money laundering and terrorism financing to give a clear and deeper insight to the potential that it portends and locate its workability by combing through various policies that are adapted to reinforce the existing anti-money laundering/combating financing terrorism (AML/CFT) legal and regulatory framework in Nigeria. The paper, therefore, provides a comprehensive assessment of these measures to exhume necessary reinforcement elements required to achieve the desired result by exploring developments from other jurisdictions that have surpassed the country in the AML/CFT crusade.

This study adopted qualitative research methodology. It is structured in such a way that mixed qualitative methodology approach as a research strategy is employed. This is achieved by putting into use the combination of doctrinal and non-doctrinal research methods. Descriptive, interpretative and content analysis methods are used to analyse various AML/CFT government policies along with the existing AML/CFT laws. Judicial pronouncements, various scholarly opinions, along with the anti-money law (AML/CFT) within the Nigeria context are analysed in line with the 40 “Recommendations” of the Financial Action Task Force which depicts the acceptable legislative and regulatory precedent and an international standard to measure the adequacy or otherwise of any national or local laws on money laundering.

Factors that were militating against the effectiveness and positive performance of Nigeria government to combat money laundering-related matters were identified. A clear-cut amendment to the existing provisions of law that will address the issue is suggested to enhance the effectiveness and combat other similar challenges that are likely to come out of these policies, otherwise more problems would be created than could be solved.

This paper exposes deficiencies in the present mechanism adopted to combat money laundering in Nigeria and proffers necessary antidote to facilitate the effectiveness of the legislation. It provides necessary information that could facilitate amendments and new legislation(s) to curb the defects by the lawmakers and could serve as a veritable source of information to law students, legal practitioners and academia.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the implications of exchange rate depreciation for inflation targeting and trade balance of UK in the context of the Brexit epoch.

The study employed a time-varying structural vector auto-regression (TVSVAR) model framework in which the sources of time variation were both the coefficients and variance-covariance matrix of the innovations on the data from January 1989 to September 2016.

The findings suggest that the depreciation of the Stirling has significant effects on inflation and trade balance in UK in context of Brexit epoch. It also showed that such a depreciation can be helpful in the improvement of external balance as well as steering the inflation to its statutory target. Despite, the inflation targeting, there is strong evidence of a pass-through.

Research has profound implications in terms of the sharp depreciation of GBP associated with the Brexit outcome. The study is very topical and could be very interesting to the readership of JES as well as wider audience. The study has limitations in a context that the significance of the results and association of the under analysis entities is contingent on the future trade relationships and Channel between UK and EU. Therefore, although there is a lot of uncertainty about the future of Britain trade relationships, this study provides guidance on the importance of exchange rate channel if the similar trade arrangements prevails in the post-Brexit era.

The research has profound practical implications, using a TVSVAR model in which the relationship among the entities varies over time; it has shown the importance of exchange rate in terms of external balance and inflation targeting. Hence, it has appeal for the practitioners as well as academics.

The research has great social implications. The Brexit is the biggest political and economic event of this era for UK and EU. There are big questions about the relationship between UK and EU in the post-Brexit epoch as well as questions about the future of the European integration. In this context, this study has shown that how the exchange rate could play an important role for the UK economy when its contemporary trade channels prevail. Concomitantly, it has social implications particularly for the European society.

The research is an original piece of work. It has contributed to the debate on the exchange rate deprecation, external balance and inflation targeting in context of the Brexit associated sharp depreciation of Stirling. It has used a framework, i.e. TVSVAR, which also have unique features in terms of testing the associations among under analysis entities against time.

This study aims to examine the key entrepreneurial roles (financial literacy, risk tolerance and competency) in the financial performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan and the mediating effects of locus of control and spiritual and emotional quotients.

The study data was collected from 541 SMEs in Pakistan (the target population) through a survey and analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling.

The findings revealed that the key entrepreneurial characteristics were positively related to locus of control and spiritual quotient and elevated the financial performance in entrepreneurship. It was also reported that locus of control and spiritual quotient mediated between key entrepreneurial characteristics and financial performance. In this regard, emotional quotient strengthened the existing relationships between key characteristics, locus of control and spiritual quotient.

This study highlighted sustainable implications for SMEs to develop an effective mechanism and improve financial performance through guidelines that emphasized entrepreneurial characteristics and behaviours towards positive entrepreneurial ventures. This study also enabled policymakers to design policies that catalysed SME performance in Pakistan.

This study contributed a novel concept of key entrepreneurial characteristics by introducing a characteristics tool kit. Consequently, information on a unique framework (by integrating entrepreneurial characteristics and financial performance) and literature on spiritual quotient and locus of control in entrepreneurship were enriched. Contributions to the regulatory focus theory and four-phase Rubicon model in the study context were also made.