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This article discusses the effectiveness of knowledge sharing (KS) within communities of practice (CoPs) in a financial institution in South Africa. This was achieved through understanding the current state of KS within the CoPs, identifying critical factors for effectively sharing knowledge and thereafter determining reasons for a CoP not being effective in sharing knowledge. The results showed that there is still a long way to go to ensure the effectiveness of KS through CoPs. The CoPs within this financial institution are informal in nature, and therefore not necessarily given the attention that they deserve. Time used for CoPs is not maximised effectively, which reduces the chances of their effectiveness and improvement of productivity. Lack of effective system infrastructure to support KS is also a massive challenge for the CoPs, as is not having virtual Cops to reduce challenges faced in the use of face-to-face CoPs.

Estonia has become one of the best known digital societies through its advanced FinTech industry. It is one of the top-ranking nations for internet accessibility, with 91% of its population using the internet. Estonians’ lives are influenced by information technology through the range of various digital solutions available for both individuals and businesses. This chapter elaborates on the story of Estonia’s Fintech evolution from the post-Soviet era to modern times with governmental cooperation and considers possible future development that will allow Estonia to continue its FinTech evolution. It also describes the foundation of technological development for its existing financial services offerings, and it forecasts future trends. The research is built on conceptual theoretical findings, secondary data on FinTech development in the Baltic countries and empirical insights from interviews conducted in 2021 with three Estonian FinTech experts. From these interviews and exploration of the historical evolution of FinTech in the country, it is shown that Estonia’s success comes from the country’s past, as trust in the government was still a large part of the people’s culture at the time. Estonia has succeeded in its transformation due to the support of the government towards information technology. This can also be seen in the current evolutionary turn point whereby the push for the finalization of a regulatory framework for the FinTech ecosystem can allow further transparency. There are, however, limitations with any advancement towards the future.

The financial industry has undergone a digital transition over the past decades, with the emergence of FinTech, a portmanteau of “financial” and “technology.” This rapidly growing concept has transformed how individuals, businesses and institutions access financial services. It has reshaped the financial landscape through internet connectivity, spearheaded by internet giants. FinTech has disrupted traditional financial industries with a wide array of business applications, ranging from mobile payments to online insurance, digital financing and wealth management. Technologies in finance continue to evolve, with the application of blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) continuing to transform the landscape of the financial industry. Against this backdrop, this chapter provides a comprehensive overview of FinTech, offering valuable insights for future research. It begins with a summary of the definitions of FinTech, providing historical context and exploring the key drivers behind its evolutionary journey. The chapter also delves into the major segments of FinTech based on its core business functions while shedding light on the dynamic challenges and inherent risks associated with its rapid growth. This chapter not only serves as a reference for understanding the FinTech phenomenon but also contributes to discussions on its potential economic implications and offers insights into potential research directions in the evolving financial industry.

The management, investment and exchange of funds are being transformed by digital technology, driving a technological revolution in the financial sector. The proliferation of digital technology has given rise to the emergence of “financial technology,” an umbrella term for cuttingedge digital finance solutions. Digital technology has enabled the transition from physical bank branches to online banking, granting clients convenient access to their financial transactions through mobile banking applications, electronic payment methods and digital wallets. Digital finance research and development (R&D) has yielded regulatory technology solutions that automate compliance processes, improve the accuracy of regulatory reporting and address concerns related to data privacy. Digital finance places significant emphasis on cybersecurity and risk management. Ongoing research endeavors aim to advance cybersecurity safeguards, threat detection systems and data protection procedures. Collaboration is of the utmost importance in the digital finance ecosystem, encompassing end users, banks, FinTech firms and programmers, in order to foster innovation and satisfy the financial needs of customers effectively. The increasing significance of international payments has prompted the digital banking industry to collaborate with neighboring countries, striving to streamline and reduce the expenses associated with cross-border transactions.

TargetTourism can drive the development of a region, and it also plays a significant role in promoting regional economic development. For the integrated development of the financial industry and the tourism industry, there are obvious data to prove that the technologies, applications, and markets based on the coupling coordination degree and gray correlation degree models are different, but the attributes of the two have common attributes and Features. From the point of view of common attributes, tourism and finance have both cultural and economic attributes, which is a comprehensive industrial technology. From the point of view of common characteristics, tourism and financial industries have regional, economic and creative characteristics. Specifically, it is necessary to carry out research from the perspective of engineering. From the perspective of a digital economy model, this paper conducts an empirical study on the relationship between financial development and regional tourism development. From the findings of this study, it can be seen that the development of regional tourism is closely related to the development of the financial industry.