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Following the imperative for human-centric digital innovation brought by the paradigm of Industry 5.0, the article aims to integrate the dispersed and multi-disciplinary literature on individual risks for workers to define, explain and predict individual risks related to Industry 4.0 technologies.

The paper follows the question, “What is the current knowledge and evidence base concerning risks related to Industry 4.0 technologies, and how can this inform digital innovation management in the manufacturing sector through the lens of the Industry 5.0 paradigm?” and uses the method of systematic literature review to identify and discuss potential risks for individuals associated with digital innovation. N = 51 contributions met the inclusion criteria.

The literature review indicates dominant trends and significant gaps in understanding risks from a human-centric perspective. The paper identifies individual risks, their interplay with different technologies and their antecedents at the social, organizational and individual levels. Despite this, the paper shows how the literature concentrates in studying risks on only a limited number of categories and/or concepts. Moreover, there is a lack of consensus in the theoretical and conceptual frameworks. The paper concludes by illustrating an initial understanding of digital innovation via a human-centered perspective on psychological risks.

Findings yield practical implications. In investing in the adoption, generation or recombination of new digital technologies in organizations, the paper recommends managers ensure to prevent risks at the individual level. Accordingly, the study’s findings can be used as a common starting point for extending the repertoire of managerial practices and interventions and realizing human-centric innovation.

Following the paradigm of Industry 5.0, the paper offers a holistic view of risks that incorporates the central role of the worker as crucial to the success of digital innovation. This human-centric perspective serves to inform the managerial field about important factors in risk management that can result in more effective targeted interventions in risk mitigation approaches. Lastly, it can serve to reinterpret digital innovation management and propose future avenues of research on risk.

Gravity models and analogue store approaches are inadequate in predicting purchases in neighbourhood stores. This requires a new theoretical and empirically tested approach.

We use the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to determine which factors predict the choice for a new neighbourhood store. We develop a suitable model using a structural equation model with survey data from two cases in which all households in the catchment areas were surveyed both before and after the store opened.

We find the TPB to be appropriate for predicting store choice. Beliefs about one-stop shopping, social pressure from family members and car availability are most important in explaining the intention to shop in the planned store. These factors also explain the actual shopping in this store after opening.

Our model predicts store choice before a store opens. Using a two-wave survey, we avoid ex-post rationalisation and show that, at least in our cases, quality, price and assortment do not predict store choice.

This paper aims to investigate the entrepreneurial behaviours exhibited by commercial smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe, focusing on their socio-economic characteristics, and considers their implication for outcomes of livelihood resilience in a resource-constrained and turbulent rural context.

The study used survey data collected from 430 smallholder farmers in Masvingo province, Zimbabwe. Using a two-step cluster analysis, the study constructed a typology of farmers based on their entrepreneurial behaviour and socio-economic characteristics.

The results revealed that commercial smallholder farmers are heterogeneous in terms of their entrepreneurial behaviours. Four clusters were identified: non-entrepreneurial, goal-driven, means-driven and ambidextrous. Beyond their entrepreneurial behaviours, these clusters significantly differ in the socio-economic characterises (gender, age, education levels, farm size, proximity to the market and social connection) and farm performance (seasonal sales per hectare and farm income per hectare).

The typology framework relating farmers’ entrepreneurial behaviours to their socio-economic characteristics and business performance is important to tailor and therefore improve the effectiveness of farmer entrepreneurship programmes and policies. In particular, tailoring farmer entrepreneurship education is crucial to distribute land, finance and market resources in purposive ways to promote a combination of smallholder farmers’ effectual and causal behaviours at an early stage of their farm ventures.

Researchers still know little about which farmers’ behaviours are entrepreneurial and how these behaviours manifest in action during their commercial farm activities. This research leverages effectuation and causation theory to unveil previously overlooked distinctions on farmers’ entrepreneurial behaviours, thereby enhancing a more grounded understanding of farmer entrepreneurship in a resource-constrained context.

This study aims to propose a comprehensive framework for assessing circular economy (CE) performance in the agri-food sector. It identifies those indicators that should be used to measure circularity regarding CE strategies, applies them at a microeconomic level and examines the impact of key business determinants (financial, internalization, knowledge, awareness and digitalization).

A literature review was conducted with a focus on CE strategies and related indicators. The framework obtained is applied on a Spanish agri-food sector survey to provide an empirical CE analysis at firm level. A partial least squares based-structural equation modelling method is applied.

The research suggests a set of circularity indicators to assess CE strategies at micro level. The findings reveal the heterogeneity of CE sub-indicators related to narrowing, slowing, closing and regenerating strategies. It also highlights the strong effects that the drivers tested have on CE, especially awareness and knowledge.

This study provides a framework that can guide public policies and business decisions in sectors with significant environmental impacts. It provides a conceptual framework that explains which CE indicators should be considered by governments and regulators when developing policies that seek to promote circular strategies.

In the case of companies, the results show that acquiring more environmental awareness and knowledge is essential for promoting more sustainable work habits that enhance CE.

The paper offers a novel contribution to the CE literature by introducing a multidimensional indicator framework comprehensively applied to the agri-food sector, integrating miscellaneous pillars of circular strategies and business determinants.

This study undertook a systematic literature review of consumers’ information and knowledge sharing (I&KS) in digital scenarios, as it is an expanding thematic area that differs from other consumer behavior and has been underexplored.

Following the PRISMA philosophy, we identified I&KS-related studies in the Scopus database based on a search term chain determined through an exploratory study. Additional inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and studies were manually filtered. An input–process–output type model was used to manually review and systematize the literature. Then, a second content analysis was conducted using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Based on 51 relevant articles, this study characterized the I&KS research field as multidisciplinary through quantitative methods. Based on an input–process–output consumer behavior model and content analysis, this study systematized existing knowledge and revealed that most knowledge encompassed the influence of personal and psychological consumer characteristics. Additionally, based on AI tools applied to the full texts of the relevant articles, five thematic clusters emerged, largely coinciding with the input–process–output model used. Finally, future research avenues and recommendations for business and organizational practices were identified.

This study fills the gap in consumer studies by systematically reviewing I&KS, a developing field, as no prior research has addressed this topic systematically.

The purpose of the review is to synthesize the research on materiality measures of sustainability reporting and highlight how preparers, users, auditors, regulators and other stakeholders assess or determine the materiality in sustainability reporting. The review further summarizes the findings on consequences and determinants of material disclosures in sustainability reporting. Several directions for future research are also discussed.

This study provides a systematic review of materiality measures developed in the context of sustainability reporting. This synthesis of the literature summarizes the existing methodologies of measuring materiality. It also evaluates the strength and limitations of existing methods and approaches of measuring materiality in sustainability disclosures.

We find that the ex post materiality measures are simplistic and unidirectional in nature and ex ante materiality measures lack external validity and are generally narrow in focus – for example, focused on single firms or industries. Another major limitation in the current literature is the absence of robust empirical investigation of double materiality in sustainability reporting and a vast majority of the measures are developed without stakeholder engagement. Lastly, we document that the findings on determinants of material disclosure are fragmented and inconclusive and that the literature on consequences of material disclosure is rather un-explored.

The study explains the connections and differences between the various materiality measures. We document that materiality is measured in two distinct ways, ex ante and ex post and often times without stakeholder engagement. Moreover, given that a vast majority of the measures rely on manual content analysis, we find that they suffer from reproducibility and scalability.

The purpose of this study is to present a mini-integrated review on upcycling as a marketing strategy used by brands in promoting sustainability. Upcycling has emerged as a promising strategy for sustainability in the fashion industry. Activities within the industry have resulted in the release of toxic chemicals, carbon emissions and unsustainable products with significant environmental impacts. This has influenced manufacturers and researchers to adopt alternative but sustainable approaches.

In this mini-integrated review, relevant documents and information were sourced from appropriate databases and websites to provide a brief insight into upcycling as a marketing tool.

This mini-integrated review further provides insight into how effective upcycling can be integrated into a brand’s marketing strategy as a tool to communicate its commitment to sustainability and the production of high-value products for consumer satisfaction. It concludes that the fashion industry has a significant impact on the environment, and the practice of upcycling has surfaced as a potential solution to address issues of sustainability paving the way for further studies.

Brands use upcycling to differentiate themselves from competitors and appeal to consumers who prioritize sustainability. By emphasizing the environmental benefits of upcycling, brands can position themselves as leaders in the domain of sustainable fashion practices.

As the warehouse is increasingly viewed as a strategic component, retailers’ willingness to invest in automated warehouse systems (AWS) has increased. These investment decisions are influenced by well-known operational factors, but strategic factors, which have received limited attention in warehousing literature, also play a pivotal role. Addressing this gap, this study investigates how strategic factors influence AWS investment decisions in retail.

Based on a theoretical foundation of technology adoption, strategic intent, and automation strategy, an abductive multiple case study is conducted with eight purposefully selected retailers that had implemented or were in the process of implementing a large AWS.

The study ranks 10 competitive priorities and 21 AWS evaluation aspects and shows how the firm’s strategic intent and the AWS investment decisions can be connected via the formulation of a warehouse automation strategy. The findings reveal the content for such a strategy – including 7 categories and 17 considerations – related to, for example, technology innovativeness, efficiency versus adaptiveness, technology-supplier relationships, control and ownership, and risk exposure. The study empirically shows how manager characteristics and owner strategies influence retailers’ AWS investment decisions. Four strategic intent profiles are abductively developed: reliability and delivery service; profitable deliveries; scalable logistics for volume growth; and platform building for logistics services. The study also provides evidence of a reciprocal relationship between strategic intent and AWS investment decisions.

The study is conducted with a limited number of Swedish retailers, indicating a need for additional studies to test the findings across different contexts.

The study offers a framework for formulating a warehouse automation strategy. As a foundation for developing the framework, the study shares empirical insights from retailers in the forefront of AWS implementation.

The study contributes as a conversation changer by showing the importance of shifting from a tactical-operational focus to a strategic perspective on warehouse configuration in general and on AWS investment decisions in retail in particular.

This study aims to examine Africa’s environment, social and governance (ESG) research through a systematic literature review (SLR). The authors aim to identify and discuss influential aspects of ESG accounting in Africa, focusing on prominent themes, authors and journals in published articles using Africa’s setting. It also constructs agendas for future research to advance the literature and contribute to the ESG accounting practices in Africa.

This study uses an SLR approach, where accounting research journal articles are collated and compiled according to pre-determined criteria and analysed using bibliometric techniques. After carefully reviewing 1,387 articles, the authors selected and examined 246 academic articles published from 2006 to 2024 in 32 accounting journals indexed in the Web of Science.

The authors identify four main streams of ESG accounting research in Africa, namely, ESG disclosure in primary-based economies; corporate governance dynamics in Africa; internal mechanisms in ESG reporting; and external mechanisms in ESG disclosure. According to the analysis, the authors propose future research agendas to discuss institutional perspective of ESG reporting standards implementation and enforcement; value creation impact on sustainability performance; ESG reporting effect on conflict resolution; and ESG reporting quality and environmental sustainability.

This study assists policymakers, academics, managers, accounting professionals and investors in comprehensively understanding the current state and projecting future actions to develop ESG accounting in Africa.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is perhaps the first to examine Africa’s ESG research through an SLR. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a comprehensive analysis of the existing ESG accounting landscape and tailoring future research agendas based on the distinctive characteristics of Africa.

Through the review of several journal articles on the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and how it impacts students’ motivation to continue with their studies or to drop out of their academic program, this study aims to review the literature on the impact of ICTs on student motivation at a university.

This paper is based on a systematic literature review steered by the PRISMA guidelines. This paper uses both Durban University of Technology subscription-based and publicly available papers. The research articles examined were published between 2018 and 2023 in Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect.

Reviewed literature bespeaks that ICTs can increase student motivation by enhancing interactive, engaging and individualized learning. Digital technologies that engage students and offer a more engaging learning environment include instructional apps, online simulations and multimedia content. Using ICTs may be useful in lowering university dropout rates.

The systematic review yielded valuable insights for both academic research and real-world applications in education regarding the Durban University of Technology. The study offers a comprehensive analysis of the nexus between ICTs and student motivation.

This research investigates the feasibility, benefits and challenges of environmental sustainability reporting by Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

The authors develop an abridged SME environmental sustainability reporting framework based on the environmental aspects of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards for Sustainability Reporting. The authors collect the views of 203 SME accounting practitioners on our proposed reporting framework using a survey questionnaire.

The authors find that the greatest perceived benefit for firms adopting environmental sustainability reporting is that it leads to an improvement in company image. Lack of knowledge, resources and data capturing tools impede implementation of environmental sustainability reporting for both SMEs and accounting practitioners. While SMEs are not yet required to implement environmental sustainability reporting, the research discusses implications for policy makers and practitioners for adopting environmental sustainability reporting in the SME context.

The main limitation of this study is that environmental sustainability reporting for SMEs is in its infancy. A longitudinal survey, or re-examining this survey over time, could be beneficial to assess the long-term benefits and costs of implementing sustainability reporting.

The findings of this study have practical implications for the future development of SME environmental sustainability reporting in the EU and for regulators considering sustainability reporting regulations with a specific focus on SMEs.

The study reconstructs the GRI environmental guidelines into a framework for SMEs and provides empirical evidence on the accountant’s sustainability reporting role.

This paper aims to apply a socio-ecological systems framework to demonstrate that pastoral adaptation to climate change necessitates a comprehensive approach.

The authors evaluated the depth of knowledge regarding pastoral adaptation in Africa using bibliometric and content-based analyses.

The analysis of 40 eligible articles, conducted through R Studio, revealed a significant emphasis on climate change adaptation measures. However, there was a noticeable scarcity of research on the role of governance, policy and institutional interventions.

The scope of the research is limited to the African continent.

This research shed light on how inadequate governance structures and insufficient institutional support, particularly in terms of skills and capacity-building, hinder pastoral communities’ resilience. These limitations may potentially affect pastoral livelihoods adversely, with severe consequences for food security and poverty levels in Africa.

A comprehensive understanding of the challenges pastoralists face in Africa to adapt to climate change will assist in defining high-level policies and interventions to improve pastoral communities’ adaptation actions.

The study used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach to ensure a thorough and systematic investigation. Furthermore, using an established framework and clearly defined methods will greatly aid in replicating the research.

Manufacturing companies still struggle to integrate additive manufacturing (AM) technologies with existing traditional manufacturing technologies. This paper explores AM technology integration into a global manufacturing company from an operational capability perspective.

The research was conducted using a single case study in collaboration with a global heavy-duty vehicle manufacturer. Data were collected through a focus group and interviews representing management and engineering roles. Additional data were collected from meetings, company documents, field notes and observations. Subsequently, the collected data were analyzed thematically.

The findings reveal that, despite the company embarking on its AM technology integration journey, it encountered challenges, including cognitive fixation, manufacturing fixation, situational awareness, ambiguous ownership and the make-or-buy dilemma. Furthermore, the findings showed that the company developed operational capabilities – such as developing proficiency in AM know-how, continuous use of AM technology, operational practices for AM technology, cross-collaboration for AM initiatives and business cases for AM technology – to address these challenges. A facilitation model was developed, outlining essential actions prioritized for the short-term, mid-term and long-term. These actions leverage the operational capabilities to address challenges in AM technology integration.

This paper offers an in-depth exploration of AM technology integration in a global heavy-duty vehicle manufacturer. It introduces a novel application of operational capability theory and proposes a facilitation model for managers and academics in pursuit of achieving AM technology integration.

Environmental emissions are increasing in the urban areas. Much of the emissions arise from public procurement activities given that public sector firms are major customers to many supplying firms. Given the tremendous contribution, this study aims to examine the adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices among public sector firms through assessing the impact of urban environmental governance, government environmental communication and organizational environmental governance.

Data for the study were collected in a single time period from central procuring and disposing entities (public sector firms) in the urban areas. A sample of 105 public sector firms in were used. One procurement officer and one member of the contracts committee were the key informants in the study. AMOS SPSS version 26 was used to obtain the results for the structural model and measurement model, respectively.

The findings indicate that the adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices among public sector firms is significantly influenced by government environmental communication, organizational environmental governance and urban environmental governance. Urban environmental governance significantly influences organizational environmental governance. Urban environmental governance fully mediates the relationship between government environmental communication and public sector firms’ adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices. Also, urban environmental governance and organizational environmental governance mediate the relationship between government environmental communication and adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices.

This study examined the adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices among public sector firms. However, the study was conducted in a public procurement setting rather than a private sector procurement setting. Also, the study examined the impact of government environmental communication on public sector firms’ adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices ignoring the impact of internal communications made within the public sector firms on environmental issues.

This study examined the adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices among public sector firms. Freight logistics in public sector procurement has not been given significant attention in earlier research. Emphasis is placed on sustainable public sector procurement ignoring other aspects that would help curb environmental emissions that may arise during and after the delivery of public procurement requirements.

The circular economy (CE) has been endorsed as representing a model that is able to achieve environmental protection through decreased use of raw materials, together with changing economic values and social inclusion thanks to its demand for a wide variety of skill profiles. This has motivated many policy initiatives to support the implementation of the CE. The purpose of this study is to follow such policy initiatives in three geographically anchored industry-specific networks.

The study contributes to the research debate on the CE through a spatial approach with a focus on how the implementation of the CE is conditioned by spatial and regional contexts. The authors investigate three different networks in Sweden for CE with different locations and industrial profiles.

The findings reveal the difficulty that exist in relation to the implementation of the CE. The network and support functions in combination with private industry are vital. The risk of sustaining an uneven regional economic development is evident.

Although research on the development of the CE has proliferated, geographical approaches to this development are comparably rare to date. The authors seek to contextualise the strategy development and policy implementation of a CE policy.

Studies have shown that research is a global innovation’s “engine room.” Therefore, young adult-built environment researchers (YABER), especially in developing countries, need research upskilling and reskilling training for better-integrated outcomes. Evidence shows that research training can improve YABER competencies and proficiencies. In Nigeria, YABER may have had some challenges in training needs. There is a lack of extant literature about the issues facing Nigeria’s YABER upskilling and reskilling training needs. Thus, this study investigated the perceived problems facing YABER and proffered measures to improve their training needs in Nigeria.

The researchers used participants from Edo State, Abuja and Lagos State, Nigeria. This study adopted a qualitative research approach. The researchers accomplished saturation after 40 virtual interviews and adopted a thematic analysis for the primary data.

The research shows that the built environment research refines current and creates new knowledge. The built environment researchers (trainers and trainees) need training but face challenges. Findings clustered measures to improve quality research publications in the built environment through YABER training into government/regulatory agencies-related, higher education institutions-related and researcher-related measures.

The developed framework and thematic network analysis could be used to stimulate YABER training needs and, by extension, stir Nigeria’s higher education institutions regulatory agencies to upgrade requirements for academic staffers, especially published articles, to be compulsorily Scopus/Web of Sciences indexed for promotion exercise. This is the global best practice, and Nigerian scholars cannot be in isolation. It will form part of this study’s implication and revitalise UNSDG 4.

This research aims at identifying segments of luxury guests based on the benefits they seek when staying at 5-star hotels. The study also wants to investigate whether ethics and sustainability have a role in differentiating the segments.

An online panel survey allowed the collection of 508 responses with participants from Switzerland that spent at least one night in a 5-star hotel between 2022 and 2023. The survey asked about perceived benefits, sustainable tourist behavior, preferred hotel green practices, trip-related factors and socio-demographics. Hierarchical cluster analysis was employed to group participants on the benefits identified via exploratory factor analysis. The other variables were used for segment profiling.

Results show the existence of three customer segments for 5-star hotels: the ethical enthusiast, the unconcerned aesthete and the practical connoisseur. These differ in the importance they assign to ethical, social and symbolic benefits, as well as functional service benefits. The relevance of sustainability in the luxury hotel experience is stronger for the ethical enthusiast.

Luxury hotel managers should highlight sustainable practices on social media to attract ethical enthusiasts. In addition, marketing content customization should be used to appeal to the benefits and profile of each identified segment.

This is the first study that provides a benefit segmentation of luxury hotel guests, and it is also the first research that considers the role of sustainability and ethics in differentiating these customers.

Global warming and climate change are significant barriers to food production due to rising temperatures and extreme weather events. Thus, some households have taken to producing organic food on their rooftop gardens to mitigate the aforementioned challenges, which could improve the green environment and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Given the emergence of this trend, this study aims to predict organic food production intention and behaviour within urban rooftop home gardens using an integrated model of the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory and theory of planned behaviour (TPB).

Study data were collected from 352 households in two major Bangladeshi cities and analysed through SEM-PLS for model assessment and prediction.

Resultantly, biospheric and egoistic values led to an improved ecological worldview (EP). The EP, awareness of consequences (ACs) and social norms (SNs) predicted personal norms (PNs). In addition, PNs and SNs forecasted the intention to produce organic food in urban-area rooftop gardens. Strong intentions could promote and predict the adoption of organic food production in rooftop gardens. Based on the study outcomes, PN partially mediated the relationship between SN and the intention to produce organic food. Furthermore, the value–behaviour nexus performed serial mediation through beliefs, norms and intentions.

In this vein, the VBN framework provided a comprehensive guideline to encourage the intention and behaviour of organic food production in urban-area rooftops. Education and public policies potentially leveraged public beliefs and norms to engage in climate-friendly activities.

Cultivating organic herbs and vegetables on rooftop reduces dependency on industrially produced food and fertilised crops, making it a sustainable food choice and climate-mitigating activity. Thus, this study focuses on rooftop organic food production as a lens to examine pro-environmental intentions and behaviours. In addition, past studies have not emphasised the mediating roles of environmental beliefs, PN and intentions between the value–pro-environmental behaviour nexus. Such paths could be interesting to observe and add value to the VBN model. This study investigated the mediating roles of environmental beliefs, PN and intentions between the value–pro-environmental behaviour nexus and the role of PN between SN and pro-environmental behavioural intention with VBN farmwork.

While innovative building materials (IBM) have emerged as a promising solution for addressing the global construction industry’s environmental, economic and social challenges, their adoption is plagued with increasing challenges in the Nigerian construction industry (NCI). To provide practical strategies to overcome the present IBM challenges in the NCI, the barriers that hinder its successful adoption need detailed investigation. Consequently, this study examines the barriers that affect the adoption of IBM for sustainable construction (SC) in the NCI.

A quantitative research approach was used to obtain primary data from 282 construction professionals, viz. architects, builders, engineers and quantity surveyors, via a closed-ended questionnaire survey. Data were analysed using a mean item score (descriptive analysis) and exploratory factor analysis (inferential analysis).

The study revealed the top five most significant barriers to IBM adoption in the NCI. These barriers include lack of awareness and knowledge, learning/training period, cost and economic viability, lack of qualified staff and lack of end-user involvement. Factor analysis revealed five components of barriers: resource and policy-related barriers, perception and cultural-related barriers, organisational-related barriers, awareness and market-related barriers and resistance and stakeholder engagement-related barriers.

The findings of this study have several practical implications for construction professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders in Nigeria. The study highlights the need for increased awareness and technical expertise to promote the adoption of IBM in the NCI. The study also recommends several practical strategies for overcoming the barriers to IBM adoption and promoting SC practices in Nigeria, such as fostering a positive perception of sustainable concepts, fostering stakeholder support and involvement and promoting a more conducive environment for adopting sustainable practices. The implication of this study transcends the local context, offering a model for other countries to consider, thereby contributing to a global shift towards sustainable construction practices.

The findings highlight the critical role of societal attitudes and awareness in adopting IBM, suggesting the need for educational and awareness programmes to shift public and organisational perception. This shows the importance of cultural change and societal readiness to embrace sustainable construction practices.

This study contributes significantly to knowledge of the barriers to adopting IBM for SC in NCI. Findings from the study will inform policymakers, industry professionals and other stakeholders about the key barriers that require attention and intervention, facilitating the initiatives to overcome these barriers effectively.

Automated social media messaging tactics can undermine trust in health institutions and public health advice. As such, we examine automated software programs (ASPs) and social bots in the Twitter anti-vaccine discourse before and after the release of COVID-19 vaccines.

We compare two Twitter datasets comprising user accounts and associated English-language tweets featuring the keywords “#antivaxx” or “anti-vaxx.” The first dataset, from 2018 (pre-COVID vaccine), includes 3,154 user accounts and 6,380 tweets. The second comprises 327,067 accounts and 545,268 tweets published during the 12 months following December 1, 2020 (post-COVID vaccine). Using Information Laundering Theory (ILT), the datasets were examined manually and through user analytics and machine learning to identify activity, visibility, verification status, vaccine position, and ASP or bot technology use.

The post-COVID vaccine dataset showed an increase in highly probable bot accounts (31.09%) and anti-vaccine accounts. However, both datasets were dominated by pro-vaccine accounts; most highly active (59%) and highly visible (50%) accounts classified as probable bots were pro-vaccine.

This research is the first to compare bot behaviors in the “#antivaxx” discourse before and after the release of COVID-19 vaccines. The prevalence of mostly benevolent probable bot accounts suggests a potential overstatement of the threat posed by anti-vaccine accounts using ASPs or bot technologies. By highlighting bots as intermediaries that disseminate both pro- and anti-vaccine content, we extend ILT by identifying a benevolent variant and offering insights into bots as “pathways” to generating mainstream information.