Through a systematic review of publications in reputed peer-reviewed journals, this paper investigates the role of blockchain technology in sustainable supply chain management. It uses the What, Who, Where, When, How, and Why (5W+1H) pattern to formulate research objectives and questions. The review considers publications since 2015, and it includes 187 papers published in 2017, 2018, 2019, and the early part of 2020, since no significant publications were found in the year 2015 or 2016 on this subject. It proposes a reusable classification framework—emerging technology literature classification level (ETLCL) framework—based on grounded theory and the technology readiness level for conducting literature reviews in various focus areas of an emerging technology. Subsequently, the study uses ETLCL to classify the literature on our focus area. The results show traceability and transparency as the key benefits of applying blockchain technology. They also indicate a heightened interest in blockchain-based information systems for sustainable supply chain management starting since 2017. This paper offers invaluable insights for managers and leaders who envision sustainability as an essential component of their business. The findings demonstrate the disruptive power and role of blockchain-based information systems. Given the relative novelty of the topic and its scattered literature, the paper helps practitioners examining its various aspects by directing them to the right information sources.

COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a surge in the amount of fake news circulating on the Internet. However, despite the global bearing of the coronavirus pandemic, there is a significant variance in the propensity of COVID-19 related fake news instances across nations. To better understand the national-level factors contributing to the spread of fake news during the current pandemic, we theorise and examine the relationships of “mobile connectivity” and “freedom” (economic, political, and media) in a nation, with fake news propensity. We test the proposed model through a unique dataset comprising 72 countries generated by combining 6 independent cross-country data sources. We find that “mobile connectivity” and “political freedom” in a nation contribute to COVID-19 related fake news propensity, whereas “economic” and “media freedom” inhibit it. Our study provides preliminary insights into the mechanisms through which national-level systemic resources can be leveraged for battling the spread of fake news during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. In addition, our study offers several important implications for governments and policymakers that we believe will be instrumental in stimulating future research on the subject.

AI-powered chatbots are gaining traction across various industries, especially in the financial sector. Despite these implementations, chatbot adoption and usage among consumers is still low. Grounding on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) model and the Belief Desire Intentions (BDI) model, this study explores factors influencing the adoption of chatbots for financial sectors by emphasizing on the role of user desires in addition to human beliefs. Explicitly, the research hypothesizes the role of the humanness in chatbots influencing consumer adoption in the financial services sector. The suggested research model was tested via a sample of possible adopters from India, the USA, and Singapore. Results highlight the key role of consumer desires to make artificial machines indistinguishable from human beings. Implications for research and practice are also presented.