This systematic literature review (SLR) delves into the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered virtual influencers (VIs) in social media, examining trust factors, engagement strategies, VI efficacy compared to human influencers, ethical considerations, and future trends. Analyzing 60 academic articles from 2012 to 2024, drawn from reputable databases, the study applies specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Both automated and manual searches ensure a comprehensive review. Findings reveal a surge in VI research post-2012, primarily in journals, with quantitative methods prevailing. Geographically, research focuses on Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America, indicating gaps in representation from other regions. Key themes highlight trust and engagement’s critical role in VI marketing, navigating the balance between consistency and authenticity. Challenges persist regarding artificiality and accountability, managed through brand alignment and transparent communication. VIs offers advantages, including control and cost efficiencies, yet grapple with authenticity issues, addressed through human-like features. Ethically, VI emergence demands stringent guidelines and industry cooperation to safeguard consumer well-being. Looking ahead, VIs promises transformative storytelling, necessitating vigilance in ethical considerations. This study advocates for continued scholarly inquiry and industry reflection to navigate VI marketing evolution responsibly, shaping the future influencer marketing landscape.

Historically, transportation projects and urban mobility policies overlook the dimension of social sustainability, mainly focusing on economic and environmental criteria. This neglect, seen enhanced in the Global South, leads to long travel times, growing congestion, reliance on motorcycles, high traffic accident rates, and limited access to public transport, jobs, and urban facilities, especially for the more vulnerable population. In light of these issues, this paper proposes the Social Sustainability of Urban Mobility (SSUM) approach as an analytical framework that assesses the state of social sustainability in urban mobility by applying a Systematic Literature Review where three gaps were found. First, by tailoring the SSUM approach to the context of the Global South, it is possible to address the population-focused gap in urban mobility. Second, in the literature review, a theoretical gap defining social sustainability in urban mobility and its three primary categories has yet to reach a consensus among practitioners and academics. Finally, more empirical research should be conducted to discuss methodological aspects of operationalizing the SSUM approach through the three main categories: accessibility, the sustainability of the community, and institutionality. The SSUM approach promotes implementing a sustainable urban agenda that builds inclusive, equitable, and just cities in urban mobility.

This research aims to investigate how technological innovation influences social sustainability via the mediating role of organizational innovation and digital entrepreneurship. This investigation employed a quantitative research approach and used data from survey questionnaires based on a set of suppositions evaluated using structural equation modeling. A total of 320 respondent companies from digital provider companies in Thailand. The findings of the research expose that technological innovation has a positive effect on organizational innovation and digital entrepreneurship. Both serve as mediators in the correlation between technology innovation and social sustainability. Moreover, this research will be beneficial for businesses that are implementing new technologies and innovation, considering their role in attaining both environmental and social sustainability.

Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs) have increasingly engaged in outward foreign direct investment in recent years, and particularly into the infrastructure sector of developing economies. This has been prompted by the infrastructure-led economic integration plan of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. However, such collaboration faces many challenges. Infrastructure projects are often undertaken in industries, countries, and regions posing particular and difficult challenges, and with divergent, often conflicting interests, with the ensuing conclusion that the MNE is simply exploiting the project and not delivering value to the host country. Overall, not only does the infrastructure project have to be well-functioning with expected returns (or savings) realized, but these projects face close scrutiny from local communities, labor, opposition parties, neighboring countries, and various international bodies and nonprofits, requiring delicate handling of the principals involved. The unfolding of these issues and their management by the multinational are examined through an in-depth longitudinal case study. The data are drawn from major participants and stakeholders around a leading Chinese MNE and the mega project of the construction of a major hydropower plant in Pakistan.