Validation and sufficiency

Purpose This paper aims to respond to the commentaries by Nejad, and Rand and Rust on the paper “Improving Agent-Based Models of Diffusion”. Design/methodology/approach Evidence on the nature of word of mouth was reviewed and related to the views expressed by the authors of the commentaries. Findings The authors of this paper remain concerned about the assumptions used in agent-based models of diffusion. Originality/value The study refers to previously published work.