Human resource management issues in supply chain management research

Abstract

Purpose– With today's increasing globalization and associated growing demand for talented supply chain managers, human resource management (HRM) in supply chain management (SCM) has emerged as a top priority for firms. However, a thorough analysis of HRM issues in SCM research has not been made so far. To address this gap this paper provides a systematic and comprehensive literature review. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to analyze HRM/SCM issues published in leading SCM journals, to identify different HRM research streams in the SCM literature and to propose areas for future research.Design/methodology/approach– This paper employs a systematic literature review methodology. The selected journal articles are categorized on the basis of an analytical framework that contains seven HRM/SCM research streams derived from the extant literature.Findings– The systematic literature review indicates a growing focus on HRM/SCM issues in recent years, a trend that is predicted to continue. Additionally, the study findings show that research has primarily emphasized certain popular categories while other crucial ones lack analysis.Originality/value– This paper presents a structured overview of 109 peer-reviewed articles published in leading academic journals from 1998 to 2014. The review structures extant HRM/SCM literature and highlights its critical importance in SCM research. Topical gaps in the literature are identified as areas for future research.