Operations And Supply Chain Management Research Articles

Broadening the Scope of Operations and Supply Chain Management Scholarship on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Justice, Paradox, and Dialectical Lenses

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has been gaining attention in operations and supply chain management (OSCM) research but is often narrowly framed and dominated by instrumental logic. We offer three lenses that potentially broaden the scope of this scholarship: justice, paradox, and dialectical. The justice logic frames DEI as primarily a moral concern of inequality in firms and supply chains. It goes against an instrumental, performance-driven approach to establishing DEI in OSCM. To understand the persistence of tensions in DEI implementation, we present a paradox lens and link it to OSCM through four major types of organizational paradoxes: performing, organizing, learning, and belonging. We employ a dialectical perspective to resolve these tensions and combine instrumental and justice logics to explore how the latter can help firms realize DEI's (often unfulfilled) performance potential. OSCM scholars are well placed to use justice, paradox, and dialectical lenses to assess pathways for realizing DEI's transformative potential through modeling, decision support, and empirical research. Such research can help managers pursue objectives that conflict with or go beyond instrumental DEI, thus contributing to substantive DEI implementation.

Bridging the gap: state-of-the-art on vertical integration

Purpose This paper aims to present the vertical integration state-of-the-art and propose an expansion of the operations and supply chain management (OSCM) field by identifying gaps and bottlenecks. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a systematic literature review based on a sample of 173 OSCM field articles, collected from Scopus and Web of Science databases. Findings There are no single factors, such as future costs, structures or skills development, in the decision to vertically integrate operations. It is necessary to combine the vision of production costs with the perspective of governance and transaction costs. In addition, it is essential to consider the competency perspective and its impact on capability building. Research limitations/implications Few studies have attempted to understand how vertical integration is used in terms of OSCM research themes and theories. Vertical integration can help companies face challenges and serve as a potential solution for achieving better prices, demand control and quality management. Practical implications The significant role of vertical integration mechanisms in supply chains is crucial for managers evaluating a firm's reconfiguration with more vertical operations. Policymakers interested in supporting the smoothness of vertical integration decisions in regulatory agencies play a key role as contingencies. Social implications In times of global challenges, vertical integration is a strategy known to be more effective for firms to obtain a competitive advantage, making them more resilient. Originality/value This paper addresses gaps in the vertical integration theme and provides insights for future research development.

Building Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Operations and Supply Chains: Bringing Public Policy Back In

While we have seen some encouraging examples of firms that try to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices into their supply chains, progress has been frustratingly slow. We argue that a key impediment today and a potential enabler tomorrow—and thus an important subject of operations and supply chain management (OSCM) research—is the array of public policies that sets the “rules of the game” in OCSM. We differentiate three types of public policy regimes—laissez-faire, regulatory, and transformative—and analyze how each differentially affects DEI practices in OSCM. Our analysis suggests that the laissez-faire type may not offer sufficient incentives to trigger a comprehensive change in DEI practices, while the regulatory and transformative types offer more incentives but, in many instances, do not work as expected. By analyzing the effects of distinct public policy activities for DEI-related practices—for example, through comparative empirical studies or modeling and simulation—OSCM scholars can make important contributions to a more comprehensive implementation of DEI practices.

Advancing OSCM scientific knowledge by replicating empirical findings: Step‐by‐step procedure and illustration for transformative replication endeavors

AbstractReplication endeavors contribute to the accumulation of scientific evidence about previously reported findings and are crucial for scientific progress. Replication studies are, however, often discouraged and rarely published in the operations and supply chain management (OSCM) discipline. In this article, we offer a framework for replications consisting of two complementary tables. This framework recognizes two types of replications already defined in the literature (i.e., The Exact (EXT) Replication and the Methods‐Only (MTD) Replication) and adds to these two new types (i.e., the Bounded‐Conceptual‐Extension (BCE) Replication and the Transformative (TRF) Replication). The framework clarifies what constitutes replications, forms of replication endeavors, and their purposes. Importantly, we also differentiate replication endeavors from reproducibility tests, robustness checks, and post hoc analyses. Moreover, we describe a seven‐step procedure to guide the design, execution, and presentation of replication endeavors, illustrating these steps by conducting a TRF Replication that incorporates, at the same time, a BCE Replication and an MTD Replication of Polyviou et al. (2018). The proposed framework and seven‐step procedure hopefully motivate OSCM scholars to embrace replications as valuable scientific endeavors that can yield corroborating evidence to bolster confidence in previously reported findings and, better yet, provide new nuanced findings to advance precise scientific understanding of past and new OSCM phenomena.

On tasks and soft skills in operations and supply chain management: analysis and evidence from the O*NET database

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to identify the soft skills and abilities that are crucial to success in the fields of operations management (OM) and supply chain management (SCM), using the O*NET database and the classification of a set of professional figures integrating values for task skills and abilities needed to operate successfully in these professions.Design/methodology/approachThe study used the O*NET database to identify the soft skills and abilities required for success in OM and SCM industries. Correlation analysis was conducted to determine the tasks required for the job roles and their characteristics in terms of abilities and soft skills. ANOVA analysis was used to validate the findings. The study aims to help companies define specific assessments and tests for OM and SCM roles to measure individual attitudes and correlate them with the job position.FindingsAs a result of the work, a set of soft skills and abilities was defined that allow, through correlation analysis, to explain a large number of activities required to work in the operations and SCM (OSCM) environment.Research limitations/implicationsThe work is inherently affected by the database used for the professional figures mapped and the scores that are attributed within O*NET to the analyzed elements.Practical implicationsThe information resulting from this study can help companies develop specific assessments and tests for the roles of OM and SCM to measure individual attitudes and correlate them with the requirements of the job position. The study aims to address the need to identify soft skills in the human sphere and determine which of them have the most significant impact on the OM and SCM professions.Originality/valueThe originality of this study lies in its approach to identify the set of soft skills and abilities that determine success in the OM and SCM industries. The study used the O*NET database to correlate the tasks required for specific job roles with their corresponding soft skills and abilities. Furthermore, the study used ANOVA analysis to validate the findings in other sectors mapped by the same database. The identified soft skills and abilities can help companies develop specific assessments and tests for OM and SCM roles to measure individual attitudes and correlate them with the requirements of the job position. In addressing the necessity for enhanced clarity in the domain of human factor, this study contributes to identifying key success factors. Subsequent research can further investigate their practical application within companies to formulate targeted growth strategies and make appropriate resource selections for vacant positions.

The impact of supply chain strategy on supply chain transparency over the firm lifecycle: evidence from China

PurposeIn this study, the authors investigate whether supply chain (SC) strategies (lean or agile) improve or hinder the supply chain transparency (SCT) and what factors affect this relation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors measure the level of SC strategy using natural language processing based on the annual financial reports of listed firms. Secondary data analysis is conducted on various databases encompassing 1,241 listed firms in China from 2011 to 2020. Additional tests are performed to assess the robustness of the results, and alternative explanations are duly considered.FindingsThe authors find that firms with an advanced level of SC strategy perform better on SCT. Furthermore, the authors observe that Agile SC strategy and Lean SC strategy have different effects on SCT over a firm’s life cycle. Agile SC strategy (the ratio of the proportion of Agile SC strategy word frequency divided by the proportion of Lean SC strategy word frequency greater than 1) has a significantly positive effect on SCT in the maturity stage; Lean SC strategy (the ratio less than 1) has a positive effect on SCT in the growth and decline stages. An increase in online media coverage negatively moderates the impact of the SC strategy (frequency of Lean and Agile SC strategy-related keywords) on SCT in the maturity stage. An increase in government environmental subsidies positively moderates the impact of SC strategy on SCT in the maturity and decline stages. Additionally, an increase in industrial competition intensity positively moderates the impact of the SC strategy on SCT in the decline stage.Originality/valueThe authors' study contributes to the Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) literature by revealing the positive impact of SC strategy on SCT with objective secondary data. Additionally, the authors examine the moderating effects of moderators over the lifecycle of a firm on this relationship in an emerging market context. The authors' findings offer valuable guidance to companies operating in diverse market environments, providing actionable insights to strengthen their SC strategies and enhance SCT.

ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence: an exploratory study of key benefits and challenges in operations and supply chain management

ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) are transforming firms and supply chains. However, the empirical literature reporting the benefits, challenges, and outlook of these nascent technologies in operations and supply chain management (OSCM) is limited. This study surveys current projects and perceptions of these technologies in US (n = 119) and UK (n = 181) supply chains. We found that projects range from proof-of-concept to full implementation, with a main focus on operational gains, such as improved customer satisfaction, cost minimisation, and process efficiencies. The main challenges concern data, technological and organisational issues. Expected benefits are dominated by cost savings and enhanced customer experience, but also include increased automation and sustainability. Industries were found to cluster around six groups according to perceived benefits and implementation challenges. Our findings contribute to the emerging literature on Gen-AI use in OSCM, and to management practice by mapping the benefits, challenges, outlook, and maturity level of Gen-AI projects in supply chains.

The effect of geopolitical tensions on international research collaborations and its implications for global operations management

Firms desiring to remain competitive must develop or acquire knowledge resources. Developing knowledge with foreign partners by forming international research collaborations (IRCs) offer many opportunities to access a variety of knowledge but it exposes firms to intercountry relations and conflicts. Therefore, the ability to manage knowledge across borders has been a critical element of a firm's global operations strategy. The purpose of this study is to investigate how political divergence between states affect IRCs and examine the operations and supply chain management (OSCM) implications of this phenomenon. We use secondary data covering 11,160 firms in 55 countries over the period 2010–2019 to test whether political divergence reduces the occurrence of IRCs. We find that political divergence decreases IRCs, and this effect is strengthened for firms operating in high-tech industries. Moreover, when conflict between two countries increases, IRCs are further reduced only for firms in politically aligned countries. Our study contributes to the global operations literature by revealing an overlooked intercountry factor that can affect a firm's access to foreign knowledge. Geopolitical tensions influence IRCs even for countries that are culturally or geographically close. Furthermore, we highlight for OSCM practitioners how political divergence can be a source of knowledge flow disruptions and suggest strategies to mitigate this risk. Finally, we present a research agenda underscoring how geopolitical tensions might be explored in future OSCM research with respect to building, managing, and benefiting from IRCs.

Seeing with fresh eyes – the potential of paradox theory to explore persistent, interdependent tensions in supply chains

PurposeThis study explores the potential of paradox theory as a novel theoretical lens to investigate persistent and interdependent tensions in supply chains. It is based on a critical literature review focusing on paradoxes observed within complex supply chains in dynamic business environments, including the articles selected for this special issue, “Environmental Dynamism and Supply Chain Complexity: Managing the Paradoxes.”Design/methodology/approachThis study introduces the key concepts and themes of the paradox theory literature and possible methodological approaches to studying paradoxes in supply chains. Through a literature review, this study also reflects on the current state of paradox research in the field of operations and supply chain management (OSCM) and proposes future research questions.FindingsThe application of paradox theory to OSCM research is in its early stages. This paper presents opportunities to explore persistent and interdependent tensions in supply chains using paradox theory.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper suggests several new research questions that should be translated into more precise propositions. The main implication for research is a call to focus attention on how and why a paradox perspective can help supply chain researchers view complex supply chain problems with fresh eyes.Originality/valueThe study provides the first critical review of paradoxical tensions in OSCM research. While the papers in this special issue contribute significantly to a better understanding of these issues, there is still significant potential for understanding how to respond to paradoxes in supply chains.

Impact pathways: a home for insights from relevant and impactful operations and supply chain management research

PurposeInternational Journal of Operations and Production Management (IJOPM)'s Impact Pathway (IP) section has been launched in 2020 to host short contributions grounded in current managerial practices and/or policy development, challenging established operations and supply chain management (OSCM) knowledge and highlighting innovative and relevant research directions. This commentary reflects on the achievements of the section, delineates the key features of IP papers and stimulates further development.Design/methodology/approachThis commentary provides a brief overview of the IJOPM's IP section, taking stock of the contributions that have been published so far, analysing their topics, methodologies, insights and impact.FindingsThe 19 contributions published over the last three years have dealt with a variety of emerging topics, ranging from the COVID-19 response to additive manufacturing, leveraging on key evidence from managerial practice that challenges consolidated knowledge and theory, providing clear research directions as well as managerial and/or policy guidelines.Originality/valueThe commentary reflects on the importance of phenomenon-driven research that seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice, thus increasing the impact and reach of OSCM research. This is a call for contributions from scholars, business leaders and policymakers to develop further impact-oriented research.

Exploring Industry-Specific Research Themes on E-Waste: A Literature Review

The usance of electric and electronic products has become commonplace across the globe. The growing number of customers and the demand for these products are resulting in the manufacturing of new electrical and electronic products into the market, which is ultimately generating a plethora of e-waste. The notion of a circular economy (CE) is attracting more researchers to work in the growing field of e-waste management. Considering e-waste as a prominent menace, the objective of this study was to undertake a comprehensive review of the literature by analyzing the research articles published in the MDPI Sustainability journal pertaining to the topic of e-waste in the context of operations and supply chain management (OSCM). This study was addressed via three research questions. A total of 87 selected papers from 2014 to 2023 were analyzed, reviewed, and categorized after data were collected from Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus academic databases with articles only published in the MDPI Sustainability journal. This entails identifying prominent research themes, publication trends, research evolution, research clusters, and industries related to e-waste through descriptive analysis. The field of study and methods employed were analyzed by means of content analysis by delving into the main body of the published articles. Further, four major research themes and clusters were identified: (1) closed-loop supply chains; (2) e-waste; (3) sustainable development; and (4) waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Consequently, this review can be a foundation for subsequent scholarly pursuits toward e-waste management and fresh lines of inquiry for the journal. Finally, in the conclusion section, some future research guidelines are also provided.

Impact pathways: just transition in fashion operations and supply chain management

PurposeThis impact pathways paper proposes that operations and supply chain management (OSCM) can help to ensure that the transition from a high-carbon to low-carbon fashion industry takes place in a just, inclusive and fair way. By immersion in fashion brands, suppliers and workers' realities across multiple supply chains, the authors identify challenges and issues related to just transitions, whilst proposing research pathways to inspire future OSCM research and collaboration using innovative and creative methods to answer complex questions related to just transition.Design/methodology/approachThe research the authors introduce used a multi-level field research approach to investigate multiple fashion supply chains in transition.FindingsThe authors uncovered that in the pursuit of lowering carbon emissions, fast-fashion giants work with industrial associations to create top-down governance tools, leading to severe problems in supply chain data and paradoxical demands. These demands are cascaded onto the workers in these supply chains. The goals and tools dictated by the fashion giants exclude workers, whilst the physiological and psychological effects on the workers are routinely ignored. These issues impede a just transition to a low-carbon fashion industry.Originality/valueThe authors introduce concepts largely missing from OSCM literature and ensure representation of the most marginalised group, supply chain workers, in a novel setting in a call for research in this emerging area.

Artificial intelligence in supply chain and operations management: a multiple case study research

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly considered a source of competitive advantage in operations and supply chain management (OSCM). However, many organisations still struggle to adopt it successfully and empirical studies providing clear indications are scarce in the literature. This research aims to shed light on how AI applications can support OSCM processes and to identify benefits and barriers to their implementation. To this end, it conducts a multiple case study with semi-structured interviews in six companies, totalling 17 implementation cases. The Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model guided the entire study and the analysis of the results by targeting specific processes. The results highlighted how AI methods in OSCM can increase the companies’ competitiveness by reducing costs and lead times and improving service levels, quality, safety, and sustainability. However, they also identify barriers in the implementation of AI, such as ensuring data quality, lack of specific skills, need for high investments, lack of clarity on economic benefits and lack of experience in cost analysis for AI projects. Although the nature of the study is not suitable for wide generalisation, it offers clear guidance for practitioners facing AI dilemmas in specific SCOR processes and provides the basis for further future research.

Big data analytics capability in healthcare operations and supply chain management: the role of green process innovation.

Green approaches remain little disseminated in the healthcare sector despite growing interest in recent years from practitioners and researchers. Big Data Analytics Capability (BDAC) can play a critical role in the integration of environmental concerns into operations and supply chain management (OSCM) and further strengthen the environmental performance of healthcare facilities. According to the literature, the integration of the environment into operations process remains insufficient to achieve high levels of performance and requires efforts in green process innovation. However, this relationship between BDAC and green process innovation remains poorly justified empirically. To address this theoretical gap, we investigated the relationship between BDAC, environmental process integration, green process innovation in OSCM and environmental performance. The main contribution of this study is the valuable knowledge on how BDAC influences environmental process integration and green process innovation to enhance environmental performance. Moreover, the study highlights the mediating role of green process innovation on environmental performance, a finding that has not been mentioned in the extant literature. The paper provides valuable insight for managers and stakeholders that can assist them in supporting the application of BDAC in healthcare OSCM to create sustainable value.

Decision support framework for inventory management combining fuzzy multicriteria methods, genetic algorithm, and artificial neural network

Decision support tools, within the Industry 4.0 perspective, have increasingly impacted different operations and supply chain management (OSCM) areas, such as inventory management. Within the digital transformation era, multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) and machine learning (ML) can be used to improve inventory management decisions. Despite their importance, the literature lacks empirical studies involving advanced solutions that combine both approaches to support practitioners in real-life settings. This is especially relevant for maintenance, repair, and operation (MRO) inventories, which usually present several SKUs with irregular demand patterns and difficult forecasting. Therefore, this study proposes a decision support framework for inventory management, combining MCDM and ML approaches, and applies it to a railway logistics operator to assist its MRO inventory management decision-making process. The first stage of the framework consists of applying a hybrid MCDM method that combines fuzzy logic with the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) methods to rank and select SKUs according to importance and criticality. Once the most critical SKUs are revealed, a second stage of the framework is introduced to forecast the demand for these SKUs through an ML model, which combines a genetic algorithm and an artificial neural network (GA-ANN). Research findings point to a considerable improvement in the accuracy of the demand forecast for SKUs compared to the previous forecast by the company, and the forecasting methods support vector machine (SVM) and exponential smoothing. The results of the combined approaches are consolidated into a management dashboard, which improves the agility and quality of the analyzed company's decision-making process in inventory management. Therefore, practitioners can also take stock of the proposed framework as a semi-automatic management artefact to enhance decision-making from a digital transformation view in a vital area of OSCM.

Towards social network metrics for supply network circularity

PurposeDespite the systemic nature of circular economy (CE), theorisation that draws from a supply network perspective is only incipient. Moreover, the operations and supply chain management (OSCM) field has engaged in little dialogue with circularity. This study explores social network analysis (SNA) to depict how the shift from linear to circular not only leads to higher rates of resource economy, repair and recycle but also reshapes governance dynamics and network structure of supply networks.Design/methodology/approachThe study departs from a systematic review of the literature and draws from core concepts in OSCM, CE and SNA to offer theoretical propositions that articulate how social network metrics can depict supply network circularity. The framework is illustrated with examples from fashion and electronics industries.FindingsFour theoretical propositions enlighten how betweenness centrality, eigenvector centrality and network density can explain the shift from linear to circular supply networks across the three CE strategies of narrowing, slowing and closing.Originality/valueThe combination of biomimicry, CE, the push–pull dichotomy and social network metrics offer a theory-driven framework for supply network circularity.

It's not you, It's me: Can others learn from the challenges of teaching operations and supply chain management?

Some courses in higher education seem to be more difficult to teach than others. Extant research reveals how such courses challenge student learning and satisfaction, causing students to question their own abilities, lose motivation, and exert less effort. We study one perceived difficult business core course in operations and supply chain management (OSCM) by surveying OSCM faculty across the U.S. as well as OSCM students at one U.S. university. Applying cluster analysis, our assumption that the course is difficult-to-teach is mostly unfounded as the student experience in OSCM depends largely on the instructor. That is, student satisfaction with the OSCM core class centers on the individual instructor rather than the specific topics taught or the teaching methods applied. Moreover, we find that students make lasting and accurate expectations of the instructor early in the course. Despite our focus on OSCM, we propose that the importance of the instructor in a perceived difficult course generalizes beyond OSCM to other university courses. Subsequently, we present ideas on how academic programs can focus on the quality of instruction to alleviate difficult course concerns.

Knowledge sharing in project-based supply networks

PurposeProject-based supply networks are an emerging form of organizing used to meet a buying organization's operational and innovation goals. Knowledge sharing among suppliers in the network plays a key role in successful project delivery but is challenging to achieve in practice. The authors draw on self-determination theory (SDT) to examine the interactive effect of incentive provisions (penalties and bonuses) and network governance (lead or shared) on knowledge sharing motivation by individual boundary-spanners within project-based supply networks.Design/methodology/approachA scenario-based behavioral experiment of 217 professionals within the UK using the online platform, Prolific, was conducted. A Hayes Macro PROCESS model was used to analyze the data. The authors pilot-tested the scenario with project management experts, senior managers, and directors.FindingsThe findings highlighted that the effectiveness of incentive provisions on knowledge sharing may be dependent on the mode of network governance. Where suppliers have shared responsibility for managing the network (shared governance), bonuses were more effective than penalties in motivating knowledge sharing through support of boundary-spanners’ autonomy needs. However, where the buying organization has transferred responsibility for managing the network to an external third-party organization (lead governance), the authors found no significant difference between the effectiveness of penalty versus bonus provisions in motivating knowledge sharing.Originality/valuePrior research in operations and supply chain management (OSCM) has shown the positive effect of incentive provisions on knowledge sharing motivation, but largely overlooked the effectiveness of such incentives when nested within broader governance mechanisms used in projects and their networks. Moreover, while scholars have started to highlight the importance of governance mechanisms in knowledge sharing at the dyadic level, the authors know very little about the impact of network governance.

Nexus among blockchain visibility, supply chain integration and supply chain performance in the digital transformation era

PurposeDigital transformation (DT) in the semiconductor industry goes beyond traditional business operations and supply chain management (OSCM) to the digital world. Despite significant developments in recent years, blockchain implementations for OSCM remain relatively underdeveloped in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, this research aims to examine the relationships between blockchain visibility, supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain performance (SCP) in the era of DT in Malaysia's semiconductor industry to shed light on this emerging area.Design/methodology/approachA convenience sampling of 71 operations and supply chain managers attached to semiconductor manufacturing firms in Malaysia were invited to participate in a survey. In assessing blockchain visibility within the industry, key terms namely business intelligence gathering, information exchange, information technology (IT) and knowledge of asset status, were conceptualised from the literature review. The questionnaires developed to collect data were validated by industry and academic experts.FindingsThe results from the analysis confirmed that SCI mediates the link between blockchain visibility (information exchange, business intelligence gathering and knowledge asset status) and SCP. Likewise, the importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) outcomes revealed that IT played a minor role. The results suggested that semiconductor manufacturers should pay less attention to IT since this was identified as having the least priority towards improvement.Practical implicationsThe outcomes from this research enable policymakers to strategise and integrate blockchain technology in the era of DT to ensure sustainable SCM in the semiconductor industry in Malaysia.Originality/valueThe research bridge the knowledge gap by revealing the value that blockchain visibility can facilitate SCP and explore SCI as the prevailing factor and demonstrates how Resource-Based Theory and Network Theory can be applied in this study.

A systematic review of AR/VR in operations and supply chain management: maturity, current trends and future directions

Purpose This research aims to provide systematic insight into the current maturity of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in operations and supply chain management (OSCM), by analyzing the existing literature, contemporary concepts, data and gaps for future research directions. Design/methodology/approach This research uses information from existing literature regarding timeline trends, publishers, research design and method, industry engagement, geographic location, active authors and affiliated universities, concentrated topics, theories and maturity in its review. A collection of publishing databases from 1997 to 2021 were explored using the keywords “Augmented Reality,” “Virtual Reality” and “Operations” and/or “Supply Chain” in their title and abstract to examine which publications to be included. Based on the search, a total of 164 journal articles were selected, and information on a chain of variables was collected. Findings There has been a significant publication growth over the past 25 years regarding the adoption of AR/VR in OSCM. Key findings indicate that 52% of the publications were focused on manufacturing, with only 10% of the existing literature using background theories. AR/VR can be observed at the introduction and growth phase and have yet to reach their maturity. Furthermore, there is limited utilization of AR/VR as drivers in facilitating sustainable practices in OSCM by academics and practitioners, albeit a strong promise exists. Finally, the prospective applications of AR/VR toward post-COVID-19 supply chains recovery require special attention. Research limitations/implications This systematic review is limited to considering only academic articles available from Emerald, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Springer, Scopus, JSTOR and EBSCO containing the keyword parameters. Originality/value The study used a bibliometric review to identify the trends and maturity in the evolution of AR/VR in OSCM. This research provides a better understanding of current research practices and offers directions toward the adoption of AR/VR in OSCM.