A Systematic Literature Review on the Studies Related to COVID-19 Pandemic in Supply Chain Disciplines

Abstract

The global spread of the novel coronavirus, also known as the COVID-19 pandemic, has had a devastating impact on supply chains. Since the pandemic started, scholars have been researching and publishing their studies on the various supply-chain-related issues raised by COVID-19. However, while the number of articles on this subject has been steadily increasing, due to the absence of any systematic literature reviews, it remains unclear what aspects of this disruption have already been studied and what aspects still need to be investigated. Moreover, due to the increased attention on the topic, similar studies may be repeated unless a review article outlines directions for future research. To provide insights into the themes of published articles and to unpack future research opportunities in this domain, the present study systematically reviewed existing research on the COVID-19 pandemic in supply chain disciplines. Through a rigorous and systematic search, we identified 54 relevant articles published on or before 28 July 2020. The synthesis of the findings reveals that four broad themes recur in this published work: namely, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply chain, strategies for enhancing supply chain resilience, the role of technology in implementing such strategies for supply chain management, and sustainable practices in the light of the pandemic. Our analysis reveals that there is a lack of empirically designed and theoretically grounded studies in this area; hence, the generalizability of the findings, thus far, is limited. Moreover, the analysis reveals that most studies have focused on supply chains for high-demand essential goods and healthcare products, while low-demand items and SMEs have been largely ignored. Based on the findings, this study provides directions for further studies; these directions can guide scholars in designing and conducting impactful research in the field.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disciplines, impacts, resilience strategies, sustainability, literature review