Supply Chain Management: A Structured Narrative Review of Current Challenges and Recommendations for Action

Abstract

Background: By examining the recent advancements in technology, particularly the transformation of material into digital flows and its impact on customer demands, the aim of this paper is to investigate supply chain management (SCM) by analyzing seven key constructs: uncertainty, perspective, topicality, coordination, flow, job to be done, and connection. These constructs were chosen since they reflect evolving SCM practices that motivate this study. Methods: We conducted a broad, structured narrative review to comprehensively address the extensive SCM literature. This approach allowed us to evaluate the current state of SCM research and offer recommendations for overcoming prevailing challenges. Results: Our findings reveal the significant impact of technological advancements on SCM operations, requiring companies to adapt and remain competitive. We envision future supply chains as dynamic networks of networks, necessitating the adoption of a value architecture concept that extends a firm’s business model to an ecosystem business model. Conclusions: Considering these changes, our study recommends exploiting uncertainty, adopting demand-driven systems, offering on-demand customized services and products, utilizing prescriptive analytics, prioritizing information flows and services, and embracing open systems with high interoperability. Summarizing these opportunities and challenges that arise with changes in SCM provides interesting venues for future research and valuable insights for practitioners.

Keywords

• supply chain management
• uncertainty
• on-demand
• interoperability
• ecosystem
• job to be done