Does COVID-19 reduce international cooperation in supply chain research between the US and China?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to systematically analyze the existing literature of the supply chain to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the international cooperation in supply chain research between the US and China.

Design/methodology/approach

Supply chain publications obtained from the Scopus database were analyzed using statistical technique and visual analysis. First, created three datasets of supply chain publications for three time periods: 2010–2019, 2015–2019 and 2020–2021. Then, compared the changes in international cooperation in supply chain research between the US and China before and during the epidemic, as well as the international cooperation patterns for the two countries.

Findings

The study found that during the pandemic, the average monthly number of collaborative publications between China and the US on supply chain research was higher than the five and the ten years before the epidemic. In other words, the epidemic has not led to a decline in international cooperation between the US and China. On the contrary, the epidemic has stimulated international cooperation on supply chain research in the two countries. Secondly, research on the international cooperation patterns of supply chain research shows that China and the US have always been each other's largest partners, and the two countries have generally maintained or increased international cooperation with their top research producing countries during the epidemic. In addition, in supply chain research during the epidemic, the proportion of US–China cooperation in China's international cooperation has declined, while that of the US has increased.

Research limitations/implications

The time span of the datasets used to analyze the research status before and during COVID-19 is different. Due to the nature of data collection, available time of the dataset during COVID-19 is much shorter. Publications during the COVID-19 continue to grow, and the trends shown by the research results may change somewhat. Furthermore, the search query may not be comprehensive enough to capture all publications related to the supply chain.

Practical implications

The research results help determine the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on international cooperation in US–China supply chain research, and it is of great significance to researchers and policymakers in the field of logistics and supply chain operations.

Originality/value

This study gives a feasible analysis strategy for international cooperative research, which adds great value to this field.

Citation

Wang, Q., Zhang, M. and Li, R. (2023), "Does COVID-19 reduce international cooperation in supply chain research between the US and China?", Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol. 30 No. 3, pp. 697-712. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-07-2021-0420