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The cultural dimensions in supply chain management research: a state-of-the-art review and research agenda

Jamal EL Baz (Ibn Zohr University, ERETTLOG, Agadir, Morocco)
Fedwa Jebli (Université Internationale de Rabat, Rabat Business School, College of Management, Rabat, Morocco)
Anass Cherrafi (ENSAM-Moulay Ismail University, Meknès, Morocco)
Temidayo Akenroye (Liverpool Business School, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK)
Sadia Iddik (Ibn Zohr University, ERETTLOG, Agadir, Morocco)

European Business Review

ISSN: 0955-534X

Article publication date: 3 August 2021

Issue publication date: 1 February 2022

638

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to review how current supply chain management (SCM) research addresses cultural issues, presents a critical assessment of literature and discusses future research avenues.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature is reviewed using systematic literature review, bibliometric citation analysis and content analysis. A total of between 1995 and 2019 in Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science’s database.

Findings

Descriptive data related to chronological evolution of literature, geographical location, influential papers and methodology are presented. Four main research areas were categorized, namely, papers on SC integration and performance; research on continuous improvement and lean initiatives; studies on the role of culture in sustainability, corporate social responsibility and green practices; and studies on emerging topics of research. Most studies focused on organizational culture frameworks, adopted a static approach to culture and targeted mainly developed countries and Asian emerging countries. A research agenda is suggested based on a multilevel cultural framework including operational and SCM culture.

Research limitations/implications

Practitioners and researchers will gain a greater understanding of how cultural issues have been addressed in current literature. A multilevel framework is proposed based on the concept of “operational” and “SCM culture”, to address some of the issues identified in current literature.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first literature reviews that considers both national and organizational culture dimensions in SCM research, whereas prior approaches were fragmented or one-dimensional.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and helpful suggestions.

Citation

EL Baz, J., Jebli, F., Cherrafi, A., Akenroye, T. and Iddik, S. (2022), "The cultural dimensions in supply chain management research: a state-of-the-art review and research agenda", European Business Review, Vol. 34 No. 2, pp. 171-190. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-04-2020-0092

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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