Unravelling and mapping the theoretical foundations of sustainable supply chains: A literature review and research agenda

The objective of this paper is to examine the progression of research literature on sustainable supply chain management and present the prevailing theoretical lenses employed in this field. Through a systematic literature review, this paper identifies: i) dominant theories, ii) the roles played by dominant theories and their combination, and iii) the correlation between dominant theories and research methodologies. The goal is to assist researchers in approaching sustainable supply chain management studies by familiarizing them with the current state-of-the-art theoretical perspectives commonly employed in the field. Additionally, this review develops research propositions and a “theoretical toolbox” to empower scholars in gaining a more profound comprehension of these theoretical perspectives.