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Open research questions in Sustainable Supply Chain Management

302 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 1,626 Sustainable Supply Chain Management papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • the need for a comprehensive green transition in the automotive industry - the lack of targeted action to address specific deficiencies in adopting circular economy practices - the requirement for a strategic action plan to support sustainable development

    A Strategic Action Plan to Advance Circular Economy Practices in the Automotive Industry Based on Sector Insights to Support Sustainable Development · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research could explore the joint effect of consumer green preferences and carbon cap-and-trade policies on third-party remanufacturing model selection. Additional studies could investigate the strategic interactions among manufacturers, 3PRs, consumers, and the government within a unified ESG-oriented framework.

    Integrating ESG into remanufacturing: third-party model selection aligned with consumer eco-consciousness under the carbon cap-and-trade policy · 2026 · DOI

  • Existing studies on carbon cap-and-trade policies mainly focus on production, pricing, and emission reduction decisions. Less attention has been given to how carbon-quota trading affects the manufacturer's structural choice between outsourcing and authorization in third-party remanufacturing. The joint effect of consumer green preferences and carbon cap-and-trade policies on third-party remanufacturing model selection remains underexplored.

    Integrating ESG into remanufacturing: third-party model selection aligned with consumer eco-consciousness under the carbon cap-and-trade policy · 2026 · DOI

  • The complexity and multidimensionality of sustainability-related decision-making in the context of digital transformation. The need to balance a variety of conflicting priorities and goals in global supply chain operations. The requirement for a structured prioritization of sustainability indicators to support data-driven decision-making.

    Enhancing Sustainable Global Supply Chain Performance: A Multi-Criteria Decision-Making-Based Approach to Industry 4.0 and AI Integration · 2025 · DOI

  • Future research directions are proposed to enhance the integration of digital and sustainable development in global supply chains, - The study suggests exploring the interdependencies between the dimensions of sustainability and their contextual relevance within supply networks

    Enhancing Sustainable Global Supply Chain Performance: A Multi-Criteria Decision-Making-Based Approach to Industry 4.0 and AI Integration · 2025 · DOI

  • Future research directions addressing a CE in close connection with financial sustainability knowledge, - Research on the scalability and profitability of circular business models

    Financial Strategies for Sustainability: Examining the Circular Economy Perspective · 2024 · DOI

  • There is a gap in the literature on Industry 5.0 capabilities, especially in the circular economy and sustainable performance perspective. Prior work has focused on Industry 4.0, but there is a lack of studies on Industry 5.0.

    The Synergy Between Industry 5.0 and Circular Economy for Sustainable Performance in the Chinese Manufacturing Industry · 2024 · DOI

  • The absence of a universally accepted assessment method for measuring the impacts of current aquaculture systems. The lack of systemic and synergistic approaches that take into account the multidimensional value of the circular paradigm. The need for more research in the circular economy field in aquaculture.

    Toward the Circular Economy in the Aquaculture Sector: Bibliometric, Network and Content Analyses · 2024 · DOI

  • further research can be conducted to apply the CESC to other industries, - further research can be conducted to compare the results of the fuzzy DEMATEL method with other methods, - further research can be conducted to investigate the impact of the CESC on the environment and society

    Using a Circular Economy and Supply Chain as a Framework for Remanufactured Products in the Rubber Recycling Industry · 2024 · DOI

  • Lack of research on the practical application of circular economy supply chains in the rubber recycling industry. Limited understanding of the key factors that need to be considered when building a circular economy supply chain. Need for a more effective methodology for evaluating the importance of these factors.

    Using a Circular Economy and Supply Chain as a Framework for Remanufactured Products in the Rubber Recycling Industry · 2024 · DOI

  • The study identifies the challenge of minimizing the environmental impact of logistics and delivery processes. The research highlights the need to reduce carbon emissions and overhead costs by implementing eco-friendly strategies. The study emphasizes the importance of optimizing transportation routes, utilizing alternative fuel vehicles, and leveraging advanced technologies to improve efficiency.

    Assessing the E-Commerce Sustainability Readiness: A Green Logistics Study on Online Sellers · 2024 · DOI

  • In particular, the role of customers within circular economy ecosystems (CEEs) remains underexplored; while many studies have considered CEEs’ structural aspects, few have examined underlying cognitive processes.

    Unleashing the Potential of Engaging Customers in Circular Economy Ecosystems: A Managerial Sensemaking Perspective · 2026 · DOI

  • The analysis of 116 scholarly publications and 32 case studies (covering 199 enterprises across 27 countries and 23 industries) identifies three critical gaps in the literature: theoretical fragmentation across disciplines, insufficient frameworks tailored to enterprise contexts, and persistent disconnects between theory and practice.

    Value Creation for Sustainable Development at Enterprises · 2026 · DOI

  • The research results indicate that CE adoption positively influences environmental sustainability, organizational efficiency, innovativeness and competitive advantages but the influence on finances still remains unclear and depends on the context of implementation.

    Antecedents and Outcomes of Circular Economy Adoption in SMEs: A Systematic Review of Empirical Evidence · 2026 · DOI

  • Originality/value This research provides a unique overview in exploring DTs and CE across environmental performance, financial metrics, accounting relationships and the impact of computer-based analysis on decision-making, thus highlighting significant gaps in the literature.

    Digital technologies and the circular economy: charting a shared journey toward sustainable development · 2026 · DOI

  • This study fills the gap in the literature by offering a theory-driven comparative analysis of sustainability reporting practices in the examined Turkish and foreign companies.

    Yerli ve Yabancı Hazır Giyim Firmalarında TBL–ESG Tabanlı Sürdürülebilirlik Raporlamasının Karşılaştırmalı Analizi · 2026 · DOI

  • Originality/value EDS provides a variety of potential economic and environmental benefits; however, it remains unclear whether EDS also delivers social benefits to construction firms, which motivates this research.

    Linking eco-design and digital competence for better social performance with moderation of integrated construction supply chain · 2026 · DOI

  • Despite the individual benefits of these frameworks, their combined application remains underexplored, with limited research on their systemic integration.

    Integrating Industry 4.0, Circular Economy, and Green HRM: A Framework for Sustainable Transformation · 2025 · DOI

  • Despite its increasing adoption in both managerial and academic research, there remains a significant gap in understanding how the TBL framework influences business performance.

    Unveiling triple bottom line's influence on business performance · 2025 · DOI

  • One limitation of the paper is the exclusive focus on the manufacturing sector and the small sample of papers selected.

    Greening the factory floor and reducing the climate impact of the manufacturing sector · 2025 · DOI

  • However, in-depth studies are still lacking on the integration of circularity indicators and sustainability.

    Building bridges between circularity indicators and sustainability · 2025 · DOI

  • The main conclusion is that there is still no standardization and integration of circularity indicators across various industries, regions, and contexts.

    Building bridges between circularity indicators and sustainability · 2025 · DOI

  • Focusing on CE models implementation through OI, it is a recent phenomenon, and little is known about the integration of the two themes.

    A literature review on implementing circular economy models through open innovation · 2025 · DOI

  • In 2018, China launched the supply chain innovation and application pilot policy to promote supply chain digitalization (SCD), yet its actual impact on enterprise green transformation performance (EGTP) remains unclear.

    Unlocking the potential of supply chain digitalization for enhancing enterprise green transformation performance: evidence from China · 2025 · DOI

  • However, the specific contribution of ESG performance to the innovation capabilities of partner firms in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the supply chain, as well as the mechanisms of transmission along the supply chain, remain underexplored.

    The asymmetric influence of ESG performance on corporate innovation: understanding the role of supply chain transmission · 2025 · DOI

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302 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 1,626 Sustainable Supply Chain Management papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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