Supply Chain Recovery Research: A Systematic Literature Review of Focus Areas, Strategies, Methods and Emerging Sustainability Insights

HRMARS - Supply chain recovery is an essential component of supply chain management as the increasing interconnectedness of supply chains has increased both the likelihood and impact of disruptions. This study conducts a systematic literature review to synthesize existing empirical research on supply chain recovery, focusing on recovery strategies, methods, and sustainability insights. Adopting the PRISMA framework, the review utilized SCOPUS and Web of Science databases, and selected articles published between 2015 and 2024 to ensure a contemporary perspective. Findings reveal that research focus in this area focuses on enhancing recovery efficiency, identifying and proposing recovery strategies, and also a focus on balancing recovery with sustainability practices. Additionally, the study found a predominant use of simulation methods and mathematical model over empirical methods that uses subjective decisions or statistical models. Similarly, a dominance of manufacturing sector focus was found, with limited attention to sectors such as agriculture, services, and energy. Furthermore, significant gaps in the literature shows inadequate exploration of integrating technology, and environmental sustainability into recovery strategies, despite growing calls for alignment with industry 5.0 propositions. An underexplored role of behavioral and managerial factors in shaping recovery outcomes was also found. Therefore, this review highlights the need for managers to adopt sustainable recovery strategies and leveraging emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, and big data analytics to optimize recovery and balance resilience with environmental impact. Addressing these gaps could advance research by providing empirical insights and practical applicability of recovery strategies across diverse contexts.