Identifying Common Elements Within Supply Chain Resilience and Sustainability - An Exploratory Study Based on Bibliographic Analysis

Over the last couple of years, there has been an increase in reciprocal discussion within the fields of supply chain resilience (SCRES) and sustainability (SSCM). Although some thematic overlap has been noted, SCRES and SSCM are generally still considered to be two separate domains. However current global SC events and legislative initiatives demonstrate why it is important to view SCRES and SSCM in combination to solve the problem of long-term supply chain risks and disruptions. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether SCRES and SSCM can be integrated, which overlapping elements need to be considered and which main congruent capabilities exist. The exploratory study applies a citation network and main path analysis based on a dataset of two previously conducted systematic literature reviews. The literature review revealed great potential for combining the two research domains based on four identified connecting elements - supply chain capabilities, practices, risks and performance. We also identified great potential for the application of two main congruent capabilities - transparency and big data analytics. The four elements identified provide us with a useful basis for creating a theoretical framework for integrating SSCM and SCRES. We also highlight the importance of the congruent capabilities that are required to overcome paradoxical tensions between resilience and sustainability.