Purpose: The importance of innovation as a generator of competitive advantage and the collaborative nature of this process are recurring themes in the literature. This paper aims to contribute to the improvement of knowledge about the relationship between supply chains and the innovation process by means of a systematic literature review. Methodology/approach: The method used consists of the identification, selection, analysis and synthesis of existing research on the subject and aims to ensure that the review is transparent, auditable and replicable. This paper presents the analysis of 94 papers from 37 journals and the major contributions are explored. Findings: The identification and analysis of relevant articles showed the complexity, timeliness and the wide-ranging character of the theme. The analysis of articles allowed the identification of facilitators of the innovation process, as well as five approaches applicable to supply chains to drive the innovation process. From these analyses, a model synthesising the main practices identified for improving innovation performance is presented. Research limitations/implications: When carrying out literature reviews, the selection of articles might be considered subjective. To circumvent this limitation, the papers have been assessed by three researchers. Practical implications: The results presented can be applied in the decision-making process by managers in the areas of innovation and supply chain. Originality/value: This paper synthesises knowledge involving the relationships between supply chains and the innovation process. The analysis is based on quantitative and qualitative criteria.

In a scenario of increasing globalization, sustainable development has emerged as an attractive and strategic issue for both countries and individual organizations and their supply chains. Companies have faced different challenges in seeking to combine the best economic performance with increased social and environmental responsibility. Monitoring sustainability is essential for decision-making and management of activities that comprise an organization’s system processes. Evaluation can be performed using indices or a set of indicators. In addition to increasing organizational effectiveness and improving competitiveness, customer service and profitability, it is also a crucial influence on the development of business sustainability. This paper proposes a sustainability index that provides companies with information about their level of economic, social and environmental sustainability, showing their performance at both individual and supply chain level. The importance of the indicators is assessed by using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology applied to a case study of a supply chain in the automotive industry. The various stages experienced during the construction of the index are also shown. The final results achieved are then presented and discussed in light of the objectives.

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate supply chain (SC) strategies, analyzing the adoption of lean, agile, leagile and traditional SC strategies with respect to product characteristics, environmental uncertainty, business performance and innovation performance.Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents an empirical analysis carried out on a sample of 329 companies. Cluster analysis was applied, based on lean and agile SC characteristics, to identify patterns among different SC strategies. One-way analysis of variance of different constructs by types of SC clusters was conducted to test the research hypotheses.Findings: Cluster analysis indicates that the companies studied adopt four types of SC strategies – lean, agile, leagile and traditional. The differences between the clusters are identified and discussed, highlighting that companies adopting a leagile SC strategy present the highest performance, while those that adopt a traditional SC present the lowest; companies adopting an agile SC compete in the most complex and dynamic environments, while companies with a lean SC present a clear predominance of functional rather than innovative products.Research limitations/implications: This paper provides empirical evidence of the antecedents and consequences of the adoption of different SC strategies. As a limitation, the results are based on a survey research with a limited sample size.Originality/value: Based on the analysis of the relationship between constructs that have not been addressed previously, the paper adds to the knowledge regarding the role of SC strategies, as well as the antecedents and consequences of their adoption. The results may support managers in the difficult task of choosing the “right” SC strategy.

It is imperative to integrate advanced technologies and management practices to achieve operational excellence and sustainability in the contemporary manufacturing landscape, which is characterized by intense competitive pressures and stringent sustainability regulations. This systematic review of several databases from 1997 to 2024 was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines to investigate how Industry 4.0 and Total Quality Management (TQM) integration can enhance sustainability performance in manufacturing organizations. Grounded within the dynamic capabilities framework, this research identifies the key drivers and barriers to adopting Industry 4.0 and examines their impact on the implementation of TQM. The findings reveal that technologies significantly enhance TQM by improving operational efficiency, reducing waste, and boosting product quality. However, barriers such as resource constraints, resistance to change, and data privacy concerns hinder this integration. This research suggests that dynamic capabilities—sensing, learning, coordinating, and integrating—are critical for successfully merging Industry 4.0 and TQM. This research enhances the academic dialogue on integrating Industry 4.0 and TQM by offering foundational insights into their theoretical and practical implications to achieve sustainability goals.