A systematic review of AR/VR in operations and supply chain management: maturity, current trends and future directions

Purpose: This research aims to provide systematic insight into the current maturity of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in operations and supply chain management (OSCM), by analyzing the existing literature, contemporary concepts, data and gaps for future research directions. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses information from existing literature regarding timeline trends, publishers, research design and method, industry engagement, geographic location, active authors and affiliated universities, concentrated topics, theories and maturity in its review. A collection of publishing databases from 1997 to 2021 were explored using the keywords “Augmented Reality,” “Virtual Reality” and “Operations” and/or “Supply Chain” in their title and abstract to examine which publications to be included. Based on the search, a total of 164 journal articles were selected, and information on a chain of variables was collected. Findings: There has been a significant publication growth over the past 25 years regarding the adoption of AR/VR in OSCM. Key findings indicate that 52% of the publications were focused on manufacturing, with only 10% of the existing literature using background theories. AR/VR can be observed at the introduction and growth phase and have yet to reach their maturity. Furthermore, there is limited utilization of AR/VR as drivers in facilitating sustainable practices in OSCM by academics and practitioners, albeit a strong promise exists. Finally, the prospective applications of AR/VR toward post-COVID-19 supply chains recovery require special attention. Research limitations/implications: This systematic review is limited to considering only academic articles available from Emerald, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Springer, Scopus, JSTOR and EBSCO containing the keyword parameters. Originality/value: The study used a bibliometric review to identify the trends and maturity in the evolution of AR/VR in OSCM. This research provides a better understanding of current research practices and offers directions toward the adoption of AR/VR in OSCM.