Water Stress: Opportunities for Supply Chain Research

Abstract

Driven by climate change and overuse, water stress is a worsening sustainability concern that threatens businesses and communities across the globe. Leading global organizations such as the United Nations have expressed an urgent need for sustainable water management strategies across nations and economies. Yet, the field of supply chain management does not have a substantial research stream related to water. A key challenge is the lack of a persuasive organizing framework within this setting. This study presents a systematic literature review of water stress from a supply chain perspective. Literature spanning over two decades across an array of journals is synthesized into an overarching framework that organizes topics related to water. Challenges firms face due to operational and contextual water risks are presented. Based on the proposed framework, research gaps for further exploration of the relationship between supply chains and water stress are suggested.