The Relationship between IT and Supply Chain Performance: A Systematic Review and Future Research

Abstract

Many firms have spent large investments in developing and implementing information technologies and systems to enhance their supply chain performance with little benefit, while others have spent similar amount of money with great success [1]. The IT productivity paradox in supply chain performance is widely cited as a polemic that needs more investigation. This work reviews the body of knowledge related to the relationship between IT and supply chain performance through a systematic literature review study, following a pre-defined search protocol that can be used by other researchers to review other subjects in the area of information technology, to provide an overview of the state of the art and identify research challenges and gaps. 33 papers are finally selected, in which three main themes of research, nineteen IT-relates characteristics, and seventeen mediator factors to enhance supply chain performance are identified. The indirect effect of IT in SCP is the major findings in the literature. This work presents some new guidelines of research.