The Outlook for Sustainable Development Goals in Business and Management: A Systematic Literature Review and Keyword Cluster Analysis

Abstract

Sustainability is imperative for many countries and organizations, thus, in 2015 the UN proposed its 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These concrete goals put pressure on businesses to initiate sustainability practices, depending on the nature and characteristics of the business. By understanding the current state of sustainability and SDG studies in the business and management disciplines, this study aims to anticipate the outlook of SDGs in these fields. Therefore, this study conducted a Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA) using 237 publications between 2015 and 2021. Based on a keyword analysis, an overview of the trends in SDG studies in business and management emerged in five clusters: technology and innovation, education and human resource management, CSR and firm performance, supply chains and governance, and business strategies. This implies that the business and management disciplines recognize a need to adopt and consider all aspects of sustainability to achieve the UN’s 17 SDGs.