A Review of Network Evolution: Cross-Disciplinary Views, Frameworks, Methodologies, and an Agenda for Future Supply Chain Research

Abstract

This article conducts an in-depth review of the existing literature on network evolution, with an emphasis on understanding how supply chain networks change and evolve. This review has identified a total of 1148 articles in the area of network evolution, comprising 120 articles from business literature and 1028 articles from non-business literature. Adopting a structured approach, we provide a roadmap for supply chain network evolution (SCNE) to systematically build a multidimensional understanding of SCNE and bridge the gap between theoretical underpinnings and research methods useful to investigate SCNE. We first broaden the scope to identify insights on dynamic network evolution from a wider array of disciplines. Next, we categorize the drivers of SCNE identified within the business literature into exogenous and endogenous factors. We then synthesize theoretical frameworks that lay the groundwork for future research directions proposed in the context of these frameworks. Finally, we outline contemporary methodologies for studying network evolution and evaluate their relevance and application to the supply chain management (SCM) field. Collectively, this roadmap paves the way for a deeper, interdisciplinary understanding of SCNE and outlines a future research agenda, providing a forward-looking path for supply chain researchers to explore SCNE.