Blockchain Adoption in Operations Management: A Systematic Literature Review of 14 Years of Research

Blockchain technology has ushered in significant technological disruptions within the operational management sphere, fostering value creation within operational management networks. In recent years, researchers have increasingly explored the potential applications of blockchain across diverse facets of operational management. Recognizing the pivotal role of comprehending prior research endeavors within any scientific domain for the development of a robust theoretical framework and a nuanced understanding of research progression in both the scientific realm and its practical applications, this study aims to identify areas where blockchain can be effectively employed. This objective is accomplished through an exhaustive systematic review of existing research on blockchain applications in the field of operations management. In pursuit of this goal, a comprehensive dataset comprising 9188 papers published up to the year 2020 is amassed and subjected to analysis employing life cycle analysis, bibliometrics, and textual analysis. The outcomes of this research elucidate the emergence of five distinctive clusters within the landscape of blockchain applications in operational management: Decentralized Finance, Traceability, Trust, Sustainability, and Information Sharing. These findings underscore the dynamic and evolving nature of blockchain’s impact in this domain.