Circular Supply Chain Management. A Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

The transition toward circular economy (CE) practices positions circular supply chain management (CSCM) as a strategic means to reduce environmental impacts, boost resource efficiency, and promote economic growth that’s sustainable over the long term. Despite an ever-expanding body of literature on CSCM, the field remains diverse and fragmented while lacking a thorough overview of its intellectual structure, thematic development, and new research frontiers. This study reflects a bibliometric analysis of 544 peer-reviewed journal articles retrieved from the Scopus database using the Bibliometrix R-package (via the Biblioshiny interface) as well as VOSviewer software to map the scientific CSCM research landscape in a systematic way.

More granularly, the analysis digs into publication trends, influential authors, high-impact journals, and top institutions making their mark on CSCM evolution. Co-authorship and country collaboration networks were examined to uncover patterns of scholarly cooperation, while keyword co-occurrence and thematic mapping were employed to identify dominant research themes and emerging areas of interest. The results reveal a steady increase in CSCM publications over the last decade, with particular emphasis on reverse logistics, closed-loop supply chains, sustainability performance, and digital innovation.

The study pinpoints influential scholars, institutions, and publications that have shaped CSCM evolution to a significant degree and thus give valuable insight into both its theoretical foundation and practical applications. One key finding is the emergence of key research clusters showing how to strategically blend CE principles into supply chain management practices and thus shift from traditional linear models toward closed-loop systems: ones prioritising resource efficiency, waste minimisation, and value recovery across the entire product life cycle. Notably, the analysis reveals growing academic attention given to the alignment of CSCM with environmental strategy and the deployment of Industry 4.0 technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and IoT. These digital tools are enabling new levels of transparency, traceability, and operational efficiency, all recognised as critical enablers for scaling circular practices within global supply chains.