| Summary: | Notwithstanding the research on refining lean tools for the sake of sustainable development
is slowly progressing, sustainability-oriented application of value stream mapping has received undivided
attention from practitioners and researchers. Going through the literature highlights that there is a lack
of research in integrating and systematizing the available knowledge on this lean tool, which is regarded
as a visual process-based method to make sustainable progress over the time-based and green concepts
of wastes to also assess and improve the societal sustainability performance of organizations. Hence,
this paper has been aimed at presenting the findings of a systematic literature review on value stream
mapping from the triple bottom line point of view. It classifies and codes the main studies in the context
as well as provides a research agenda with nine recommendations that may advance this under-studied
field. To narrow the gap in the current literature, this article also proposes a sustainability indicator set
that would considerably contribute to guiding and strengthening the state-of-the-art research on successful
implementation of the application. Besides, the findings indicate that more investigations are needed on
employing survey and conceptual methodologies, applying comparative and cross-industry perspectives,
developing sustainability indicator sets particularly societal metrics, and considering the stakeholders'
benefits from adopting sustainability-oriented value stream mapping. The research on the convergence of
this sustainability-oriented application and new paradigms such as IR 4.0 and/or Circular Economy should
be also strengthened.
|
|---|