Mapping the enhancing effects of additive manufacturing technology adoption on supply chain agility

Abstract

AbstractGiven the proclaimed importance of additive manufacturing (AM) for generating agile supply chains, this study draws on the dynamic capabilities view to investigate the enhancing effects of adopting this digital technology on supply chain agility (SCA). To this end, relevant pieces of evidence are systematically gathered from a sample of 101 high-quality peer-reviewed journal articles at the intersection of AM technology and supply chain management.This information is then analyzed and synthesized to holistically map the features of AM technology adoption that enhance SCA. As a result, 42 features of AM technology adoption are identified that enhance thirteen different dimensions of SCA. The derived map explicitly indicates which features of AM technology adoption enhance which dimensions of SCA. Hence, this map can be used as a strategic tool by managers and policymakers who wish to explore different ways of enhancing SCA via AM technology adoption. This would, in turn, enable the adopting firm to deal with erratic business environments and dynamic supply chains in an agile manner, and therefore gain a competitive advantage. Moreover, based on the identified “white space” in the derived map, multiple questions are put forward that form a research agenda for future research.