Responsible Production: A Systematic Review and Future Research Directions

Abstract

Responsible production (RP) aims to minimize negative consequences of active economic growth by producing and using resource-efficient and energy-efficient products and processes that have a minimal negative impact on the environment and are safe for employees, the community, and consumers. Despite the relevance of the RP concept, there are no systematic literature reviews containing thematic mapping and thematic evolution of research in this area. Therefore, this study aims to identify relevant research areas, research interests' current state and evolution, and potential future research directions on RP topics. A systematic review approach and content analysis were applied to achieve the study's aim. To conduct a systematic review, a search was carried out for keywords such as “responsible production" OR “sustainable production”. Then, further filtering by such criteria as subject category, document type, and publication language took place. As a result, bibliographic data from 858 papers became a research basis for descriptive analysis. Data were derived from the Scopus database. The Biblioshiny tool was used for systematic review. Finally, the most relevant research areas were identified, including sustainable supply chains, consumer behavior in the context of RP, and the impact of Industry 4.0 on the realization of RP principles. According to the systematic review results, scientific activity in RP research has increased significantly. The role of supply chain management in achieving RP principles is notable. The environmental aspects of RP, environmental management, and environmental performance are particularly relevant.