The new trends in operations management: a systematic review of inventory and quality management in small-medium enterprises

Abstract

SME are engines of the economy in many countries, particularly in developing countries. However, studies on them, especially in the field of operations management, remain insufficient. This paper is one of the few existing systematic reviews for SMEs in the field of Operations management. This systematic review has the purpose of knowing the state of research in the management of operations concerning SMEs, more precisely the management of inventory and quality. Although there are fewer articles dedicated to the Operations management of SMEs, sixty-three articles were found during the literature selection step from 2000-2020, and then forty of them were retained for the study. The differences, similarities, and limitations are highlighted in the discussion. Finally, we conclude that inventory and quality management are beneficial for SME and they should get more attention in the research. Some recommendations are made both to organizations in charge of SMEs and to scholars.