The evolution of supply chain disruption management: a comparative review of ex-ante and ex-post COVID-19 research

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered major global disruptions, profoundly reshaping supply chains. Understanding and learning from these changes is vital for managers, practitioners, and scholars. This review provides the first comparative analysis of supply chain disruption management strategies before and after COVID-19. Using a hybrid systematic review approach, combining traditional literature review with bibliometric, network, and content analyses, we deliver a structured categorisation of the field and trace its evolution. From a comprehensive search of Scopus and WoS, we identified 1,539 finalised research papers and grouped them into ten thematic clusters: five representing the pre-COVID-19 period and five reflecting post-pandemic developments. For each cluster, we summarise research objectives, methods, contexts, and theoretical contributions, highlighting continuities as well as key shifts. By synthesising insights across both eras, we reveal research gaps, propose propositions, and outline new directions to guide practitioners in strengthening supply chains and scholars in pursuing impactful future studies.