Working Capital and Financial Performance
Open access
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
The integration of sustainability into working capital management (WCM) has attracted scholarly attention, as firms seek to balance corporate responsibility with liquidity and operational efficiency. This study reviews the existing literature to delineate the conceptual development at this intersection. Following the PRISMA guidelines, 106 Scopus-indexed articles were analysed using performance analysis and science mapping techniques to identify leading authors, sources, countries, and research trends in this field. The findings revealed that research around this area has increased in recent years, with publications actively rising in 2024 and predominantly focused on emerging markets, particularly India, China, and Malaysia. The analysis further identifies three main clusters: operational efficiency and growth; governance mechanisms and working capital practices; and sustainability and responsible financial management. The review also reveals key gaps in the literature, including limited evidence from developed economies, a lack of industry- specific analyses, and underexplored governance and assurance mechanisms. Overall, the study provides a structured overview of this field, develops integrated conceptual framework, and outlines future research agenda on how sustainability practices shape working capital efficiency, liquidity, and risk under economic uncertainty. This study offers a pioneering effort to conduct a comprehensive analysis focusing on the sustainable-WCM nexus.
Direct answer
What can I do from this paper page?
Use this page to scan "Mapping the sustainability-working capital management nexus: a bibliometric review" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Working Capital and Financial Performance research, save the paper, or map adjacent work.
Research areas
Follow related topics
Citation
BibTeX
@article{Sajjad2026Mapping,
title = {Mapping the sustainability-working capital management nexus: a bibliometric review},
author = {Ayesha Sajjad and Miia Pirttilä and Sini-Kaisu Kinnunen and Timo Kärri},
journal = {Cogent Business & Management},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1080/23311975.2026.2704345},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2026.2704345}
}FAQ
Using this paper in a discovery workflow
How do I find related work for this paper?
Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.
How can I keep up with new Working Capital and Financial Performance research papers?
Follow Working Capital and Financial Performance research in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.
Can I cite this paper from this page?
This page includes a static BibTeX block for Mapping the sustainability-working capital management nexus: a bibliometric review. Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.
Follow this research in Scollr
Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.
Get the app