# Trends and Recommendations for Enhancing Maturity Models in Supply Chain Management and Logistics
## 4 Discussion and Future Enhancements
Therefore, additional maturity assessment tools that employ systematic approaches should be designed to complement existing maturity assessment tools [145]. Finally, the design and development of these instruments should not solely remain academic endeavors. Rather, to validate and demonstrate the usefulness of MMs, it is necessary to increase the number of studies that encompass the validation and application phases. Based on this evidence and the dynamic topics evolution, Figure 15 presents five recommendations for future research improvements aimed at providing a comprehensive and well-structured response to RQ4. These recommendations are further elaborated upon in the subsequent discussion. * **MMs for SCML**: [PERSON] and [PERSON]'s research [146] revealed that MMs for SCML constitute only about 5% of the total MMs analyzed. This percentage is still low, indicating a need for further studies, particularly in the field of logistics. Logistics is relatively underexplored compared to the broader domain of supply chain management, especially in terms of process and network considerations. The content analysis results also indicate an emerging interest in logistics, warranting increased attention. * **MMs for sustainable development**: [PERSON] et al. 's work [16] highlights that MMs can serve as tools for measuring sustainability. However, most research in this area primarily emphasizes economic goals, overlooking environmental and social objectives. While there is a growing body of research on environmental sustainability,  
Figure 15: Recommendations for future developments in MMs SCML. social sustainability has received less attention. To address this imbalance, it is essential to propose MMs that integrate all three sustainability goals based on the Triple Bottom Line framework. * **MMs for reverse and closed-loop supply chains**: Many existing MMs predominantly focus on information and physical product flows in a forward logic. However, MMs for SCML rarely consider the return process or the integration of forward and reverse logistics (RL) [113]. An example that considers the return process is mentioned in [147] for the proposal of a reverse logistics MM. Incorporating these elements is crucial for defining closed-loop supply chains (CLSCs) and embracing the circular economy paradigm, which aligns with current sustainable goals [74]. Future research should address this gap. * **MMs for 5.0 readiness**: The concept of Industry 5.0 extends the principles of Industry 4.0 by emphasizing a more human-centric approach. Recognizing the increasing importance of operators and their interactions with technologies and organizational processes from a social standpoint, future MMs should integrate process-oriented, object-oriented, and people-oriented attributes. This approach enables the assessment of performance efficiency based on the maturity of operators, the utilization of advanced technologies, and optimized processes. * **MMs for multi-attribute SCML**: Recent disruptive events, such as the pandemic, have exposed the insufficient preparedness of supply chains and the inefficiency of logistics networks in responding to unpredictable situations. In the current dynamic, uncertain, and complex environment, lean, flexible, resilient, and sustainable approaches are vital. Relying solely on single attributes is risky, necessitating the integration of multiple attributes. For example, incorporating lean and agile paradigms has been proposed [148]. Future research should focus on developing multi-attribute MMs to enhance SCML practices.