Barriers to eco-innovation in the shrimp supply chain: a systematic review using PRISMA 2020 and a proposed multi-level analytical framework

Abstract

Eco-innovation has emerged as a critical approach for achieving sustainability in aquaculture systems. Nonetheless, the shrimp supply chain, particularly in developing contexts characterized by institutional fragmentation and limited resources, continues to encounter substantial barriers in adopting such innovations. This study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) of 45 peer-reviewed articles following the PRISMA 2020 protocol and synthesizes insights from institutional theory, the resource-based view (RBV), and innovation systems theory. The analysis identifies six interrelated categories of barriers: (1) institutional and policy constraints, (2) technological and operational limitations, (3) financial barriers, (4) organizational and cognitive challenges, (5) market and value chain inefficiencies, and (6) shrimp-specific contextual factors. Findings reveal that these barriers form a complex and self-reinforcing ecosystem, in which weaknesses at the institutional level often exacerbate financial and technological constraints, ultimately reducing the scalability of eco-innovation initiatives across the supply chain. Based on this analysis, the study proposes a multi-level analytical framework encompassing the micro level (producers and firms), meso level (supply chain structures), and macro level (institutional and policy environment). This framework reflects the systemic nature of innovation constraints, and highlights the interdependencies across levels. It offers both a systematic conceptual basis for future research and a practical foundation for designing coordinated policy interventions to support sustainable transformation in shrimp supply chain.