The evolution of operations management contents: an analysis of the most relevant textbooks

Studies the evolution of the operations management (OM) contents in the last decades. For this purpose, a sample of 84 OM textbooks has been analysed. First, we identify the main approaches and frameworks used to organise the OM contents in the different textbooks. Thereafter, we proceed to analyse the trends in the orientation of the textbooks’ contents according to the qualitative/quantitative and long‐/short‐term dimensions of every topic. From this survey, we conclude that in this period (1960‐1998) a shift in the OM approach has emerged, modifying the consideration rendered by the textbooks to the different topics, not affecting the orientation of the contents.