Thinking Strategic, Acting Myopic: A Systematic Review of the Organizational Myopia Antecedents

The study aims to identify and integrate the antecedents of organizational myopia by a systematic review, providing a coherent conceptual framework to explain why organizations prioritize short-term results over long-term value creation. A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Of the 2,020 records identified in Scopus and Web of Science, 133 empirical articles were selected for qualitative thematic synthesis to extract and classify myopia drivers. The results categorize antecedents into two broad contexts: Social and Technological. Social factors include cultural patterns, individual cognitive biases (e.g., narcissism, loss aversion), and stakeholder pressures. Technological factors involve systemic and financial procedures, such as financial reporting frequency and capital market pressures. This research fills a critical theoretical gap by synthesizing fragmented literature into an integrated "Hard and Soft" framework. It offers a novel "outside-in" perspective—moving from macro-culture to systemic procedures—to comprehensively understand the systemic nature of short-termism. The findings suggest that overcoming myopia requires addressing both measurable structural elements and complex behavioral/cultural dimensions. Managers can use the framework to design multi-faceted strategies, including reforming reward structures, fostering green cognition, and balancing innovation with shareholder demands.