Beyond Technocratic Optimism: A Systematic Review of Repair in the Circular Economy

Repair is increasingly promoted as a key strategy within the circular economy, yet research on repair remains fragmented. This article provides a systematic review of management and social science research on repair, combining a critical thematic review with bibliometric analysis. We map key features of the field and integrate research streams related to governance, consumer behaviour, repairability, business models and outcomes. Our study shows that the literature is structured around four assumptions related to policy effectiveness, repairability, sustainability outcomes and scalability. By critically examining these assumptions, we challenge the technocratic optimism that dominates the field and reconceptualise repair as a context‐dependent socio‐technical and political‐economic phenomenon shaped by institutional constraints and competing value logics, rather than an inherently beneficial circular economy strategy. We conclude by deriving implications for managers and policymakers and by outlining a research agenda to better understand when and under what conditions repair contributes to circular economy objectives.