Reverse mentoring in management: a systematic literature review through the ADO–TCM framework

Purpose – This study aims to offer the first systematic, management-focused synthesis of reverse mentoring (RM) since 2012. The authors map the field using the ADO–TCM framework to (i) clarify theoretical foundations, contexts, methods, antecedents, decision choices and outcomes of RM; (ii) propose a conceptual framework and (iii) derive a forward-looking research agenda. The authors update the knowledge base and inform both scholars and practitioners on how RM operates, where it creates value and which gaps most urgently warrant rigorous investigation. Design/methodology/approach – Following SPAR-4-SLR procedures the authors identified 36 pertinent papers. The authors coded them along theory–context–method (TCM) for descriptive structure and along ADO (Antecedents–Decisions–Outcomes) for explanatory insights, highlighting moderators/mediators where present. Findings – RM research is empirically oriented but methodologically narrow. Context is skewed toward India/Asia and Technology/ICT sector; cross-country/sector comparisons are scarce. Decisions evidence a tension between formalization and flexibility, with limited evidence on optimal designs, matching formats and facilitation roles. Outcomes concentrate on dyadic knowledge transfer, engagement and retention; organizational, market-facing and well-being effects remain underexplored. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this review is the first to integrate RM knowledge through the ADO–TCM lens, bridging descriptive fragmentation and offering an actionable roadmap. The authors advance a rigorous agenda with 15 themes and 33 future research questions.