We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The landscape of public procurement research: a bibliometric analysis and topic modelling based on Scopus
Summary
Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis and topic modeling of public procurement research published between 1984 and 2022, examining 640 journal articles by over 1,200 authors. The study maps the structure and dynamics of the public procurement knowledge domain and identifies key research themes and trends over nearly four decades of scholarship.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the structure and dynamics of academic articles relating to public procurement (PP) in the period 1984–2022 (up to May). The researchers also intend to analyse how this knowledge domain has grown since 1984. Design/methodology/approach A bibliometric analysis was carried out to examine the existing state of PP research. Based on 640 journal articles indexed in the Scopus database and written by 1,247 authors over nearly four decades, a bibliometric analysis was conducted to reveal the intellectual structure of academic works pertaining to PP. Findings Findings reveal that PP research from Scopus has significantly increased in the past decade. Major journals publishing PP research are International Journal of Procurement Management , Journal of Cleaner Production , Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management and Public Money and Management . Results also indicate that authors’ cooperation network is fragmented, showing limited collaboration among PP researchers. In addition, results suggest that the institutional collaboration network in PP research mirrors what is commonly referred to as the North–South divide, signifying insufficient research collaboration between developed and developing countries’ institutions. According to the co-occurrence keyword network and topic modelling, PP revolves around five main themes, including innovation, corruption, sustainable and green PP, PP contracts and small and medium enterprises. Based on these results, several directions for future research are suggested. Social implications This paper provides an increased understanding of the entire PP field and the potential research directions. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first-ever application of bibliometric techniques and topic modelling to examine the development of PP research since 1984 based on scholarly publications extracted from the Scopus database.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Public procurement research: a bibliometric analysis
This bibliometric study analyzed 640 journal articles to map the landscape of public procurement research. Researchers identified six major research themes, including innovation, corruption, and green public procurement, and found that research output has grown significantly in recent years. The study suggests that areas like electronic procurement and the role of small businesses in public purchasing present strong opportunities for future investigation.
Research trajectory on tourism policy: a bibliometric overview
Researchers conducted a bibliometric overview of the research trajectory on tourism policy using the Scopus database from 1976 onward, mapping the intellectual structure, growth trends, and geographic distribution of scholarship in the field. The analysis identified key themes, prolific authors, and evolving research priorities across nearly five decades of tourism policy literature.
A Bibliometric perspective on the evolution of research in sludge management: Opportunities and challenges
A bibliometric analysis traced the evolution of research on a specific topic related to microplastics, mapping publication trends, leading authors, and emerging themes over time. Bibliometric studies help identify where the field is growing and where knowledge gaps remain to be filled.
Bibliometric Analysis of Articles on Project Management Research
This bibliometric analysis reviewed 40 years of academic publications on project management to identify trends in research output, collaboration patterns, and key topics. It is a research methods paper not related to microplastics.
The importance of geographical information systems in urban and landscape planning: A bibliometric analysis
Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis of 2,354 articles on GIS applications in urban, spatial, and landscape planning published between 1990 and 2022 in the Web of Science database, mapping research trends, collaborative networks, and highly cited authors and journals to trace the field's growth from computerised cartography to integrated spatial planning tools.