Title: Mapping knowledge and innovation research themes: using bibliometrics for classification, evolution, proliferation and determinism

Authors: Taman H. Powell; Yiannis Kouropalatis; Robert E. Morgan; Päivi Karhu

Addresses: Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Aberconway Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff CF10 3EU, UK ' Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Aberconway Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff CF10 3EU, UK ' Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Aberconway Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff CF10 3EU, UK ' LUT School of Business and Management, LUT Lappeenranta University of Technology, Skinnarilankatu 34, 53850 Lappeenranta, Finland

Abstract: We employ bibliometric techniques to map the intellectual foundations, patterns, interdependence, and chronological development of research themes within the knowledge and innovation literature. Specifically we: measure the temporal development of this literature; identify themes and sub-themes underlying the published output and examine the residual impact of each to extant research; and, we illustrate the extent of independence and interdependence among the identified themes. We analyse a census of articles (n > 4,500) published during 1992-2012 in business management journals and identify an eight-cluster structure representing 88% of the variation within the data. To further interrogate the data, we mine the first cluster, as the dominant theme, and reveal seven sub-themes that clearly indicate the focal nodes of research in the knowledge and innovation domain. We provide a series of findings that address our research objectives and offer several implications for future research, which are tempered with our empirical limitations.

Keywords: knowledge literature; innovation literature; literature review; bibliometrics; research themes; research impact; residual impact; business management journals; data mining.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2016.077960

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2016 Vol.20 No.3/4, pp.174 - 199

Accepted: 27 Sep 2015
Published online: 26 Jul 2016 *

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