A Bibliometric Analysis of Green Innovation Research

Abstract

Purpose – The aim of this study is to comprehensively map the intellectual structure, developmental trends, and core contribution networks of the academic literature produced between 2010 and 2025 in the fields of green innovation, ethics, and knowledge management by employing bibliometric methods.
Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is based on 672 studies selected from a total of 869 publications retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database in accordance with predefined inclusion criteria. The analytical procedure consisted of data collection and cleaning, performance analysis, identification of collaboration networks, thematic mapping, and scientific impact assessment. Within the scope of the bibliometric analysis, citation, co-citation, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic evolution analyses were conducted.
Results – The results indicate that research on green innovation has gained significant momentum particularly after 2017. China leads in publication volume, while the United Kingdom and the United States constitute the intellectual core of the field due to their high citation impacts. Journal of Business Ethics emerges as both the most productive and most influential source; interdisciplinary journals such as Technological Forecasting and Social Change and Journal of Cleaner Production also stand out with strong citation performances. Institutional analyses highlight the productivity of the University of Manchester, UCL, and several leading Chinese universities. Citation and co-citation analyses reveal that the literature is concentrated around the themes of “sustainability,” “environmental performance,” “ethical management,” “green technology,” and “knowledge-based innovation.” Thematic evolution maps demonstrate a recent shift in research agendas toward more technology-oriented and systemic topics such as “circular economy,” “AI-driven processes,” “green digital transformation,” and “sustainable supply chains.”
Discussion – The findings suggest that green innovation has evolved into a multidimensional research domain that extends beyond environmental performance and is directly linked to ethical management, knowledge management, digital transformation, and sustainable development. The intellectual structure of the field has become increasingly interdisciplinary, with technology-oriented themes gaining prominence. The results further indicate that future research is likely to intensify around AI-supported knowledge management, ethical auditing mechanisms, circular economy strategies, and green technology governance. By holistically mapping the scientific structure of the field, this study provides an important reference framework for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.