Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Mapping the Geography of Sustainability Transitions Research : A Bibliometric Analysis


Affiliations
1 Centre for Studies in Science Policy, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110 067, India
 

The transition towards sustainability is a global challenge, and in recent decades, Sustainability Transitions (ST) research has emerged as a promising approach to address climate change-led uncertainty. Despite the rapid rise in the sustainability transitions literature, it is primarily focused on developed or global north countries. The present paper attempts to use bibliometric tools to comprehend the intellectual landscape and distribution between global north-south and analyse the trends and hotspots in global south countries. The paper comprehensively examined ST literature on the Scopus citation database (from the inception of ST in 1994 to December 31, 2020). Based on statistical analysis performed on the dataset, there has been an exponential rise in research publications on ST since 2012. Globally, ST researchers mainly belong to OECD countries from Western Europe, especially in the UK, Netherlands and Germany. Conversely, the global south is lagging, except few developing nations such as China, South Africa, Brazil, and India. This skewed representation reflects the higher prevalence of ST initiatives in the global north, predominantly by a few European countries. About 40% of ST research is published in journals from the UK, Netherlands, the U.S., Switzerland and Canada. The citation analysis reflects that 60% of citations are from British and Dutch scholars, indicating a low academic influence of ST authors from developing countries. This study would stimulate more interest among Global South academics and policy researchers to put more effort into ST research and publication to bridge the existing gap.

Keywords

Multi-Level Perspective, Scopus, Socio-Technical Transitions, VOSviewer.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • European Commission, Transformative Innovation and Socio-technical Transitions to Address Grand challenges (Publications Office) 2020.

  • Smith A & Stirling, A Moving outside or inside? Objectification and reflexivity in the governance of socio-technical systems, J Environ Policy Plan, 9 (2007) 351–373.

  • System Innovation and the Transition to Sustainability: Theory, Evidence and Policy (Elgar, 2004).

  • Geels F W, From sectoral systems of innovation to socio-technical systems, Res Policy, 33 (2004) 897–920.

  • Grin J, Rotmans J, Schot J, Geels F W & Loorbach D, Transitions to Sustainable Development: new directions in the study of long term transformative change (Routledge) 2011.

  • Kemp R, Schot J & Hoogma R, Regime shifts to sustainability through processes of niche formation: The approach of strategic niche management, Technol Anal Strateg Manag, 10 (1998) 175–198.

  • Schot J & Geels F W, Strategic niche management and sustainable innovation journeys: theory, findings, research agenda, and policy, Technol Anal Strateg Manag, 20 (2008) 537–554.

  • Bergek A, Jacobsson S, Carlsson B, Lindmark S & Rickne A, Analyzing the functional dynamics of technological innovation systems: A scheme of analysis, Res Policy, 37 (2008) 407–429.

  • Hekkert M P, Suurs R A A, Negro S O & Kuhlmann S, Functions of innovation systems: A new approach for analysing technological change, Technol Forecast, 20 (2007).

  • Ramos-Mejía M, Franco-Garcia M L & Jauregui-Becker J M, Sustainability transitions in the developing world: Challenges of socio-technical transformations unfolding in contexts of poverty, Environ Sci Policy, 84 (2018) 217–223.

  • Wieczorek A J, Sustainability transitions in developing countries: Major insights and their implications for research and policy, Environ Sci Policy, 84 (2018) 204–216.

  • Scoones I, Newell P & Leach M, The Politics of Green Transformations (Routledge) 2015.

  • Lundvall, B Å, Joseph K, Chaminade C & Vang J, Handbook of Innovation Systems and Developing Countries (Edward Elgar Publishing), 2009, doi:10.4337/9781849803427.

  • Escobar A, Encountering development: The Making and Unmaking of the Third World (Princeton University Press) 1995.

  • Chappin E J L & Ligtvoet A, Transition and transformation: A bibliometric analysis of two scientific networks researching socio-technical change, Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 30 (2014) 715–723.

  • Savaget P, Geissdoerfer M, Kharrazi A & Evans S, The theoretical foundations of sociotechnical systems change for sustainability: A systematic literature review, J Clean Prod, 206 (2019) 878–892.

  • Kern F, Rogge K S & Howlett, M Policy mixes for sustainability transitions: New approaches and insights through bridging innovation and policy studies, Res Policy, 48 (2019) 103832.

  • Broadus R N, Toward a definition of bibliometrics, Scientometrics, 12 (1987) 373–379.

  • Andrés A, 3 Author production in Measuring Academic Research edited by A Andrés (Chandos Publishing) 2009, 23–30doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-84334-528-2.50003-5.

  • Zupic I & Čater, T Bibliometric Methods in Management and Organization, Organ Res Methods, 18 (2015) 429–472.

  • Aria M & Cuccurullo C, bibliometrix : An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis, J Informetr, 11 (2017) 959–975.

  • Mongeon P & Paul-Hus A, The journal coverage of Web of Science and Scopus: a comparative analysis, Scientometrics, 106 (2016) 213–228.

  • Markard J, Raven R & Truffer B, Sustainability transitions: An emerging field of research and its prospects, Res Policy, 41 (2012) 955–967.

  • Geels F W Reference list to transition publications pdf (2013).

  • Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman D G & Prisma, Group Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement, PLoS Med, 6 (2009) e1000097.

  • De B N, Bibliometrics and Citation Analysis : From the Science Citation Index to Cybermetrics (Lanham (Md.) Scarecrow Press) 2009


Abstract Views: 54

PDF Views: 50




  • Mapping the Geography of Sustainability Transitions Research : A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract Views: 54  |  PDF Views: 50

Authors

Sunny Dhiman
Centre for Studies in Science Policy, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110 067, India
Rajbeer Singh
Centre for Studies in Science Policy, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110 067, India
Raghvendra Singh Yadav
Centre for Studies in Science Policy, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110 067, India

Abstract


The transition towards sustainability is a global challenge, and in recent decades, Sustainability Transitions (ST) research has emerged as a promising approach to address climate change-led uncertainty. Despite the rapid rise in the sustainability transitions literature, it is primarily focused on developed or global north countries. The present paper attempts to use bibliometric tools to comprehend the intellectual landscape and distribution between global north-south and analyse the trends and hotspots in global south countries. The paper comprehensively examined ST literature on the Scopus citation database (from the inception of ST in 1994 to December 31, 2020). Based on statistical analysis performed on the dataset, there has been an exponential rise in research publications on ST since 2012. Globally, ST researchers mainly belong to OECD countries from Western Europe, especially in the UK, Netherlands and Germany. Conversely, the global south is lagging, except few developing nations such as China, South Africa, Brazil, and India. This skewed representation reflects the higher prevalence of ST initiatives in the global north, predominantly by a few European countries. About 40% of ST research is published in journals from the UK, Netherlands, the U.S., Switzerland and Canada. The citation analysis reflects that 60% of citations are from British and Dutch scholars, indicating a low academic influence of ST authors from developing countries. This study would stimulate more interest among Global South academics and policy researchers to put more effort into ST research and publication to bridge the existing gap.

Keywords


Multi-Level Perspective, Scopus, Socio-Technical Transitions, VOSviewer.

References