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Due to the financial disturbances created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the burden on the government exchequer, it is expected to see a rise in the knowledge base of the research corpus so far as the government's fiscal sustainability is concerned. Therefore, the present research examines a systematic quantitative analysis of public debt sustainability research by applying a bibliometric approach. Research also analyzes journals, institutions, countries and authors contributing to public debt sustainability.

This paper scrutinizes the published scientific research on public debt sustainability based on the dataset of 535 articles from 1991 to 2021 obtained from the Scopus database. Biblioshiny (R-based application) and VoSviewer software were used to perform bibliometric analysis through Performance analysis and science mapping techniques. The authors combined co-citation analysis (CCA), bibliometric analysis, keyword co-occurrence analysis (KCA) and a conceptual thematic map of the most cited articles to find the intellectual structure.

The research identified three dominating clusters, e.g. fiscal sustainability and policy rules, empirical sustainability testing and debt and growth dynamics. Another finding was that most articles were analytical and empirical and few descriptive articles were found. Owing to the empirical nature of the domain, the issues concerning public debt sustainability have continued to change over the past decades for different economies, reflecting the complexity and diversity of economic structures of different economies at different times.

The insight of this article provides academicians and researchers with a more refined comprehension of the conceptual and intellectual structure of the research corpus. The present research complements the existing literature review studies by pushing the research towards emerging or less developed issues such as financial and debt crises.

Artificial intelligence is one of the most significant and active fields of study in the last few years. Artificial intelligence-derived robotic technologies known as chatbots are gaining interest from both academic and industry sectors. By analyzing the development and patterns of research on the chatbot phenomena within the tourism field, this study seeks to develop a theoretical framework for the interaction between chatbots and tourism.

The Web of Science (WoS) database’s 33 articles on chatbots related to travel and hospitality were examined between 2019 and 2024 using VOSviewer software for bibliometric and thematic content analysis.

Research on chatbots for tourism and hospitality appears to be in its early stages. The factors influencing tourists' intentions to use chatbots have been thoroughly researched; the attitudes, perceptions and behavioral intentions of destinations, travel agencies and restaurant patrons regarding chatbots were examined, and it was found that the quantitative research approach was dominant. In addition, the majority of the studies are based on a particular theory or model.

This is one of the first attempts to directly comprehend and depict the interconnected structures of studies on the interaction between chatbots and tourism through the use of network analysis. Furthermore, the study’s findings can offer academics a comprehensive viewpoint and a reference manual for more accurate assessment and oversight of the chatbot-tourism interaction. Regarding the lack of research on the topic and the fragmented structure of the studies that exist, it is imperative to provide both a comprehensive overview and a roadmap for future investigations into the usage of chatbots in the travel and hospitality sector.

Waste generated from electrical and electronic equipment, collectively known as E-waste, remains a persistent environmental, economic and social problem. Sustainable E-waste management (EWM) has numerous benefits, such as preventing electronic waste from entering landfills, reducing the need for virgin materials by recovering valuable materials from recycling and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Circular economy (CE) practices are considered the initial steps toward sustainable EWM, but some hurdles have been reported in the adoption of these practices. Therefore, the current study aims to identify the common CE practices, sustainability of the EWM process and the challenges in EWM, and to develop a conceptual framework for effective EWM.

Very few studies have proposed frameworks that acknowledge the challenges and CE practices of EWM. To fill this gap, a systematic literature review (SLR) was performed, and 169 research articles were explored.

A total of seven challenges in the adoption of effective EWM were identified: rules and policy, infrastructure, consumer behaviour, informal sectors, community culture, technology and economy. Eight common CE practices were also found for effective EWM: reuse, recycle, remanufacturing, refurbishment, repair, reduce, recover and repurpose.

A conceptual framework guiding sustainable EWM was proposed, which includes solutions for the identified challenges, and CE practices with sustainable benefits.

This study aims to critically review the research on food eco-labels to identify research gaps and recommend future research directions in business and management.

A hybrid integrated review combines bibliometric analysis with an in-depth framework-based study of theory–context–characteristics–methodology (TCCM) and reviews quality research published over 21 years between 2002 and 2022.

We identify key research themes and the knowledge structure of food eco-label research. Future researchers should explore food eco-label dynamics and phenomena in areas related to consumer behaviour, information, consumer knowledge, environmental concerns, trust, packaging and willingness-to-pay as antecedent factors.

This review contributes to the business and management literature by quantifying existing research and consolidating its evolution. The articles were sourced from the established Web of Science (WoS) database. Other databases should be included in future reviews. We also focus on research published in business and management. Further studies could include research beyond such specialised domains.

Consumers need more information on the objectives and meaning of food eco-labels. The dissemination of knowledge on eco-labels, as well as effective communication and information on eco-labels, are relevant to future research issues.

The knowledge derived from this research holds significant potential in shaping policies and devising tools aimed at reducing the carbon footprint linked to food production and consumption. Considering the substantial impact of these activities on our planet’s carbon footprint, addressing food security and sustainability emerges as a crucial concern for humanity. Recognising the importance of eco-label communication and information becomes particularly pertinent for future generations, who stand to bear the most substantial impact of climate change and sustainable development. These generations are also more inclined toward embracing and implementing sustainable practices.

There are no comprehensive, integrated reviews exploring the methods, variables and constructs used in studies on food eco-labels based on all articles published in WoS journals in the business and management domains. This is the first comprehensive literature review using a hybrid approach (bibliometric review with TCCM framework) in the field of food eco-label research.

本研究擬以批判性的態度,審閱過去有關食物生態標籤的研究,以能確認研究缺口,並於商業和管理的範疇裡,建議今後的研究方向。

這是一個混合綜合審閱研究。研究結合了文獻計量分析方法和理論 -背景 - 特徵 - 方法論 (TCCM) 框架; 研究人員審閱於2002年與2022年間二十一年裡出版的高水平學術研究。

我們確認了關於食物生態標籤的研究裡主要的研究主題和知識結構。研究人員和學者今後應致力關於消費行為、資訊、顧客知識、環境關注、信任、包裝和支付意願等議題的研究範疇,以能在這些範疇內,把食物生態標籤的變革動力和現象,作為是先前因素進行探索。

本研究確定了現存有關的研究的數量,並幫助鞏固了這類研究的發展,就此,對商業和管理文獻作出了貢獻。審閱的學術論文均來自被認可的 Web of Science 資料庫。今後的研究應涵蓋其它資料庫; 而且,我們的焦點是放在關於商業和管裡的文獻上; 研究人員和學者今後或許也應致力於其它研究範疇。

消費者需要更多關於食物生態標籤目標和意義的資訊; 因此,今後的研究須關注生態標籤知識的傳播,以及生態標籤的有效溝通和資訊。

根據於 Web of Science 出版、以及在商業和管理領域內的學術論文,似乎沒有全面的或綜合的審閱,去探索有關食物生態標籤研究內採用的研究方法、變數和構築。本研究為在食物生態標籤研究領域裡,首個使用混合方式 (結合文獻計量分析方法和理論 -背景 - 特徵 - 方法論 (TCCM) 框架)的全面文獻審閱。

The paper provides a detailed historical account of Douglass C. North's early intellectual contributions and analytical developments in pursuing a Grand Theory for why some countries are rich and others poor.

The author approaches the discussion using a theoretical and historical reconstruction based on published and unpublished materials.

The systematic, continuous and profound attempt to answer the Smithian social coordination problem shaped North's journey from being a young serious Marxist to becoming one of the founders of New Institutional Economics. In the process, he was converted in the early 1950s into a rigid neoclassical economist, being one of the leaders in promoting New Economic History. The success of the cliometric revolution exposed the frailties of the movement itself, namely, the limitations of neoclassical economic theory to explain economic growth and social change. Incorporating transaction costs, the institutional framework in which property rights and contracts are measured, defined and enforced assumes a prominent role in explaining economic performance.

In the early 1970s, North adopted a naive theory of institutions and property rights still grounded in neoclassical assumptions. Institutional and organizational analysis is modeled as a social maximizing efficient equilibrium outcome. However, the increasing tension between the neoclassical theoretical apparatus and its failure to account for contrasting political and institutional structures, diverging economic paths and social change propelled the modification of its assumptions and progressive conceptual innovation. In the later 1970s and early 1980s, North abandoned the efficiency view and gradually became more critical of the objective rationality postulate. In this intellectual movement, North's avant-garde research program contributed significantly to the creation of New Institutional Economics.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the most recurrent variables characterizing the collaborative relationships of industrial symbiosis (IS) (hereinafter also referred to as “anatomic” variables) established in the attempt to adopt circular economy (CE) by collecting evidence from a rich empirical set of implementation cases in Italy.

The current literature on IS was reviewed, and a content analysis was performed to identify and define the “anatomic” variables affecting its adoption in the circular economy. We followed a multiple-case study methodology investigating 50 cases of IS in Italy and performed a content analysis of the “anatomic” variables characterizing each case.

This research proposes the “anatomic” variables (i.e. industrial sectors involved, public actors involvement, governmental support, facilitator involvement and geographical proximity) explaining the cases of IS in the circular economy. Each “anatomic” variable is discussed at length based on the empirical evidence collected, with a particular reference to the impact on the different development strategies (i.e. “bottom-up” and “top-down”) in the cases observed.

Current literature on IS focuses on a sub-set of variables characterizing collaboration in IS. This research builds on extant literature to define a new framework of five purposeful “anatomic” variables defining IS in the circular economy. Moreover, we also collect and discuss a broad variety of empirical evidence in what is a still under-investigated context (i.e. Italy).

Design-thinking (DT) in education has attracted significant interest from practitioners and academics, as it proffers new-age thinking to transform learning processes. This paper synthesises extant literature and identifies the current intellectual frontiers.

First, a systematic-literature-review was undertaken employing a robust process of selecting papers (from 1986 to 2022) by reading titles, abstracts and keywords based on a required criterion, backward–forward chaining and strict quality evaluations. Next, a bibliometric analysis was undertaken using VOSviewer. Finally, text analysis using RStudio was done to trace the implications of past work and future directions.

At first, we identify and explain 12 clusters through bibliometric coupling that include “interdisciplinary-area”, “futuristic-learning”, “design-process” and “design-education”, amongst others. We explain each of these clusters later in the text. Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), management education, design and change, teacher training, entrepreneurship education and technology, digital learning, gifted education and course development) Secondly, through co-word-analysis, we identify and explain four additional clusters that include “business education and pedagogy”, “content and learning environment”, “participants and outcome” and finally, “thinking-processes”. Based on this finding, we believe that the future holds a very positive presence sentiment for design thinking and education (DT&E) in changing the 21st century learning.

For investigating many contemporary challenges related to DT&E, like virtual reality experiential learning, sustainability education, organisational learning and management training, etc. have been outlined.

Academics may come up with new or improved courses for the implementation of DT in educational settings and policymakers may inculcate design labs in the curricula to fortify academic excellence. Managers who would employ DT in their training, development and policy design, amongst others, could end up gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

This study conducted a comprehensive review of the field, which to our limited knowledge, no prior studies have been done so far. Besides, the study also outlines interesting research questions for future research.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are fundamental to the socioeconomic development of a country or region. They directly contribute to increasing employment generation and improving income distribution. Despite the importance of SMEs, there are still opportunities for developing works that support and guide SMEs to use digital technologies, especially to digitalize their customer service. Therefore, this work aims to propose drivers containing recommendations for developing and improving the digitalization of customer service in SMEs.

This work uses a qualitative approach to systematize the main SMEs' characteristics and identify the boosting elements of the digitalization of customer service in the scientific literature. To this end, the authors conducted a content analysis of the most influential empirical and theoretical articles on the theme published from 2016 to 2021 in the Scopus database.

This work identified 38 boosting elements of the digitalization of customer service based on the scientific literature. These elements were grouped into six drivers for developing and improving the digitalization of customer service. The drivers contain recommendations that were adapted for SMEs according to their characteristics and based on the experience of the authors of this work.

This work contributes to promoting socioeconomic development, providing important solutions for managers and owners of SMEs to improve their customer service. The proposed drivers support and encourage the use of digital technologies for developing and improving customer service, overcoming the challenges of digitalization in these companies. Thus, SMEs will be able to increase the satisfaction of their customers and improve their competitiveness.

This paper aims to quantify the trend of variables used for building a theoretical model with the help of analysing bibliometrics data of inventory management (IM) and Total Quality Management (TQM) practices and their effects on firm performance.

Scopus' research database and the Web of Science (WoS) (including Elsevier, Emerald Group Publishing, Taylor and Francis, Wiley, IEEE, Informs and SAGE) were used to find relevant articles. The articles, review papers and conference proceedings were screened from 1993 to 2021. The articles were analysed to explain the different types of IM practices, TQM practices and their effect on the firm's performance. Thematic analysis was done using a bibliometric package of “R” (Biblioshiny) and VOSviewer to identify the key trends, approaches and research agenda.

The research covered 28 years of publications and summarised 497 articles, review papers and conference papers. Researchers concluded that IM highly correlates with the inventory turnover ratio and has no relation to firm performance. Further, TQM positively affects firm performance, but integrating IM and TQM will be a research scope for future study as none of the researchers previously covered this.

Due to the systematic literature review (SLR) and Bibliometric review, the study is limited to the Scopus and WoS (including Elsevier, Emerald Group Publishing, Taylor and Francis, Wiley, IEEE, Informs and SAGE) databases.

Being the research on a bibliometric and systematic review, relating IM practices with TQM practices would be the novelty of this paper.