Service innovation research: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis based on the Scopus database (1970-2020)

Abstract

Purpose: The study aims to determine the evolution of research production in the field of “Service Innovation” between 1970 and 2020. This paper analysed the publications' characteristics in connection with the innovation in service. The focus of academic research on the subject of “Service Innovation” has been identified using bibliometric analysis. Data Source: The investigations were done in the Scopus database to determine the main topics, authors, fields, types, sources, titles, publishing years, institutions, countries and their languages. Method: The research articles related to service innovation were evaluated by software’s MS Excel and VOSviewer. The trend in publications has been analysed using the Scopus database from 1970 to 2020. There were 3,915 reported items collected and analysed. Authors, Co-authorship and analysis of co-occurrence were carried out. Findings: The results of the co-authorship and co-occurrence analyses show that the UK and the US lead the publications on service innovation. Also, the keywords service innovation, innovation, services, value co-creation, open innovation, service design, new service development, and business model innovation were found to be most prominent in the literature. “Service Innovation” research witnessed the emerging use of the Kano model. The current analysis discovered a publication tendency that was increasing and will continue to increase in the future. The top author of this study is Lars Witell, affiliated with Linkopings Universitet, Linkoping, Sweden, and the top second author of the study, Faiz Gallouj, is affiliated with the University of Lille, Lille, France. Karlstads Universitet, Karlsland, Sweden and Aalto University, Espoo, Finland took first and second places respectively producing articles on service innovation. Moreover, funding on service innovation research is also limited.