Visualization of global research trends and future research directions of greenwashing by using bibliometric analysis

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of Greenwashing Research conducted till date indexed in Scopus. The study aims to discern publication trends, prominent authors, leading countries contributing to the field, influential articles, and noteworthy journals in greenwashing research. The bibliometric analysis was conducted using 260 documents from the Scopus database from 1984 to 2023. The study encompasses articles published in journals categorized as "A*," "A," "B," or "C," according to the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) journals list of 2022. The analysis utilized the VOS viewer software to examine and visualize the relationships and patterns within the collected literature. 2022 was the most productive year, with 61 publications displaying a notable increase in Research focusing on greenwashing; notably, Parguel emerged as the most prolific author. Countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, China, Italy, and Germany have substantially contributed to this research topic. This paper delves into the realm of Greenwashing practices and behavior, elucidating their connections to sustainability. This study is significant to academicians, marketers, scholars, and policymakers. The future research directions suggested by the researcher in the present study may have implications for attaining Sustainable development goal no. (12), dealing with Sustainable Production and Consumption. This novel study on greenwashing is the first extensive bibliometric analysis conducted on the subject of Greenwashing within this expansive timeframe (1984–2023).