Evolution and future directions of banking risk management research: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

This bibliometric analysis examines the evolution of academic research on banking risk management over the past four decades. The research maps publication trends, influential works, authorship, geographical distribution, conceptual themes, and future research directions using quantitative analysis of 286 English-language articles from the Scopus database. Since the 1990s, publication output and citations have been on the rise, with peaks in 2012 and 2019, indicating a rise in scholarly interest. The focus of research has expanded beyond credit risk to include operational, liquidity, and other key risks. Governance and culture are also expanding areas of emphasis. Geographic diffusion is revealed by bibliometric mapping, shifting from the early dominance of U.S. and European scholars to the increasing contributions of Asia and other emerging economies. Analysis of frequently occurring keywords illustrates the importance of fundamental risk management concerns. Six conceptual domains are identified by cluster analysis: operational risks, governance, liquidity risks, commercial bank risks, credit risks and performance, and market risk interactions. Based on the bibliometric analysis and research findings, three promising future research directions are proposed: the impact of pandemics and natural disasters on bank risk management; emerging threats such as cybercrime and climate change; and the impact of risk culture and governance on outcomes. AcknowledgmentIt is crucial to recognize everyone who contributed to the success of this study, notably the Ho Chi Minh University of Banking, Vietnam.