Social life cycle assessment and its methodological challenges: A bibliometric and content analysis

Abstract

Social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) has garnered significant attention in academia and the business sector. To enhance the guidance of S-LCA application and future research, it is imperative to conduct a thorough analysis of its research status and challenges, considering the extensive development of methodological approaches. Leveraging bibliometric and content analysis on 452 articles from the Web of Science database, this study examines publication trends and delineates the conceptual structure and coupling themes within the S-LCA field. Through an amalgamation of bibliometric findings and a comparative analysis between life cycle assessment and S-LCA, the study outlines prominent challenges. Five primary issues related to inventory construction and data conversion, as identified through content analysis, are presented. This article comprehensively reveals a deep understanding of research status and faced challenges, serving as a complement for future practitioners and researchers.