Mapping the foundations and evolution of career aspiration research: a bibliometric analysis

Purpose

This bibliometric literature review aims to uncover the (1) intellectual foundations and (2) topical evolution in the field of career aspiration research.

Design/methodology/approach

We employed the systematic literature review methodology following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. According to the predetermined criteria, 286 articles were included from the Web of Science database. Then, we employed performance analysis, science mapping and natural language processing to address our research objectives.

Findings

Co-citation analysis uncovered four foundational themes: (1) gender and leadership aspiration, (2) Social Cognitive Career Theory, (3) process of career development and (4) adolescents’ career aspiration. Moreover, co-word analysis showed that scholarly foci have shifted from adolescents’ career development to diverse streams. This shift was indicated by the exploration of additional research samples, such as university students, and topics related to specific aspirations (e.g. entrepreneurial and managerial aspirations) and gender issues (e.g. women leadership and gender stereotypes).

Research limitations/implications

Although this review has limitations related to data selection, it presents implications for practice, theory and future research on career aspirations.

Originality/value

The study illuminated the past and development of a research domain, thus advancing the understanding of career aspirations and inspiring future research.