Bibliometric Analysis of Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Research: Trends, Focus, and Future Directions

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the development of literature on business ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) through a bibliometric approach, using VOSviewer software. By utilizing publication data from various academic sources, this research identifies topic trends, keyword patterns, and collaboration networks between authors in the fields of business ethics and CSR over the past two decades. The analysis results show that major topics in business ethics research include ethics education, the social influence of students, and the implementation of CSR in business practices. Meanwhile, CSR appears to be increasingly central in research linking social, environmental, and economic aspects within the business world. Bibliometric visualization reveals several color clusters representing the main research themes, including the red cluster that reflects the relationship between CSR and business ethics, the blue cluster focusing on corporate behavior and reputation, and the green cluster highlighting sustainability and ethics in education. Additionally, this study identifies a new trend linking CSR with gender diversity and social inclusion in the business context. The findings of this research provide a comprehensive overview of the future direction of business ethics and CSR research and demonstrate how these two topics interact and evolve. This study is expected to be an important reference for academics and practitioners in formulating research agendas and sustainable policies in the future.