A comprehensive bibliometric study of the balanced scorecard

Area of Science:

• Management Science
• Business Administration
• Accounting Research

Background:

• The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a strategic performance management tool.
• Existing literature reviews and bibliometric studies have not provided a comprehensive analysis of BSC research.
• A gap exists in understanding the quantitative, qualitative, and structural evolution of BSC scholarship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Balanced Scorecard (BSC) research.
• To identify trends, key authors, influential publications, and research clusters in the BSC field.
• To bridge the gap between traditional literature reviews and bibliometric insights.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis using quantity, quality, and structural indicators.
• Data sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection (1992-2020).
• Analysis of 771 articles from 466 reviews, including citation analysis and co-citation analysis.

Main Results:

• Sustained high scholarly interest in BSC, with Kaplan and Norton as most productive authors.
• 'Management', 'business', and 'accountability' are core fields, with 'systems' and 'sustainability' emerging.
• 32,706 citations identified; 'Harvard Business Review' is the most impactful journal. Co-citation analysis reveals three core clusters: theory, literature reviews, and case studies.

Conclusions:

• The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) remains a relevant and actively researched topic in academia.
• Bibliometric analysis provides a robust framework for understanding the intellectual structure and impact of BSC research.
• Future research can build upon identified clusters and emerging themes like sustainability.