Bibliometric insights into mobile money and data trends

Area of Science:

• Bibliometrics
• Information Science
• Financial Technology (FinTech)

Background:

• Mobile money has emerged as a significant financial innovation.
• Understanding the intellectual landscape of mobile money research is crucial for future development.
• Bibliographic analysis provides a robust framework for mapping research structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the intellectual structure of mobile money studies.
• To identify key themes and research trends in the field.
• To map the bibliographic characteristics of mobile money literature.

Main Methods:

• Bibliographic data from 165 Scopus documents were analyzed.
• Scientific mapping techniques, including network analysis, were employed.
• VOSviewer and the Bibliometrix R package were utilized for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Four prominent research themes were identified: mobile money in Africa, financial inclusion, electronic money, and digital financial services.
• Analysis revealed patterns in publication trends, country collaborations, and keyword co-occurrences.
• Bibliographic linkages and co-citation patterns offered insights into the field's structure.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a comprehensive overview of the intellectual structure of mobile money research.
• Identified themes highlight the growing importance of mobile money in Africa and its role in financial inclusion.
• The findings can guide researchers and policymakers in understanding and advancing digital financial services.