Visualizing the Scientific Landscapes on “Gig Economy”: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This study aims to use the SCOPUS database to investigate the literary contributions of prior researchers on the “Gig Workers” till January 2025. To serve this purpose, this study uses the SCOPUS database to identify (i) the top research areas (ii) leading social research contexts (countries) and research languages in gig economy studies (iii) the starting years for gig economy research (iv) the leading publishing platforms (journals) on gig economy, and (v) the key contributors (researchers/ authors) in the field. This study comprises of 1,484 articles extracted from the SCOPUS database using different keyword combinations. The term ‘gig economy’ was coined in 2009 with an apparent increase in gig-related publications since 2024. English is the most common linguistic medium for research publications on the subject with most of the research originating from developed economies. Also, Oxford University ranks the charts of publications on gig-related concepts. This analysis guides researchers not only familiarizing with the gig economy, the key contributors in this field, and the relevant journals for published research but also helps develop a theoretical framework.