A Global View of Knowledge Management Research: A Bibliometric Study (2020–2024)

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric assessment of global research trends in Knowledge Management (KM) between 2020 and 2024. A total of 3,252 publications indexed in the Web of Science database were examined, with data retrieved on February 4, 2025. The analysis explores patterns related to document types, prolific authors, leading institutions, subject domains, contributing countries, publication languages, influential journals, major publishers, and funding agencies. The findings reveal that KM research activity reached its highest output in 2020, followed by a gradual decline in subsequent years. Journal articles constituted most publications (68.7%), underscoring the dominance of peer-reviewed research in this field. Prominent institutional contributors include the University of London, CNRS (France), and Florida State University, reflecting strong academic engagement across Europe and North America. In terms of geographical distribution, China (16.7%) and the United States (14.6%) emerged as the leading contributors, followed by England, Italy, Australia, and India, while countries, such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia, demonstrated growing research participation. English was overwhelmingly the primary language of publication (98.6%), indicating its central role in global scholarly communication. Among journals, the Journal of Knowledge Management accounted for the highest share of publications (4.92%), and Elsevier led as the most prominent publisher (16.02%). Key funding support was provided by China’s National Natural Science Foundation, the European Union, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.