Organizational Research in the Western Balkans: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Review

Abstract

Research on organizations in the Western Balkans has grown significantly over the past 30 years, highlighting the need for a comprehensive review. This bibliometric study examines the state of organizational research by performing bibliometric analysis, identifying research clusters through co-word analysis, and conducting trend topic analysis to uncover emerging themes. Using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, the study analyzes 1,037 papers from the Scopus database. Findings reveal consistent growth in publications, especially after 2015. Co-word analysis identifies five major research clusters: SMEs, Kosovo, Serbia, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Future research is recommended to explore how businesses prepare for potential EU integration, the role of institutional support or voids in entrepreneurship rates, the effects of brain drain on organizations in the Western Balkans, and the dynamics of returnee entrepreneurs. This study provides valuable insights into the intellectual structure and trends in organizational research in the region and offers a foundation for future studies.