Abstract:
Purpose United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals—SDG 8 specifically
advocates for sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, alongside full
employment and decent work for all. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive
bibliometric analysis of Sustainable Inclusive Economic Growth (SIEG) within the
framework of SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth from 2015 to 2025. It
evaluates research trends, influential authors, institutions, and thematic clusters, while
also identifying gaps and future research directions.
4Maharaja Surajmal Institute of
Technology, Guru Gobind Singh
Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
Design and methodology Data was systematically extracted from Scopus using
defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, following the PRISMA approach. Data were
retrieved from the Scopus database (2014–2025) using a structured search string.
Bibliometric indicators were analyzed through Biblioshiny (R-tool) and VOSviewer,
supplemented by Lotka’s Law of Scientific Productivity and Zipf’s Law of Word
Occurrence. These methods enabled the identification of co-authorship patterns,
thematic evolution, and institutional contributions.
Findings: Findings reveal a substantial increase in research output post-SDG 8, with a
notable surge after 2019, coinciding with global efforts toward the UN 2030 Agenda.
China, India, and Italy emerged as the most productive countries, while “Sustainability
(Switzerland)”, published by MDPI, ranks as the leading journal in this domain. The
most highly cited researchers include Bekun FV and Onifade ST from Turkey, along
with Zhang X from China. A co-authorship network analysis of top countries identifies
six clusters, with India leading in collaboration, contributing 63 publications. The
co-occurrence network of keywords highlights dominant themes such as sustainable
development and Sustainable Development Goals in relation to SIEG and SDG 8.
Thematic evolution shows a shift from financial inclusion and CSR (2014–2023) toward
digital economy, blue economy, employment, and entrepreneurship (2024–2025).
These findings highlight the dynamic and policy-relevant trajectory of SDG 8 research. Originality Unlike prior studies that broadly examined sustainability or SDGs, this
research exclusively integrates SIEG with SDG 8 using an institutional and thematic lens.
By linking bibliometric insights to policy imperatives such as inclusive employment and
sustainable innovation, the study bridges the gap between bibliometric analysis and
actionable strategies for advancing SDG 8. Keywords Sustainable inclusive economic growth (SIEG), Inclusive growth,
Sustainable economic growth, Economic sustainability, SDG 8, Scopus, Lotka’s law of
scientific productivity, Zipf’s law of word occurrence
