Full citation
Hael, M., Belhaj, F. A., & Zhang, H. (2024). "Organisational learning and innovation: A bibliometric analysis and future research agenda". Heliyon, 10(5), e31812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31812
Summary
This bibliometric analysis examines 773 peer-reviewed articles on organisational learning and innovation published between 1982 and March 2023, drawn from the Scopus database. The authors map the intellectual structure of this research field using VOS viewer software to analyse publication trends, author networks, journal productivity, geographic distribution, citations, and keyword evolution across three distinct periods.
The research reveals a strong and enduring connection between organisational learning and innovation. Publication volumes have grown continuously, with peaks around 2020, reflecting increased academic interest driven by globalisation, economic change, and the need for competitive advantage through continuous innovation. The USA dominates in publication output (21.86%), followed by the UK and China, with Universidad de Granada leading institutional contributions. Citation analysis identifies March's work on exploration and exploitation as the most influential foundation (511 co-citations), whilst the 10 most-cited papers collectively account for 22% of all citations, emphasising their core role in shaping research directions.
Keyword analysis demonstrates evolving research foci: the first phase (1982–2001) focused narrowly on organisational learning; the second phase (2002–2012) expanded to include knowledge management, absorptive capacity, and dynamic capabilities; the third phase (2013–2023) introduced new themes including innovation performance, ambidexterity, technological innovation, and sustainability. These shifting clusters signal both disciplinary maturation and emerging challenges facing organisations in rapidly changing environments.
Key topics by page
| Page(s) | Topic |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Research motivation, gap, and research questions |
| 2–3 | Methodology: Scopus database selection and English-language article filtering |
| 3–4 | Bibliometric measurement and VOS viewer software application |
| 4–7 | Descriptive analysis: publication trends (1982–2023), journal productivity rankings, geographic distribution |
| 7–9 | Network analysis: author co-citations, top 10 co-cited authors (March, Nonaka, Levinthal, Argote) |
| 9–10 | References analysis: top 10 co-cited references, three distinct clusters, methodology across studies |
| 10–14 | Keyword analysis: eight most-common keywords, evolution across three temporal periods, emerging themes |
| 14–15 | Top 10 cited articles content analysis and methodologies used |
| 15–17 | Limitations (Scopus-only, English-language bias), future research agenda, implications for managers and researchers |
| 17–18 | Conclusion summarising main findings and keyword evolution trajectory |
Quotes
"Organisational learning is a process through which companies can develop new knowledge and insights from the shared experiences of people, influence behaviours, and improve the company's capabilities." (p. 2)
"The notion that organisational learning is inextricably related to innovation became well-established at the end of the 1990s." (p. 2)
"The focus of researchers in this field has expanded to include different and new topics such as innovation performance and ambidexterity." (p. 1)
Key insights
- On publication trajectory and research attention: The field shows continuous growth, with significant acceleration in the past decade. This reflects organisational urgency to balance innovation with adaptation in volatile markets, driven by globalisation, technological change, and increasing competition.
- On geographic distribution and research power: The USA and UK dominate, but China has emerged as a rapidly rising contributor since 2010, reflecting strategic investments in innovation and institutional pressures for competitive learning. Most productive institutions remain concentrated in developed Western nations, with only China visible from the developing world.
- On foundational scholarship: March's exploration–exploitation framework and Cohen & Levinthal's absorptive capacity theory remain the two most influential intellectual anchors, cited far more frequently than any others. This suggests the field remains anchored to concepts from the early 1990s despite recent theoretical expansion.
- On keyword evolution and emerging frontiers: The research landscape has evolved from narrow organisational learning focus to a complex ecosystem including knowledge management (84 occurrences), absorptive capacity, dynamic capabilities, innovation performance, transformational leadership, and more recently, ambidexterity, technological innovation, sustainability, and business model innovation. This suggests both disciplinary maturation and response to pressing real-world challenges.
- On underexplored territories: Sustainability and circular economy approaches, despite growing visibility in phase three, remain underdeveloped. Similarly, organisational learning ambidexterity in SMEs and African/Asian contexts are flagged as research gaps. Digital transformation and AI integration into organisational learning processes are mentioned but not yet extensively covered.
- On methodological patterns: Surveys and questionnaires dominate data collection; structural equation modelling (SEM) and machine learning are the most common analytical tools. Longitudinal studies are rare, limiting causal inference. The top 10 cited papers span multiple theoretical frameworks (organisational learning theory, recombinant invention theory) and methodologies, indicating theoretical plurality rather than consensus.
Links: Learning loops and innovation, Learning loops build better decisions, True learning is about changing behaviour