A Study on the Changes in the Knowledge Structure of Foodservice Management Research After the Outbreak of COVID-19 : Focusing on Keyword Network Analysis

Objective : The objective of this study was to clarify the direction of change in the knowledge structure of foodservice management following the outbreak of COVID-19. Methods : The study collected key keywords from papers published in the journal “Foodservice Management Research,” and divided them into two periods:before the outbreak (2016-2019) and after the outbreak (2020-2023). This study conducted a text network analysis on these keywords. Results : First, most keywords with high frequency of occurrence before and after the outbreak are key concepts in the field of foodservice marketing. Second, the direction of research in restaurant management after the outbreak has been contact-free research topics, big data analysis methods, and research subjects changed. Third, most keywords with high frequency of occurrence also have high influence within the network. Fourth, the connection pattern. Implications : This study provides insights into how the field of foodservice management has evolved in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.