BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF BRAND EQUITY RESEARCH IN FAST FOOD BUSINESSES (2013 – 2023)

Purpose: This study performs a systematic review of the scientific literature regarding brand equity in fast food businesses. Bibliometric analysis fucuses on the publication growth, subject area, geographic distribution of publications, productive journals and authors, keywords, and citations. Method: Relevant articles were identified using search engines in the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The PRISMA methodology was applied, and 82 relevant articles were found to be suitable for analysis. All identified articles were further analysed to determine the complete picture of the field of knowledge. Findings: The research reveals influential articles, authors, journals, and institutions within the field of brand equity and fast-food businesses. It has been found that no study related to the topic was conducted in Africa. All the studies reviewed were done in USA, China, Europe, and the Middle East. Popular keywords in the study area have also been reported. The research contributes to the better understanding of the field of brand equity and helps scholars and researchers to identify quality literature, research areas as well as appropriate journals for publishing their own findings. Contributions/implications: The study reveals research trends as well as areas that have received limited attention. The identification of such research trends or gaps guides future research efforts and help scholars and researchers to focus on underexplored aspects of brand equity in the fast-food industry. Considering the study findings and the identified highly cited articles, further qualitative analysis can be provided to determine the most prolific research trends.