Mapping Inclusive Leadership Research: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Trends and Service Science Implications (2020–2025)

Inclusive leadership has gained increasing scholarly attention as organizations confront the challenges of diversity, equity, and inclusion.Yet, the field remains fragmented and undertheorized.This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 377 Scopus-indexed publications on inclusive leadership, published between 2020 and August 2025.Using VOSviewer, the study maps the intellectual structure, thematic clusters, and global contributors shaping the discourse.The results reveal a marked growth in publications, with China and Pakistan emerging as leading contributors alongside the United States and the United Kingdom.Thematic trends indicate a progression from individual-level outcomes (e.g., psychological safety and self-efficacy), to team-level mechanisms (e.g., inclusive climate and creativity), and finally to organizational-level outcomes (e.g., knowledge sharing, trust, and job satisfaction).These findings underscore inclusive leadership's evolving role as both a relational practice and a strategic driver of organizational effectiveness.By consolidating fragmented insights, this study advances theoretical understanding and offers evidence-based guidance for organizations seeking to embed inclusion into practice.