Knowledge transformation in policy innovation and sustainable development: a bibliometric analysis of collaborative governance

This study explores global research on collaborative governance through a bibliometric analysis of 604 Scopus-indexed articles published between 2015 and 2024. The objective is to identify dominant themes, research gaps, and directions for future inquiry in the field. Using theoretical perspectives on governance, cooperation, and evolutionary game theory, the analysis reveals digital transformation, emergency management, and environmental resource management as the most prominent themes, with frequently occurring keywords including cooperation, governance, and local government. Despite these advances, the role of local governments as key catalysts in collaborative governance remains underexplored, highlighting a critical gap in the literature. The findings underscore the importance of integrating digital technologies, enhancing cross-sector collaboration, and employing innovative analytical approaches to address complex societal challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and sustainable development. This research contributes originality by mapping knowledge transformation in the field, highlighting underexamined areas, and offering insights with both theoretical and practical relevance, providing valuable perspectives for scholars and practitioners and reinforcing collaborative governance as a strategic framework for policy innovation, sustainable development, and more adaptive governance systems at global and local levels.