Academic citizenship behaviour: a bibliometric analysis and research agenda

Purpose This paper provides a rigorous bibliometric analysis of academic citizenship scholarship development. Academic citizenship has seen a long-term decline, and despite a recent surge in research interest, the field still lacks comprehensive studies and data. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometrics consists of a series of analytical procedures which are used to objectively assess a field of published outcomes by statistically analysing bibliographic datasets, normally focused on various citations and co-citations of publications. Using the Web of Science Core Collection database of academic citations, bibliometric methodologies were used to identify and analyse academic citizenship (behaviour) literature through the assimilation of a nascent dataset of research outputs and presenting the results in the data visualisation software, VOSviewer. Findings The study reveals the recent surge in interest in academic citizenship (behaviour) research. The prominent authors engaging with this method of research, their impact and the key topics arising from these studies are also revealed. Research limitations/implications The analysis undertaken can be time sensitive, as the nature of bibliometric analysis is backward looking and so can be viewed as being retrospective, as literature only appears after a period of time has lapsed and is under constant flux. Originality/value The study identifies areas where assimilations have occurred. Prospective opportunities for the further empirical development and research of academic citizenship behaviour are considered to rest in the areas of academic identity and the potential importance of the constructs of psychological contract, psychological climate and psychological capital.