Reconciling qualitative and quantitative approaches within bibliometrics

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address common critiques of modern literature reviews, particularly those based on bibliometrics, that often fail to adequately advance theory. It provides details about a structured hybrid methodology that bridges the gap between quantitative analysis and qualitative synthesis to produce higher-quality academic work. Design/methodology/approach This study outlines a comprehensive, three-stage hybrid methodology that integrates bibliometrics, content analysis and integrative analysis. The authors delineate a step-by-step procedure for each stage, including the use of modern software tools, to ensure the process is transparent and reproducible for scholars. Findings The authors find that bibliometric reviews alone result in poor-quality outcomes that might create a skew in the knowledge landscape. This outcome hinders the ability of reviews to make meaningful theoretical contributions and suggests the need for a more integrated approach. Originality/value While the hybrid approach is not new, this paper makes a unique contribution by clearly outlining a parsimonious and accessible framework that has been successfully applied, often implicitly, in high-quality reviews that advance theory. This work serves as a guide for a wider range of scholars to conduct more rigorous and impactful literature reviews.