Corporate Social Responsibility in Family Businesses: A Network Analysis and Future Research Agenda

ABSTRACT This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) research on family businesses from 1997 to 2025. Although interest at this intersection has grown appreciably, the literature remains dispersed across several disciplines, with scant attempts to integrate its conceptual bases or map its intellectual evolution. To address this gap, the current study analyzes 666 documents from the Web of Science Core Collection using VOSviewer to visualize co‐authorship networks, keyword co‐occurrence, bibliographic coupling, and co‐citation. The results indicate an increasing trend in publications, thereby establishing CSR in family business research as a distinct and coherent discipline. Thematic analysis revealed five clusters: (1) CSR orientation and ethics, (2) firm performance and strategic management, (3) governance and disclosure, (4) reputation and legitimacy, and (5) socioemotional wealth and sustainability. Four major intellectual streams revealed by bibliographic coupling pertain to governance mechanisms, behavioral ethics, performance outcomes, and the integration of sustainability. Bibliographic coupling and co‐citation analyses indicated that the Journal of Business Ethics is at the center of the academic network, underscoring the enduring impact of ethical and stakeholder perspectives. In practice, the results imply that CSR can be institutionalized through three dimensions in strategic and governance processes: long‐term orientation, stewardship values, and an intergenerational vision in family firms. This study also traces a trend from normative, value‐based conceptions toward institutionalized, performance‐based responsibility. It provides a structured path for future research in the field and underscores the necessity of cross‐regional cooperation at multiple practical levels regarding sustainability issues within family business studies.