Revisiting knowledge management research through the knowledge-based view: a bibliometric review and future research directions

Purpose The study aims to provide a comprehensive data-driven bibliometric analysis on knowledge management grounded in a knowledge-based view of the firm, reflecting a holistic overview of the field’s publication trends, emerging themes, collaboration network and authorship patterns. Design/methodology/approach To explore the studies focused on knowledge management and KBV, the author performed a search in Scopus using a combination of keywords, including TITLE-ABS-KEY “Knowledge-based view” OR “knowledge-based view” OR KBV OR “resource-based view” OR RBV AND “knowledge management” OR “knowledge sharing” OR “knowledge transfer” OR “knowledge creation” OR “knowledge acquisition” OR “knowledge integration” AND “firm performance” OR “competitive advantage” OR innovation, covering a period of 26 years from 1998 to 2024. The final dataset comprised 561 studies with 222 documents removed during the screening process. Findings The results indicate that knowledge management research through KBV has advanced from theoretical underpinnings to more empirically driven inquiries. Core themes such as knowledge management, knowledge-based systems, knowledge-based view, innovation, knowledge, resource-based view and knowledge acquisition, indicate the evolving nature of knowledge as a strategic resource. Originality/value The study conducts one of the first systematic bibliometric analyses that traces the evolution of knowledge management (KM) grounded in the knowledge-based view (KBV). The study contributes to the knowledge management and strategic management literature by analyzing the global trends of scientific publications on knowledge management (KM) and knowledge-based view (KBV) and how knowledge-based view (KBV) has been conceptualized and applied across knowledge management research, in terms of publication trends and influential sources.