Servitization in the Era of Digitalisation and Circular Economy: A Four‐Decade Bibliometric Investigation (1988–2025)

ABSTRACT The study maps and synthesises the intellectual, conceptual and social structure of product–service Systems (PSS) and Servitization research spanning from 1988 to 2025. For a bibliometric review of 1492 Scopus–indexed documents, we use the R‐bibliometrix package and VOSviewer to conduct bibliographic coupling, co‐word citation, co‐authorship and thematic evolution analyses. The findings reveal a rapidly amalgamating research field with PSS and Servitization at its conceptual core. Scholarly attention has fundamentally shifted from manufacturing and operational efficiency to digital enablement, sustainability, and circular economy‐driven business models. By providing a holistic, 37‐year mapping of this study, this study recognises critical thematic clusters and proposes a forward‐looking research agenda to advance the theory, practice and policy.

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Publication Details

Journal
Sustainable Development
Published
2026-11-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.71765
Primary Topic
Service and Product Innovation
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Servitization in the Era of Digitalisation and Circular Economy: A Four‐Decade Bibliometric Investigation (1988–2025)

Nammi Lalitha, Sybil Justus Sam
Sustainable Development
Service and Product Innovation
article

Servitization in the Era of Digitalisation and Circular Economy: A Four‐Decade Bibliometric Investigation (1988–2025)

Nammi Lalitha, Sybil Justus Sam
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study maps and synthesises the intellectual, conceptual and social structure of product–service Systems (PSS) and Servitization research spanning from 1988 to 2025. For a bibliometric review of 1492 Scopus–indexed documents, we use the R‐bibliometrix package and VOSviewer to conduct bibliographic coupling, co‐word citation, co‐authorship and thematic evolution analyses. The findings reveal a rapidly amalgamating research field with PSS and Servitization at its conceptual core. Scholarly attention has fundamentally shifted from manufacturing and operational efficiency to digital enablement, sustainability, and circular economy‐driven business models. By providing a holistic, 37‐year mapping of this study, this study recognises critical thematic clusters and proposes a forward‐looking research agenda to advance the theory, practice and policy.

Sustainable Development
GITAM University (IN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 6%
Service and Product Innovation
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