IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v9y2025issue-9p8424-8440.html

Bibliometric Insights into Manufacturing Flexibility: Scholarly Output, Hot Topics, and Research Gap

Author

Listed:
  • Thivek Sinathamby

    (Faculty of Technology Management and Technopreneurship, Malaysia, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Malaysia)

  • Ganagambegai Laxamanan

    (Faculty of Technology Management and Technopreneurship, Malaysia, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Malaysia)

  • Fauzan Fauzan

    (Faculty of Technology Management and Technopreneurship, Malaysia, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Malaysia)

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of scholarly literature on “manufacturing flexibility†and “flexible manufacturing system†from 1985 to 2024. Based on 252 Scopus-indexed publications, the analysis conducted using VOSviewer and Bibliomagika uncovers key trends, citation structures, influential authors, and leading journals. With a total of 13,198 citations and an average of 52.37 citations per paper, the findings underscore the field’s sustained relevance, particularly in the context of Industry 4.0. Notable contributions by Gerwin (1993), Upton (1994), and Zhang et al. (2003) reflect the field’s conceptual and empirical maturity. The International Journal of Production Economics is identified as the most influential journal. Co-citation and network analyses reveal strong thematic and authorial coherence. While limited to Scopus and quantitative metrics, the study offers a foundational map of the field’s intellectual landscape. It provides valuable insights for scholars and practitioners, guiding future research directions in dynamic global manufacturing contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Thivek Sinathamby & Ganagambegai Laxamanan & Fauzan Fauzan, 2025. "Bibliometric Insights into Manufacturing Flexibility: Scholarly Output, Hot Topics, and Research Gap," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(9), pages 8424-8440, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-9:p:8424-8440
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-9-issue-9/8424-8440.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/bibliometric-insights-into-manufacturing-flexibility-scholarly-output-hot-topics-and-research-gap/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Khai-Leang Yeap & Rajah Rasiah & Fumitaka Furuoka, 2024. "Drivers of and Challenges Facing Adoption of Industrial Revolution 4.0 Technologies: A Study of the Electrical and Electronics Industry in Malaysia," Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Malaya & Malaysian Economic Association, vol. 61(1), pages 35-49, January.
    2. Anne-Wil Harzing & Satu Alakangas, 2016. "Google Scholar, Scopus and the Web of Science: a longitudinal and cross-disciplinary comparison," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 106(2), pages 787-804, February.
    3. Philippe Mongeon & Adèle Paul-Hus, 2016. "The journal coverage of Web of Science and Scopus: a comparative analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 106(1), pages 213-228, January.
    4. repec:oap:ijaefa:v:16:y:2023:i:1:p:10-17:id:870 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cibele Oliveira Lima & Jarbas Bonetti, 2020. "Bibliometric analysis of the scientific production on coastal communities’ social vulnerability to climate change and to the impact of extreme events," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 102(3), pages 1589-1610, July.
    2. Saïd Echchakoui, 2020. "Why and how to merge Scopus and Web of Science during bibliometric analysis: the case of sales force literature from 1912 to 2019," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(3), pages 165-184, September.
    3. Vivek Kumar Singh & Prashasti Singh & Mousumi Karmakar & Jacqueline Leta & Philipp Mayr, 2021. "The journal coverage of Web of Science, Scopus and Dimensions: A comparative analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(6), pages 5113-5142, June.
    4. Shamshadali, Perumbalath & Gafoor, C.P. Abdul & Daimari, Phungkha, 2025. "Mapping the future of banking crisis research: Key contributors and emerging areas," Latin American Journal of Central Banking (previously Monetaria), Elsevier, vol. 6(4).
    5. Franceschini, Fiorenzo & Maisano, Domenico & Mastrogiacomo, Luca, 2016. "Empirical analysis and classification of database errors in Scopus and Web of Science," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 933-953.
    6. Saïd Echchakoui, 0. "Why and how to merge Scopus and Web of Science during bibliometric analysis: the case of sales force literature from 1912 to 2019," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-20.
    7. Ignacio Rodríguez-Rodríguez & José-Víctor Rodríguez & Niloofar Shirvanizadeh & Andrés Ortiz & Domingo-Javier Pardo-Quiles, 2021. "Applications of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data and the Internet of Things to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scientometric Review Using Text Mining," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-29, August.
    8. Paola Andreucci-Annunziata & Augusto Mellado & Alejandro Vega-Muñoz, 2022. "Telesupervision in Psychotherapy: A Bibliometric and Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-14, December.
    9. Gerson Pech & Catarina Delgado, 2020. "Percentile and stochastic-based approach to the comparison of the number of citations of articles indexed in different bibliographic databases," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 123(1), pages 223-252, April.
    10. Biru Desta Kassaye & Yitbarek Takele Bayiley & Zerihun Kinde Alemu, 2025. "Returnee migrant entrepreneurship: a bibliometric analysis (1993–2024)," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 15(1), pages 1-23, December.
    11. Philipp Korom, 2019. "A bibliometric visualization of the economics and sociology of wealth inequality: a world apart?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 118(3), pages 849-868, March.
    12. Victor Tiberius & Meike Rietz & Ricarda B. Bouncken, 2020. "Performance Analysis and Science Mapping of Institutional Entrepreneurship Research," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-21, September.
    13. Andrés Martínez-Medina & Sonia Morales-Calvo & Vicenta Rodríguez-Martín & Víctor Meseguer-Sánchez & Valentín Molina-Moreno, 2022. "Sixteen Years since the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: What Have We Learned since Then?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-21, September.
    14. Raminta Pranckutė, 2021. "Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus: The Titans of Bibliographic Information in Today’s Academic World," Publications, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-59, March.
    15. Ana Batlles-delaFuente & Luis Jesús Belmonte-Ureña & José Antonio Plaza-Úbeda & Emilio Abad-Segura, 2021. "Sustainable Business Model in the Product-Service System: Analysis of Global Research and Associated EU Legislation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-33, September.
    16. Gordana Budimir & Sophia Rahimeh & Sameh Tamimi & Primož Južnič, 2021. "Comparison of self-citation patterns in WoS and Scopus databases based on national scientific production in Slovenia (1996–2020)," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(3), pages 2249-2267, March.
    17. Aishat Adebonike Adedayo-Ojo & Muhammad Kashif Shad & Wai Ching Poon, 2025. "Circular Economy in the Oil and Gas Industry: A Data-Driven Bibliometric Analysis," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(4), pages 3465-3527, August.
    18. María Mendoza-Muñoz & Alejandro Vega-Muñoz & Jorge Carlos-Vivas & Ángel Denche-Zamorano & José Camelo Adsuar & Armando Raimundo & Guido Salazar-Sepúlveda & Nicolás Contreras-Barraza & Nicolás Muñoz-Ur, 2022. "The Bibliometric Analysis of Studies on Physical Literacy for a Healthy Life," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-14, November.
    19. Dušan Nikolić & Dragan Ivanović & Lidija Ivanović, 2024. "An open-source tool for merging data from multiple citation databases," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(7), pages 4573-4595, July.
    20. Csomós, György, 2018. "Reprint of “A spatial scientometric analysis of the publication output of cities worldwide”," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 547-566.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-9:p:8424-8440. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.