Setting the development of digitalization: state-of-the-art and potential for future research in cooperatives

In recent years, companies have adapted their business models towards a digital format whereby their internal organization, development, production and logistics processes have become part of a connected ecosystem. This adaptation process, known as digitalization, has largely driven organizational change in companies. Specifically in cooperatives, which are collective associations of professionals interested in common economic objectives, the new technology adoption has been configured as a solid strategy where digital transformation processes should be appropriately executed. In this context, the present study aims to identify the development of the characteristics of the digitalization process in the scientific literature and to link it to the cooperatives sector. To this end, a bibliometric study of the studies published in the period from 2000 to 2022 is developed. In this endeavor, processes such as bibliographic coupling, word co-occurrence, and co-citation analysis are computed and analyzed. The results reveal a map of relationships and key elements in the studied field of research, and where particularly prominent are areas directly linked to cooperatives, such as the circular economy, sustainability, or innovation. The results of this study contribute to the construction of a general overview of the publications developed to date in relation to digitalization and its state-of-the-art, as well as its future link to cooperatives. For the development process of digitalization in cooperatives, a total of five phases are identified, described, and discussed. Likewise, a total of 17 future research questions and 3 research propositions are discussed for subsequent research. Finally, theoretical and practical implications of the study are presented.