Digital Transformation in the Framework of Social Sciences: A Bibliometric Evaluation of the Web of Science Database

Year 2025, Issue: 73, 1 - 17, 04.06.2025

Meltem Ergün Gürcan

https://doi.org/10.26650/mcd2025-1598845

Abstract

Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the widespread use of the internet and the development of new technologies, the need for a fundamental technological change in public and private institutions has emerged. Especially in public institutions, the digital transformation process is critical to provide faster and more effective services to citizens, as well as to strengthen principles such as transparency and accountability. Furthermore, digital transformation plays a crucial role in developing sustainable public policies by optimising the use of public resources. Thus, academic studies on digital transformation have been increasing over the years. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of research on digital transformation within the social sciences. With the RStudio-based Biblioshiny program, 4,563 articles published in the Web of Science database between 2002 and 2024 were included in the analysis. Because of the analysis, it was seen that China, Italy, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom were the countries with the highest number of publications. Chinese researchers are active and pioneering in the literature. It is thought that the bibliometric analysis of studies in the field of digital transformation will contribute to the creation of strategic road maps that emphasise the importance of this transformation for public institutions and organisations. This study presents a general literature review on digital transformation in social sciences and serves as a resource for researchers who want to conduct studies on the subject in the future.

Keywords

Digital Transformation, Public Administration, Digitalisation, Innovation, Bibliometric Analysis, Biblioshiny

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