Combining mapping and citation network analysis for a better understanding of the scientific development: The case of the absorptive capacity field

Abstract

The general aim of this paper is to show the preliminary results of a study where we are combining bibliometric map and citation network analysis to better understand the process of creation and transfer of knowledge through scientific publications. The novelty of this approach is the combination of both methods. The bibliometric co-word map will provide insight into the content of the publication. This will be used to the interpretation of groups of citations that may constitute the backbones of a research tradition or the future of the research.