Mapping the Global Landscape: A Retrospective and Prospective Scopus-Based Bibliometric Review on Business English Research (2000–2025)

Abstract

Business English is the established lingua franca of global commerce and a core academic discipline worldwide. Despite growing research interest in the field, it still lacks a comprehensive analysis of the latest developments from a global perspective, particularly regarding technological shifts and the post-pandemic context. This study aims to bridge this gap by employing bibliometric analysis with VOSviewer to map the knowledge domain and trace the development of business English research through an examination of 381 Scopus-indexed publications (2000–2025), including the various facets of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Results show a consistent rise in global research output and a thematic evolution from traditional pedagogy to innovative approaches across three stages. The analysis identifies leading countries, authors, organisations, and sources, while text mining reveals current research hotspots. The study provides a comprehensive domain overview, concluding with implications and insights to guide future research and practice in the field.