Exploring the Evolution of the Topics and Research Fields of Territorial Development from a Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Countries with great deficiencies in development, research, and innovation are investing resources to advance in this aspect; meanwhile, it is necessary to advance in initiatives that promote local development, through the correct use and management of endogenous territorial capacities to achieve economic, social, and environmental development, and this is where the territorial development approach has intervened during the last decades. To obtain an understanding of the evolution of the research field on territorial development, a study of research topics and groups of research topics is implemented from subscription-based data sources (Scopus, Science direct, Ebsco, and Web of Science) and open access (Lens and Dimension platforms). Keyword co-occurrence techniques were implemented, and indicators of link strength and density-centrality of clusters were used to abstract patterns of change within the field of study. The evolution of the area, trends, and issues related to territorial development are identified in the different databases, mapping a discipline that still lacks comparative publications between research results at different scales.