A Bibliometrics Approach to Understanding Conceptual Breadth, Depth and Development: The Case of New Public Management

Abstract

This article uses bibliometric analysis to track the breadth and depth of the concept of New Public Management as it has developed in the 25 years since the coining of the term, in order to provide a deeper understanding of how academics have engaged with the subject. The article uses bibliometric and qualitative analysis to map the use of the concept as a whole and over time, and the use of bibliometrics provides an original, methodical and quantitative way of analysing the usage and movement of New Public Management as a concept. It looks at the breadth of the literature in terms of whether it has spread to new journals or academic disciplines and depth in terms of whether articles on New Public Management engage with new research on the subject. It is shown that the breadth of the literature has increased, but there has been no significant deepening. By providing an overarching view of New Public Management as a concept, this article allows for more systematic academic engagement with the concept, leading to a deeper research agenda that goes beyond its current somewhat limited usage.