Mapping of the Brazilian scientific publication on facility location

Abstract

Mathematical models are relevant to indicate the optimal location of facilities and, consequently, help in the search for efficiency in the supply chain. Although facility location problems are consolidated in the Operational Research field, few publications are dedicated to investigate the profile of the academic production (the amount of paper published), aiming to direct new studies on the subject and propose models that solve the current challenges. Thus, this paper aims to present a scientometric analysis of the articles on facility location published in the Web of Science, in order to verify the profile of Brazilian scientific production. As result, approximately 2% of the papers have researchers affiliated to Brazilian institutions. The interest for the subject is recent, with emphasis on universities. Brazil maintains an intense international collaboration network, cooperating with 45 different countries, especially USA. Finally, there is opportunity for publications that include the environmental dimention to mathematical models and for expansion in company-university-government collaboration.