Development of innovative financing: A bibliometric analysis
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DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21511/imfi.23(3).2026.37
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Article InfoVolume 23 2026, Issue #3, pp. 549–566
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Type of the article: Research Article
Abstract
The present study undertakes a bibliometric analysis of the scientific discourse pertaining to innovative financing. The objective of the study is the bibliometric mapping and systematization of the structural evolution of this discourse through analysis of publications indexed in the Scopus database for the period 1974–2025. The methodological framework integrates descriptive analysis of publication and citation dynamics, co-authorship network modelling, and keyword co-occurrence analysis provided using VOSviewer. The analysis identifies five key findings. First, a tripartite periodization of research activity is formalized: a formative stage (prior to 2010), a stage of diversification and institutionalization (2010–2020), and a phase of acceleration and thematic convergence (2021 – present). Second, pronounced fragmentation of co-authorship networks is documented: of 2,610 identified authors, 172 have at least 2 publications and only 18 of them form interconnected clusters. Third, keyword co-occurrence analysis delineates three dominant thematic clusters that are related to environment, human development, healthcare. Their inter-cluster connectivity is mediated by the bridging categories of ‘international cooperation’, ‘funding’, ‘cost effectiveness’, ‘economics’, ‘financing’, ‘public-private partnership’, ‘human’. Fourth, the geographical and institutional distribution of analyzed publications establishes the dominance of anglophone research systems and health-oriented institutions, alongside a structurally significant supranational research stratum. Fifth, the pronounced interdisciplinarity of the field is confirmed by the distributional dominance of Social Sciences, Engineering, and Environmental Science.
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JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)G23, G28, O31, Q56, Q58
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References61
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Tables5
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Figures8
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- Figure 1. Bibliographic co-authorship network for a keyword ‘innovative financing’
- Figure 2. Number of relevant publications and citations for the keyword ‘innovative financing’ in the Scopus database for the period 2000–2025
- Figure 3. Keywords co-occurrence network
- Figure 4. Keywords co-occurrence layout
- Figure 5. Number of relevant publications on the keywords ‘innovative financing’ by institutional affiliation of authors
- Figure 6. Number of relevant publications on the keyword ‘innovative financing’ by the authors` country of origin for the period 1974–2025
- Figure 7. Structure of relevant publications by the keyword ‘innovative financing’ by funding sponsors for the period 1974–2025
- Figure 8. Number of relevant publications on the keyword ‘innovative financing’ by subject area for the period 1974–2025
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- Table 1. Source inclusion criteria under the adapted PICOS framework
- Table 2. Description for the selection of publications
- Table 3. Structure of relevant publications for the keyword ‘innovative financing’ in the Scopus database by the type of publication
- Table 4. Periodization of research development in the field of innovative financing
- Table 5. Top-20 most-influential papers on the keyword ‘innovative financing’ in the Scopus database
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