Investigating the trend of studies in the field of change an‎d transformation management in the period of 1995 to 2025; based on the scientometric approach

2/20/2026 12:00:00 AM

Given the dynamic nature of the business environment an‎d the escalating challenges arising from digital transformations, global crises, an‎d the pressing need for organizational agility, conducting a comprehensive study to map the scientific lan‎dscape an‎d identify emerging research fronts in the field of change management has become increasingly essential. This study aims to examine the trends in scholarly research on change an‎d transformation management over the period from 1995 to 2025, employing a scientometric approach. The present research is classified as applied–developmental in nature an‎d adopts a descriptive–analytical methodology. The required data were retrieved from the Web of Science citation database an‎d analyzed using CiteSpace software through techniques such as co-citation analysis, thematic clustering, network analysis, an‎d qualitative content analysis. The findings reveal that the scientific output in this domain is structured around nine major clusters, including case study, job satisfaction, organizational performance, knowledge management strategy, an‎d strategic change. Moreover, change management an‎d organizational change were identified as the most highly cited an‎d influential concepts within the scientific network of this field. Temporal analysis indicates both quantitative an‎d qualitative growth in research output, alongside a gradual shift toward emerging themes such as digital transformation, sustainability, an‎d crisis management. Furthermore, the majority of studies focus on the organizational level of analysis (70.85%) an‎d emphasize the provision of practical solutions (80.25%), while comparatively limited attention has been devoted to paradigmatic innovations (27.59%) an‎d to individual-level an‎d macro-level analyses. Overall, the results suggest that the field of change management is characterized by a dynamic, interdisciplinary, an‎d maturing scientific structure. The integration of foundational concepts with emerging themes appears to be a key driver of the future development of this domain. By offering a comprehensive map of the scientific network of change management, this study provides a robust evidence-based foundation for the formulation of future research agendas an‎d managerial strategies.

مديريت تغيير , مديريت تحول , علم‌سنجي , تحليل هم استنادي

Change Management , Organizational Transformation , Scientometrics , Multi-level Analysis

Mohammad Hossein Raji

Shahab Jenabi