Mapping Digital Business Innovation: A Bibliometric Analysis of SDG Integration
Keywords:
digital business innovation, sustainable development goals, SDG’s, digital transformation, bibliometricAbstract
This study investigates how research in digital business innovation has evolved to incorporate sustainability
objectives through a systematic analysis of academic literature from 2016 to 2024. The research employs a comprehensive
bibliometric approach to analyze 1,627 documents from 684 sources in the Scopus database, focusing on publication
patterns, thematic evolution, and emerging research directions. The analysis reveals three distinct phases in the field's
development: foundation (2016-2018), integration (2019-2021), and transformation (2022-2024). Publication volumes
show significant growth from 7 articles in 2016 to 482 in 2024, with a marked acceleration following the COVID-19
pandemic. Research themes cluster around three main areas: digital business innovation (572 publications), economic
stability (245 publications), and sustainability implementation (156 publications). Core integration themes focus on
environmental, social, and governance (ESG) implementation and green innovation, while emerging areas emphasize
artificial intelligence applications and circular economy principles. The findings demonstrate a clear shift from technologyfocused
approaches to integrated frameworks that align digital transformation with sustainability goals. Analysis of
research patterns reveals increasing emphasis on ESG integration (16.8% of recent publications) and sustainable business
models, though significant gaps remain in standardization and long-term impact measurement. This study contributes to
understanding how organizations can effectively combine digital innovation with sustainability objectives, highlighting
opportunities for future research in measurement frameworks and ethical implementation guidelines.