Mapping the Intellectual Structure of Internet of Things in Public Administration: A Bibliometric Analysis Using R
Archives des Sciences, cilt.76, sa.2, ss.14-30, 2026 (Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 76 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Dergi Adı: Archives des Sciences
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, Compendex
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.14-30
- Anahtar Kelimeler: bibliometric analysis, Internet of Things, public administration, R, science mapping
- Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Technological advancements are fundamentally transforming the landscape of public administration. At the forefront of this transformation is the Internet of Things (IoT), which enables physical objects to collect, exchange, and process data through interconnected digital technologies, thereby creating new opportunities for the delivery and management of public services. This study presents an updated and systematic bibliometric analysis of research on IoT in public administration, aiming to identify major research trends, emerging themes, and structural patterns within the field. Drawing on a sample of 754 publications published between 2010 and 2026 and retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, the study employs performance analysis and science-mapping techniques using the R programming environment. The findings demonstrate a substantial upward trend in scientific output, indicating growing scholarly interest in the application of IoT within public administration. At the same time, the structures of authorship and publication sources remain relatively dispersed, suggesting that the field is still developing and has not yet consolidated around a stable core of specialized scholars and publication outlets. In terms of publication output, China and the United States are the leading contributing countries, followed by India and the United Kingdom. In terms of total citation impact, however, the United States ranks first, followed by China and the United Kingdom, demonstrating that research productivity and scholarly influence do not necessarily coincide. The thematic analysis indicates that artificial intelligence, blockchain, and digital transformation have emerged as increasingly prominent research themes, gaining importance alongside the field’s earlier emphasis on e-government and big data. Nevertheless, the smart-city concept remains the dominant and persistent conceptual framework within which IoT research in public administration is situated. In contrast, security and privacy remain relatively marginal themes despite their growing practical and policy significance. Overall, this study contributes to the literature by providing an updated and comprehensive assessment of the development, intellectual structure, and thematic evolution of IoT research in public administration. By identifying established and emerging research themes, as well as persistent gaps in the field, the study provides a foundation for future research and offers a useful reference for scholars seeking to advance the theoretical and empirical understanding of IoT and its implications for public administration.