Bibliometric Analysis of Human Capital and Digital Employee Integration to Enhance Competitive Advantage
Abstract
This study investigates the intellectual structure of research on human capital and workforce digitalization integration as a foundation for sustainable competitive advantage, analyzed through a strategic marketing lens. Employing a quantitative bibliometric approach, it maps the evolution, conceptual trends, and collaboration networks within this interdisciplinary domain. A systematic analysis was conducted on 202 Scopus-indexed documents published between 2012 and 2025 using Bibliometrix R and Biblioshiny software. Performance analysis and science mapping reveal a significant surge in scholarly output post-2019, underscoring the rising urgency of digital transformation in human resource management. Thematic and keyword analyses identify five dominant research streams and trace the evolution of core concepts, including "strategic human resource management," "digital employee integration," and "dynamic capabilities." Furthermore, collaboration network mapping highlights influential author clusters and reveals structural gaps in cross-regional research partnerships. The study concludes that the synergy between human capital development and technological integration constitutes not merely a strategic imperative but a critical dynamic capability essential for organizational resilience in a disruptive era. As its primary original contribution, this research provides the first comprehensive empirical map that systematically connects the discourses on human capital, workforce digitalization, and competitive advantage, thereby outlining a forward-looking research agenda and offering a robust empirical basis for developing adaptive HR strategies in the digital age.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Adams, J., & Gurney, K. A. (2018). Bilateral and multilateral co-authorship and citation impact: Patterns in UK and US international collaboration. Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics, 3, 12.
Aria, M., & Cuccurullo, C. (2017). bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959-975.
Barney, J. B. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99-120.
Fenech, R., Baguant, P., & Ivanov, D. (2019). The changing role of human resource management in an era of digital transformation. Journal of Management Information and Decision Sciences, 22(2), 1-10.
Ferreira, J., Fernandes, C., & Veiga, P. M. (2021). The role of human capital and innovation in sustainable entrepreneurial resilience. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 12(4), 1770-1792.
Hosseini, M., Horbach, S. P. J. M., & O’Connor, E. (2022). International research collaboration: A review of drivers, barriers, and mechanisms. Science and Public Policy, 49(6), 941–954.
Jabbour, C. J. C., & de Sousa Jabbour, A. B. L. (2016). Green Human Resource Management and Green Supply Chain Management: Linking Two Emerging Agendas. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, 1824–1833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.01.052
Khin, S., & Ho, T. C. F. (2022). Digital technology adoption and sustainable competitive advantage: The role of dynamic capability and market turbulence. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 37(3), 502-515.
Kianto, A., Shujahat, M., Hussain, S., Nawaz, F., & Ali, M. (2023). The impact of knowledge management on knowledge worker productivity: The role of digital literacy and collaboration. Journal of Knowledge Management, 27(2), 507-527.
Kiilu, R. M., Kinyua, G. M., & Kihoro, J. M. (2024). Technology integration in human resource management within SMEs in developing countries: Barriers and enablers. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 13(1), 12.
Kumar, S., Sahoo, S., Lim, W. M., & Kumar, A. (2023). A bibliometric analysis of sustainable manufacturing. Journal of Cleaner Production, 398, 136720.
Kwon, K., & Kim, T. (2020). An integrative literature review of employee engagement and its antecedents and consequences. Human Resource Development Review, 19(1), 5–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484319829827
Linnenluecke, M. K., Marrone, M., & Singh, A. K. (2020). Conducting systematic literature reviews and bibliometric analyses. Australian Journal of Management, 45(2), 175-194.
Malik, A., De Silva, M. T., Budhwar, P., & Srikanth, N. R. (2022). Elevating talent analytics beyond data: Integrating socio-cultural context for actionable insights. Human Resource Management Journal, 32(3), 567-586.
Margherita, A., & Braccini, A. M. (2021). Digital transformation and knowledge management: A systematic literature review. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 166, 120653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120653
Nazneen, S. (2024). Strategic human resource management and organizational performance: The mediating role of employee commitment. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. Advance online publication.
Nyathani, R. (2022). Digital HR: A framework for the digital transformation of human resource functions. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 12(3), 1-15.
Obeidat, S. M., & Tarhini, A. (2021). The impact of strategic human resource management on organizational performance: The mediating role of high-performance human resource practices. Journal of Management & Organization, 27(3), 481-500.
Parry, E., & Battista, V. (2019). The impact of artificial intelligence on HRM: The role of HR professionals in preparing for the future. In *HRM 4.0 For Human-Centered Organizations* (pp. 23-44). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Paulus, T. M. (2017). Human capital and competitive advantage: The role of strategic human resource management. In Handbook of research on human resource strategies for the new millennial workforce (pp. 1-18). IGI Global.
Rehman, M. H., Shahbaz, M., & Abbas, J. (2023). Digital transformation and sustainable business performance: Mediating role of innovation capability. Journal of Business Research, 154, 113365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113365
Singh, S. K., Del Giudice, M., Chierici, R., & Graziano, D. (2020). Green Innovation and Environmental Performance: The Role of Green HRM and Green Dynamic Capabilities. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 162, 120371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120371
Sjödin, D., Parida, V., Jovanovic, M., & Visnjic, I. (2021). Value creation and value capture alignment in business model innovation: A process view on outcome‐based business models. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 38(6), 768-791.
Soto-Acosta, P. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic: Shifting digital transformation to a high-speed gear. Information Systems Management, 37(4), 260–266. https://doi.org/10.1080/10580530.2020.1814461
Strohmeier, S. (2020). Digital human resource management: A conceptual clarification. German Journal of Human Resource Management, 34(3), 345-365.
Van Eck, N. J., & Waltman, L. (2017). Citation-based clustering of publications using CitNetExplorer and VOSviewer. Scientometrics, 111(2), 1053–1070.
Vrontis, D., Christofi, M., Pereira, V., Tarba, S., Makrides, A., & Trichina, E. (2022). Artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced technologies and human resource management: a systematic review. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33(6), 1237-1266.
Wright, P. M., & McMahan, G. C. (1992). Theoretical perspectives for strategic human resource management. Journal of Management, 18(2), 295-320.
Zaugg, H., Rumeser, D., & Davis, H. (2023). Equity in global research collaborations: A framework for North–South partnerships. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 45(1), 22–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2022.2127404
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v13i1.7350
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
https://ijmmu.com
editor@ijmmu.com
facebook.com/ijmmu
Copyright © 2014-2018 IJMMU. All rights reserved.