The application of citational and co‐citational analysis to the property discipline

Abstract

The property industry has undergone significant change since the early 1980s. These changes include growing demands for professionalization and the recognition of the utility of property as an alternative form of investment. Examines the use of citational and co‐citational analysis to investigate the development of the property discipline and to detect these types of changes within the literature. Both citational and co‐citational analysis examine the way in which authors reference publications to build a greater understanding of the body of knowledge which underwrites a discipline. Identifies seminal works and eminent authors, and four areas of specialization within the property discipline. These are income valuation methods, leasehold valuation, property investment and the use of expert systems in residential valuation. Concludes that citational and co‐citational analysis provide useful techniques to explore and document the development of the property literature. Provides a preliminary investigation and a base for future research.