Social Value Trends in Construction Research: A Bibliometric Review of the Past Decade

Abstract

This study explores the current landscape of social value (SV) research in the construction industry, analyzing global trends and identifying future research directions. Using bibliometric analysis, research published in Elsevier Scopus database from 2013 to 2023 was extracted using the keywords “social value” AND “construction industry.” The results indicate fluctuating but growing interest in the subject area of social value in construction research over the past decade with 2020 recording the highest number of publications. Our findings show a focus on social value indicators, socioeconomic impacts, project management, innovative practices, and cross-sector collaborations. Additionally, there is a strong tendency in social value (SV) research in the construction sector to favor the social procurement and measurement of social value variables in construction projects. This study contributes to the academic literature by examining the research focuses and identifying the trends in social value research within the construction sector over the previous ten years, as well as by emphasizing new knowledge areas. It suggests the need for guidelines for the integration in construction processes in both developing and developed countries and advocates for further research on social value in the built environment. The study also reveals a lack of attention to social value (SV) in African countries’ construction sectors. Additionally, it calls for innovative strategies to be employed for the creation of social value in the sector globally.