Automation and the Labour Market: A Systematic Literature Review Using Bibliometric Analysis of 20 Years (2002-2022)

Abstract

This study uses bibliometric analysis to integrate, synthesise, and expand the knowledge regarding the relationship between automation and the labour market. In this paper, the authors examined the Web of Science (WoS) core collection database for articles published between 2002 and 2022. The co-citation, co-occurrence, and publication patterns were analysed using VOSviewer 1.6.19. The study comprised 287 papers, with the United States having the highest percentage of research publications, followed by Germany, China, and the United Kingdom. The institutional study shows that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University, National Bureau of Economic Research, Harvard University, and the University of London are all leading institutions in this field of study and have more than 100 links. The co-occurrence of keywords revealed “automation”, “employment”, “growth”, and “jobs” as the most discussed terms. The paper concludes by identifying gaps in the literature and proposing possibilities for future studies.