Intellectual and cognitive structures of the agricultural competitiveness research under climate change and structural transformation

Abstract

Research background: Although agricultural competitiveness is not a new topic, it is worth noting that it has recently come back to the attention of researchers due to various factors such as climate change, food security, price uncertainty, or structural transformation. Consequently, a growing number of articles have emerged on this subject, leading to shifts in overarching research trends and the structure of research within this domain. Purpose of the article: This study aims to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the research constituents within the field of agricultural competitiveness. Additionally, it seeks to unveil the intellectual and cognitive frameworks spanning the years 1990 to 2022. This exploration will enable the identification of thematic clusters that both shape and guide the field, shedding light on current research trends. Methods: This research employs bibliometric analysis, specifically employing performance analysis and science mapping techniques like bibliographic coupling and co-word analyses. These tools are harnessed to scrutinize the constituents of research and the underlying intellectual and cognitive structures inherent to the agricultural competitiveness field. A dataset of 622 articles from the Web of Science database was subjected to analysis using the VOSviewer software. Findings & value added: The findings prominently illustrate a notable surge in research activity within this domain, with a substantial proportion of articles originating from the United States. The study further identifies six distinct research topics within agricultural competitiveness: (1) energy efficiency and bioenergy, (2) price fluctuation, uncertainty, and market behavior, (3) structural transformation of agriculture, (4) rural development, (5) policy issues, and (6) climate change. Moreover, the research offers insights into potential future research avenues. The uniqueness and value of this work stem from its pioneering approach, being the first to synthesize agricultural competitiveness research through an amalgamation of bibliometric techniques. Furthermore, the study contributes substantially to the theoretical advancement of agricultural competitiveness research.