MAPPING THE RESEARCH LANDSCAPE ON AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP AND WORK PERFORMANCE: A BIBLIOMETRIC REVIEW

Abstract

Authentic leadership has developed as a pivotal construct in organizational behavior research, particularly concerning its influence on employee work performance. Despite growing scholarly interest, the evolution, thematic structure, and research trends in this domain remain fragmented. This research aims to systematically map the global research landscape on authentic leadership and work performance using bibliometric analysis. The main objective is to identify publication trends, influential authors, core journals, collaborating countries, and thematic clusters that define the field. A total of 2,942 documents were retrieved from the Scopus database, spanning from inception until 2024. To ensure data consistency and reliability, OpenRefine was used for data cleaning and standardization. VOSviewer software was employed for co-authorship, co-citation, and keyword co-occurrence network visualizations, while the Scopus Analyzer provided descriptive statistics on publication and citation trends. The findings reveal a steady growth in publications over the last decade, with the United States, China, as well as the United Kingdom being the most prolific contributors. High-impact journals and key authors were identified, along with the most frequently cited articles shaping theoretical and empirical foundations. Keyword analysis indicated strong thematic linkages between authentic leadership, work engagement, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and employee performance. The co-authorship network suggests increasing international collaboration, while the co-citation analysis highlights a consolidated knowledge base anchored in leadership theory, positive psychology, and performance management. This review not only offers an in-depth overview of past and current research trends but also identifies underexplored areas and potential directions for future studies. The study contributes to the consolidation of authentic leadership research and provides a valuable reference point for academics, practitioners, and policymakers aiming to enhance employee performance through leadership practices rooted in authenticity.