Gig economy and digital adoption: A bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer

Abstract

This study aims to explore the intellectual structure, collaboration networks and emerging research trends of the gig economy and digital adoption using bibliometric analysis. The bibliographic data published from 2016 to 2025 were obtained from Lens.org and analyzed using VOSviewer (Version 1.6.20). Co-authorship analysis, keyword cooccurrence analysis and citation analysis were carried out to identify dominant authors, predominant research topics and knowledge networks of the discipline. The results indicate a significant growth in the level of academic interest in the gig economy and digital adoption intersection. The co-authorship analysis revealed the active cooperation between the academics. The key topics emerging from keyword analysis were gig economy, digital adoption, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, platform economy, employment, technology adoption and workforce development. The citation analysis revealed the most productive authors and the most cited papers, which had an important role in development of this research field. The study contributes to the understanding of the growing intersection between the gig economy and digital adoption by providing a holistic intellectual map and suggesting future research themes for sustainable digital labour ecosystems.