Mapping the Research Frontier of Business Continuity Management: A Bibliometric Analysis
Abstract
This study addresses Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Business Continuity Planning (BCP) research, while significant theoretical gaps remain in finance-specific frameworks and emerging market applications. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 491 journal articles retrieved from Scopus and OpenAlex using a structured search query combining “business continuity” with terms encompassing methodology, frameworks, and organizational resilience, covering the period from 2010 to 2026. The analysis employed publication trend mapping, source and author productivity assessment, geographic distribution analysis, and thematic and conceptual mapping to offer an in-depth review of the BCM research frontier. Results show that BCM has evolved as a multidisciplinary field with resilient publication activity and a concentrated core of productive journals and author contributors from diverse nations. Thematic mapping identifies motor themes including finance, economics, and marketing of business, technology, and risk management in computer science and security. Geographic analysis shows that developed economies with emerging markets playing a role. Two significant research deficiencies are identified: the lack of specialized finance-oriented BCM frameworks that tackle regulatory complexity and systemic risk, and the inadequate adaptation of BCM practices to the contexts of emerging markets. These findings provide for future research to develop BCP models, contextualize BCM for emerging economies, and embed continuity governance within broader strategic and digital transformation architectures.