A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Footwear Industry

Abstract

Footwear plays a crucial role in safeguarding and providing comfort to human feet, making it an object of interest for both fashion and health considerations. Over recent years, there has been a notable surge in footwear research, spanning various domains such as biomechanics, materials science, design, and comfort. The objective of this bibliometric analysis is to scrutinize the trends and patterns prevalent in footwear literature. The methodology employed entailed a systematic exploration of academic publications pertaining to footwear, utilizing the Scopus database, renowned for its comprehensive coverage of scholarly works. Employing search terms like "footwear industry," "shoes," "boots," and "sneakers," articles were selected if they featured any of these terms in their title, abstract, or keywords. The data analysis was executed using Rstudio and VOSviewer software, facilitating the visualization of keyword co-occurrences and citation networks. The findings underscore a remarkable expansion in footwear studies, evident through a diverse array of research themes and contributions originating from various countries. Indeed, footwear research has experienced substantial growth over the past two decades, as evidenced by the escalating number of publications and citations. Leading the charge in footwear literature contributions is the United States, closely followed by China and Italy. Footwear emerges as an intriguing and indispensable subject of inquiry, garnering increased attention and significance in recent times. This bibliometric analysis furnishes an overview of the prevailing research trends and patterns within footwear literature, offering valuable insights for researchers and practitioners alike to discern research lacunae and chart future research trajectories.