Beyond the Private Sector: A Bibliometric Analysis of Corporate Governance in Public Services

Abstract

The study focuses on the theoretical framework and dynamic evolution of corporate governance in the public sector and offers a comprehensive analysis of corporate governance. The main objective of the research was to systematically review the main governance theories applied to public services to clarify the developments in concepts and identify emerging trends. Using VOSviewer software, bibliometric methods have been used. Data from the Web of Science Core Collection was collected and strict filters were used to narrow the initial set to 196 relevant publications over the past two years. The analysis included co-citation, keyword co-occurrence, network analysis, and mapping influential works, dominant themes, and research relationships. The results show a clear shift from the traditional efficiency-oriented model to a more holistic approach to governance paradigms. Although agency theory has an impact, it is now supplemented by stakeholder theory and management theory that emphasize ethical leadership and social responsibility. The study found that academic contributions are concentrated in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, although emerging contributions from Latin America and other regions show growing diversification. A key discovery is the increasing relevance of sustainability and social responsibility in the research on the governance of the public sector. JEL: G34, H83, M14, L38