Microcredit and Poverty Alleviation: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Trends and Intellectual Structure Space

  • Zuraidah Mohamed Isa Faculty of Business and Management, Digital Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship, Universiti Teknologi MARA Kedah Branch
  • Zaiful Affendi Ahmad Zabib Sekolah Kebangsaan Semeling, Semeling, Bedong, Kedah
  • Rini Lestari Universitas Islam Bandung
  • Afida Ahmad Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Cawangan Kedah, Kampus Sungai Petani, Kedah
Keywords: Microcredit, Poverty alleviation, Financial inclusion, Bibliometric analysis, Sustainable development

Abstract

This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to map the global research landscape on microcredit and poverty alleviation, addressing the central question: What are the global research trends and intellectual structures within this field? The analysis follows a systematic approach guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework to ensure transparency and replicability. A total of 257 Scopus-indexed publications from 1996 to 2026 were examined. To ensure analytical robustness, the study employed Harzing’s Publish or Perish (PoP) and OpenRefine to extract and refine citation metrics, facilitating the calculation of key indicators such as the h-index, g-index, citation counts, and average citations per paper (Harzing, 2007). The study also employs VOSviewer to examine publication patterns, co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence, and network visualization. In addition, the results reveal a steady increase in publications since 2017, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and digital financial inclusion initiatives. World Development, Journal of Development Studies, and Economic and Political Weekly emerged as the most active source titles. Citation analysis demonstrates a mature intellectual structure, with highly cited works such as Karlan and Zinman (2011) and Crépon et al. (2015) highlighting a methodological shift toward causal inference. Collectively, the findings underscore the field’s evolution toward interdisciplinary, evidence-based inquiry that continues to shape global poverty alleviation discourse.

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References

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Published
2025-11-23
How to Cite
Mohamed Isa, Z., Ahmad Zabib, Z. A., Lestari, R., & Ahmad, A. (2025). Microcredit and Poverty Alleviation: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Trends and Intellectual Structure Space. Information Management and Business Review, 17(4(I), 94-111. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v17i4(I).4740
Section
Research Paper