Public management of scientists’ potential as a source of economic development: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Particular hopes have always been placed on the potential of scientists because they can act as a driving force for effective government. Understanding the importance of scientists ensured progress and prosperity for leading civilizations. This study aims to identify an evolutionary-chronological, geographical, and contextual scientific landscape of the development and management of the potential of scientists through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Initially, 5619 publications in the Scopus database were selected from 1957 to 2023. The evolution of knowledge about the importance of public administration of scientific personnel began in 1957 and reached its peak in 2019. Authors from the USA, Great Britain, and Australia have published more about the significance of managing the potential of scientific personnel, and strong schools of knowledge about scientific personnel are concentrated in the USA, France, Canada, and Australia. The analysis of the research’s conceptual orientation shows that publications in environmental and social sciences dominate this sphere. In addition, the bibliometric analysis results show that public management of scientific personnel will bring benefits such as effective government policy decisions, increased innovation activity, commercialization, and improvement of the population’s social life. The results of this study lay the foundation for future research that should improve the management of scientific personnel’s potential.