Islamic Work Ethic and Related Workplace Ethics Research: A Bibliometric and Science-Mapping Analysis

Abstract

Islamic Work Ethic (IWE) has become an established construct in management research, yet the development, intellectual structure, and thematic evolution of this literature remain insufficiently mapped. This study aims to examine the evolution, publication and citation patterns, influential sources, conceptual structure, and emerging themes of IWE and related Islamic workplace ethics research. A bibliometric analysis and scientific mapping approach was applied to 206 relevant articles published between 1988 and 2026 and indexed in Scopus. Publication growth, citation patterns, journal productivity, highly cited documents, publication life cycles, and author-keyword networks were analysed using BiblioSpy®. The findings show that the literature has expanded from foundational work on the conceptualisation and measurement of IWE towards research on organisational commitment, job satisfaction, organisational justice, organisational citizenship behaviour, knowledge sharing, knowledge hiding, abusive supervision, and employee performance. Journal and citation patterns indicate that the literature has developed a visible knowledge base, although its publication outlets remain concentrated in business ethics, Islamic management, and related specialist journals. Keyword mapping further reveals a central IWE research stream alongside partially separate themes involving Islamic business ethics, religiosity, banking, workplace attitudes, and performance. The temporal analysis indicates a shift from foundational ethical concepts towards more applied organisational and behavioural outcomes. Overall, the study provides a field-level account of IWE scholarship and identifies the need for clearer conceptual boundaries, stronger theoretical integration, and broader organisational applications.