Mapping Social Media Use by the Non-profit Sector: A Bibliometric Analysis and Future Research Agenda

Abstract

Purpose-Social media has grown into an important tool for communication for many organizations, including non-profits. Though there have been multifarious attempts to synthesize the extant research on social media use by for-profit organizations, there is a lack of comprehensive mapping and analysis of studies that focus on social media use by non-profits. Using bibliometric analysis, this study traces the evolution of the knowledge base on the role of social media in the non-profit sector and identifies the emerging aspects and possible directions for future research in this area.

Design/ Methodology/Approach- Using relevant search terms, the study used the Scopus database to identify 129 documents on the use of social media by non-profits. Biblioshiny and VOS Viewer were employed to perform bibliometric analysis and visualize research trends within this field of study.

Findings- The analysis indicates a rising trend in the number of articles and citations related to social media and non-profits since the first paper published in the year 2009. The study identifies leading authors, institutes, countries, and journals. Additionally, techniques such as citation analysis, co-occurrence network, and thematic maps are used to understand the evolution of scientific research and identify patterns and relationships between various research themes and concepts.

Practical Implications- This study synthesizes the academic literature on social media in the non-profit sector by providing a comprehensive analysis of existing literture. It offers valuable insights to various stakeholders including non-profit organizations, government, public policymakers, academicians, and researchers.