Mapping the Emerging Field of Service Science: Insights from a Citation Network and Cocitation Network Analysis

The purpose of this study is to comprehensively map the recent additions to the body of knowledge in the service science discipline. Previous literature analyses insufficiently account for these developments or refrain from applying tool-based bibliographic analysis techniques. Following the introduction of the software tool CiteBridge, a citation network and a cocitation network are constructed based on 3,783 articles and 6,775 citations. Subsequently, both networks are analyzed (a) to map the scope and structure of the discipline, (b) to identify the most authoritative papers and literature review papers, (c) to discover clusters of research in the discipline, and (d) to explore if the service dominant logic of marketing has evolved into an overarching philosophical foundation for service research. The findings are intended to provide researchers with a sound orientation about the recent developments in the field and to further shape the evolution of service science as a research discipline.