Governance and Risk Issues of Foreign Contractors in Developing Countries: Global Research Trend

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research trends on governance and risk issues of foreign contractors in developing countries, an area that has gained increasing scholarly attention due to the expansion of cross-border construction and infrastructure projects. Foreign contractors operating in developing economies face complex governance challenges, regulatory uncertainties, and heightened risk exposure; however, existing studies remain fragmented across disciplines and regions, limiting a holistic understanding of the field. To address this gap, this study systematically maps the intellectual structure, publication patterns, thematic evolution, and international collaboration networks related to governance and risk issues in foreign contractor research. Data were collected using the Scopus advanced search engine, applying the keyword foreign contractor to titles, abstracts, and keywords. After applying inclusion criteria and restricting the analysis to the period between 2010 and 2026, a total of 530 final documents were retained for analysis. Descriptive statistics and publication trend analyses were conducted using the Scopus Analyzer, while data cleaning and harmonization were performed using OpenRefine to ensure consistency in author names, affiliations, and keywords. Bibliometric mapping and visualization were carried out using VOSviewer, enabling the analysis of author keyword co-occurrence and country-level co-authorship networks. The findings reveal a steady growth in research output, with major contributions originating from the United States, Malaysia, China, and the United Kingdom. Keyword co-occurrence analysis highlights core themes related to risk management, project governance, international construction, and infrastructure development, reflecting the multidimensional nature of governance and risk challenges faced by foreign contractors. International collaboration analysis further indicates strong cross-country research networks linking developed and developing economies. Overall, this study contributes to the literature by offering a structured and quantitative overview of global research trends, identifying influential themes and collaboration patterns, and providing a foundation for future research aimed at strengthening governance frameworks and risk management practices for foreign contractors in developing country contexts.