Customer Engagement in Service Ecosystems: A Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis of Emerging Innovation Perspectives

Abstract

This study maps the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of customer engagement (CE) research within service ecosystems, tracing its shift from firm-centric to ecosystem-based and innovation-driven perspectives through a longitudinal bibliometric approach. A total of 1,139 peer-reviewed publications indexed in the Scopus database were analyzed using a systematic search strategy. Data cleaning and standardization were performed using biblioMagika® and OpenRefine to ensure consistency in author keywords, source titles, and bibliographic records. Bibliometric techniques, including performance analysis, co-occurrence analysis, thematic mapping, and thematic evolution analysis, were implemented using R-Biblioshiny and IIP Maps. The findings reveal that CE research has experienced sustained growth, with notable acceleration after 2019 reflecting increasingly scholarly interest in engagement as a dynamic and multidimensional concept. CE and loyalty form the field’s conceptual core, highlighting the continued importance of relational outcomes in service research. At the same time, emerging digital themes, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), immersive platforms, digital service innovation, and technology-enabled interactions, signal a shift toward innovation-enabled, ecosystem-oriented engagement. Thematic evolution further indicates a transition from relationship-based and customer-focused perspectives toward multi-actor, technology-embedded, and value co-creation perspectives within broader service ecosystems. This study contributes to the CE literature by providing a structured overview of key research trends, dominant themes, and emerging innovation perspectives. It also offers insights for scholars seeking to position future studies within the evolving CE knowledge domain. By integrating co-occurrence, thematic mapping, and thematic evolution analyses, this study provides a theory-informed, longitudinal overview of CE research that informs future innovation-oriented theory and research. The study is limited to publications indexed in Scopus and focuses on structural patterns rather than detailed content analysis. Future research could integrate multiple databases and qualitative approaches to extend these insights.