Four decades of fuzzy sets theory in operations management: application of life-cycle, bibliometrics and content analysis

Abstract

The development of a scientific discipline is partly determined by the growth of its literature. Bibliometrics constitute a set of mathematical and statistical techniques employed to explore, organize, and quantitatively analyze large pools of scientific literature. In this study, 11,433 papers published between 1974 and 2015 are collected and analyzed by applying life-cycle analysis, bibliometrics and text mining in order to provide a full thematic overview of the application of fuzzy theory in operations management. Top countries (i.e. the most productive, influential and collaborative countries), most frequently cited journals, and key research topics are identified by employing bibliometric techniques. Finally, the articles’ common research themes and methodologies are determined by combining text mining with experts’ input. Results show that the application of fuzzy theory in operations management is still in its infancy, and hence suitable for future research. This study serves as a guide for researchers to identify the hidden patterns, key actors, topics, and methods in this area.