E-Commerce Research Trend Forecasting: A Study of Bibliometric Methodology

Abstract

This paper surveys e-com merce (EC) technology trends and forecasts u sing bibliometric analysis from 1 989 to 200 9 w ith topi c as “e-com merce” i n S SCI da tabase. T he bi bliometric analytical technique is used to examine the topic in SSCI journals from 1989 to 2009, based on the scope of 2655 literatures of EC. This paper implemented and classified EC literatures using the seven catego ries f or diff erent distribution statu s in orde r t o explore h ow EC t echnology trends and applications have developed in th is period. Also, the paper will perform K-S test to verify the reliability of Lotka’s Law. The analysis provides a roadmap to guide future research and a bstract the t rend inf ormation so that EC researchers c an save some t ime sin ce c ore knowledge will be concentrated in core categories. This implies that the phenomenon "success breeds success" is more common in higher quality publications.