Economic Convergence Analyses in Perspective: A Bibliometric Mapping and Its Strategic Implications (1982–2025)

Journal
Economies
ISSN
2227-7099
Date Issued
2025-10-04
Author(s)
García Vidal Geisel
Asociación Nacional de Economistas y Contadores de Cuba (ANEC), Asociación de Pedagogos de Cuba (APC), Capítulo Cuba de la Asociación de Educadores de América Latina y del Caribe (AELAC), Fundación Universitaria Comfenalco Santander, Instituto Superior Pedagógico "José Martí", Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente, Red Iberoamericana de Medio Ambiente (REIMA, A.C.), Universidad de Camagüey, Universidad de Ciencias Pedagógicas "José Martí", Unión de Informáticos de Cuba (UIC)
Néstor Alberto Loredo-Carballo
DOI
URL
Abstract
This study presents a bibliometric and thematic analysis of economic convergence analysis from 1982 to 2025, based on a corpus of 2924 Scopus-indexed articles. Using VOSviewer and the bibliometrix R package, this research maps the field’s intellectual structure, identifying five main thematic clusters: (1) formal statistical models, (2) institutional-contextual approaches, (3) theoretical–statistical foundations, (4) nonlinear historical dynamics, and (5) normative and policy assessments. These reflect a shift from descriptive to explanatory and prescriptive frameworks, with growing integration of sustainability, spatial analysis, and institutional factors. The most productive journals include Journal of Econometrics (121 articles), Applied Economics (117), and Journal of Cleaner Production (81), while seminal contributions by Quah, Im et al., and Levin et al. anchor the co-citation network. International collaboration is significant, with 25.99% of publications involving cross-country co-authorship, particularly in European and North American networks. The field has grown at a compound annual rate of 14.4%, accelerating after 2000 and peaking in 2022–2024, indicating sustained academic interest. These findings highlight the maturation of convergence analysis as a multidisciplinary domain. Practically, this study underscores the value of composite indicators and spatial econometric models for monitoring regional, environmental, and technological convergence—offering policymakers tools for inclusive growth, climate resilience, and innovation strategies. Moreover, the emergence of clusters around sustainability and digital transformation reveals fertile ground for future research at the intersection of transitions in energy, digital, and institutional domains and sustainable development (a broader sense of structural change).