Mapping the research landscape on employee satisfaction and loyalty: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of linking employee satisfaction with employee loyalty to clarify the intellectual and thematic structure of previous research. The purpose of the literature review is to identify key concepts that may influence employee satisfaction and employee loyalty, while also establishing a foundation for future research in this area through bibliometric analysis. A total of 4,690 Scopus-indexed articles were identified, while 95 of them were used for further analysis after refining through the PRISMA criteria. Bibliometrix (R) and Biblioshiny were employed for performance analysis and science mapping, including co-citation, thematic evolution, and co-word networks. Findings reveal that there are distinct knowledge clusters centred on organisational commitment, job satisfaction, trust, and service quality, while loyalty-focused constructs remain underdeveloped and fragmented and are often embedded within broader constructs rather than being examined as a distinct theoretical domain. India demonstrates high productivity but limited global citation influence, indicating a research-impact asymmetry. The study advances the literature by offering a consolidated evidence base, uncovering structural gaps, and outlining future research pathways that integrate behavioural, psychological, and organisational decision-science perspectives specifically to enhance loyalty through satisfaction level.