Towards Understanding the Crossroad between Sustainability and Open Innovation: A Systematic Bibliometric Analysis

Authors: Pompei Mititean, Dumitru-Petrică Becheș

Abstract

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of academic literature at the intersection of sustainability and open innovation, covering a dataset of 248 publications indexed in the Web of Science between 2007 and 2025. The objective was to identify the intellectual structure of the field, key contributors, and thematic trajectories by applying the PRISMA framework and utilising the Bibliometrix tools. The results reveal a growing scholarly interest in how open innovation – through external collaboration, knowledge sharing, and stakeholder participation –can support sustainable development. The study identifies four main research themes: performance, quality, alliances, and participation. Performance and quality clusters emerge as central to understanding how open innovation impacts economic and sustainable outcomes. The alliances cluster highlights the strategic role of interorganisational collaboration in advancing sustainability practices, while the participation theme underscores the importance of stakeholder engagement and inclusivity in innovation processes. These findings suggest that open innovation acts as a key enabler of sustainability-orientated innovation by enhancing knowledge flows and expanding organisational learning capacities. The paper contributes to a more structured understanding of the field of sustainability and open innovation and provides a foundation for future research aimed at exploring underdeveloped areas such as digital transformation, innovation driven by social networks, and regional comparative studies.