Abstract

This study aims to understand the research landscape of South Korea using the data of 2020 Google Scholar Metrics. To achieve the goal, we constructed and analyzed four types of networks including the university collaboration network, the keyword co-occurrence network, the journal citation network, and the discipline citation network. Through the analysis of the university collaboration network, we found major universities such as Seoul National University, Keimyung University, and Sungkyunkwan University that have led collaborative research. Job related keywords such as job change intention and job satisfaction have been frequently studied with other keywords. Through the analysis of the journal citation network, we found multiple journals such as The Journal of the Korea Contents Association, Korean Journal of Sociology, and Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issues that have been widely cited by the other journals and influenced them. Finally, Education, Business administration, and Social welfare were identified as the top influential disciplines that have influenced other disciplines through the knowledge diffusion. The study is the first of its kind to use the data of Google Scholar Metrics and conduct a stepwise network analysis (e.g., keyword, journal, and discipline) to broadly understand the research landscape of South Korea. Our results can be used by government agencies and universities to develop effective strategies of promoting university collaboration and interdisciplinary research.