Mapping the Landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with a setting in Corporate Governance Research

In recent years there has been a growing interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) topics, as key elements in addressing current economic and social challenges. This article aims to provide insights regarding the evolution of DEI in the context of corporate governance, presenting an analysis of publications’ structure and the major themes on the topic. Bibliometric techniques are utilized along with frequency and descriptive statistics. A final sample of 983 scientific publications from the Web of Science database were analyzed. The dynamic of publications is approached by delineating the time frame according to the geographical evolution of literature. Descriptive analysis is used to examine the characteristics of papers, to identify the best documented and the most cited ones. Network analysis projected in VOS viewer is applied to present the scientific collaboration between authors and universities, along with the keyword co-occurrence. The results emphasize that DEI research has increased significantly in the past five years, with a preponderance of publications from developed countries. The papers published in journals are better documented and more cited compared to conference proceedings. Muchmore, most articles emphasize the importance of gender diversity in corporate boards. This study provides a valuable contribution for academia, offering a comprehensive overview of the current state of DEI research, and for businesses by synthesizing information on a salient issue of interest to decision-makers and practitioners. Therefore, this contributes to a more profound understanding of the field and provides guidance for future research.