50 years of rural labor productivity: A systematic review of economic literature
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775.002Keywords
labor productivity, rural areas, systematic literature review, bibliometric analysis, network analysisAbstract
This study presents a systematic review of the economic literature on rural labor productivity over the past fifty years, utilizing bibliometric and network analysis to identify prevailing themes and research patterns. The review addresses three central questions: (1) What are the main research threads in rural labor productivity? (2) Which countries, journals, and publications are pivotal in this field? (3) How does rural labor productivity research remain relevant to modern economic analysis and policy? Drawing from 207 scientific articles indexed in the Scopus database, our analysis reveals five primary research themes: [1] Economic structure, policy, and labor dynamics; [2] Social, cultural, and human capital factors; [3] Land use and agricultural practices; [4] Infrastructure, urbanization, and economic growth; and [5] Environmental sustainability and technological support. Additionally, the network analysis identifies the United States, China, India, and several European countries as key collaborators in advancing rural productivity research, with prominent journals including World Development and Journal of Development Economics. The findings underscore the field’s relevance in addressing ongoing rural-urban disparities, gender and social equity issues, and sustainable development challenges. This review highlights future research opportunities, particularly in underrepresented regions and in exploring longitudinal impacts of rural labor productivity on economic growth.
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