The role of ombudsman institutions in governance: A bibliometric analysis (2000–2025)

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Abstract

This study examines the evolution of scholarly research on the role of the ombudsman in governance across various sectors between 2000 and 2025. A bibliometric methodology was applied, covering peer-reviewed literature indexed in the Scopus database. The analysis incorporated keyword mapping, cluster detection, and temporal trends to uncover the dominant research themes and conceptual developments (Zupic & Čater, 2014). A total of 322 documents and 81 keywords were examined after data cleaning and refinement. The co-occurrence network revealed several thematic areas, including corporate governance, financial services, public administration, and human rights protection. Over time, there has been a noticeable shift toward more inclusive and public-centred governance concepts, with recent studies increasingly focusing on legitimacy, participation, and social justice (Creutzfeldt, 2018). Notably, it was determined that an increased number of studies on the role of the ombudsman in corporate and financial governance is necessary. This bibliometric analysis contributes to the research field by showing how academic interest in ombudsman mechanisms aligns with developing governance challenges.

Keywords: Ombudsman, Governance, Corporate Governance, Bibliometric Analysis, Public Administration

Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — T.Z. and A.M.; Methodology — T.Z.; Formal Analysis — T.Z.; Investigation — T.Z.; Resources — T.Z.; Writing — Original Draft — T.Z.; Writing — Review & Editing — A.M.; Visualization — T.Z.; Supervision — A.M.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: H83, G28, G34, G38

Received: 04.06.2025
Revised: 17.09.2025; 15.12.2025
Accepted: 15.01.2026
Published online: 20.01.2026

How to cite this paper: Zhuntyrbayev, T., & Massalimova, A. (2026). The role of ombudsman institutions in governance: A bibliometric analysis (2000–2025). Journal of Governance and Regulation, 15(1), 138–149. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgrv15i1art13