Towards Understanding and Sustaining Natural Resource Systems through the Systems Perspective: A Systematic Evaluation

Yong S. Nyam, Julius H. Kotir, Andries J. Jordaan, Abiodun A. Ogundeji, Adetoso A. Adetoro and Israel R. Orimoloye
Additional contact information
Yong S. Nyam: Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State, P.O Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
Julius H. Kotir: CSIRO Agriculture & Food, 203 Tor Street, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Andries J. Jordaan: Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State, P.O Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
Abiodun A. Ogundeji: Department of Agricultural Economics, University of the Free State, P.O Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
Adetoso A. Adetoro: Department of Agricultural Economics, University of the Free State, P.O Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
Israel R. Orimoloye: Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State, P.O Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: A bibliometric and network analysis was performed to explore global research publication trends and to investigate relevant policy recommendations in the field of sustainability of natural resources, system dynamics, and systems thinking, to solve water resources issues and enhance water resource management. Overall, 1674 academic research articles data were generated from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, from 1981 to 2019. The findings of this study revealed that system dynamics and systems thinking research has significantly increased over the last decade (from 40 to 250 articles). Countries such as the USA (20%), China (18%), the United Kingdom (5%), Canada, Iran, Australia, and India (4% each) have the most publications and strongest collaborative networks. Sterman (2000) and Forrester (1961) had the most co-cited research while Zhang X had the highest citations, respectively. Results also showed that system theory which includes systems thinking and system dynamics were the most used keywords. The Journal of Cleaner Production was found to have published the highest number of systems thinking and system dynamics related studies, perhaps due to scope relevance. Despite the exponential rise in natural resource sustainability research globally, the result of this study shows that developing countries especially in Africa have low numbers of research publications in the field. Thus, the result of this study serves as a signal for policymakers to increase attention on research publications that could enhance natural resource sustainability, particularly in less developed countries in Africa where the application of systems thinking to natural resource management is limited.

Keywords: systems thinking; system dynamics; agricultural sustainability; water management; natural resource management; bibliometric analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/23/9871/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/23/9871/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:23:p:9871-:d:451097

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().