From Engagement to Mastery: A Bibliometric Analysis of Gamification in Corporate Learning

Abstract

Gamification has received increasing attention as an approach to support engagement and learning in corporate contexts. However, the conceptual development and thematic structure of research on gamification in corporate learning remain insufficiently consolidated. This study maps the development, intellectual structure, and emerging research themes in corporate gamification research and identifies areas requiring further conceptual integration. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 110 distinct English-language journal articles published between 2018 and 2024, retrieved from Scopus and ScienceDirect. Data were analyzed using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix through publication performance, co-authorship, co-citation, and keyword co-occurrence analyses. The findings indicate growing research attention to gamification, motivation, game mechanics, and employee outcomes, with Self-Determination Theory emerging as a prominent theoretical perspective. The thematic structure emphasizes design elements, motivation, employee outcomes, and organizational context, while organizational culture and integration across learning perspectives appear comparatively less central. The findings suggest opportunities for more integrated models connecting motivational, learning, instructional, and organizational perspectives. Practically, gamification should be aligned with learning objectives, competency development, organizational values, and cultural context. These findings provide a basis for future empirical research across diverse organizational settings.