This study outlines current research trends and patterns in the domain of Internet of Things (IoT) within the public sector. The purpose of this study is to guide new researchers with a clear roadmap for understanding IoT’s complexities and opportunities in this domain.
This study conducts a bibliometric and content analysis of 841 IoT articles indexed in the Web of Science database, covering a span of over 14 years. The bibliometric analysis, using the advanced R-software-based tool Biblioshiny, provides insights into key metrics such as popular keywords, publication productivity, leading journals and prolific authors within the IoT domain. In addition, content analysis was carried out using Atlas.ti software to ascertain the most prevalent IoT applications, the most frequently studied areas and the dominant application areas of IoT technologies within the domain.
The study reveals IoT’s influence on public sector innovation and its increasing adoption. It identifies dominant themes such as smart cities, artificial intelligence and blockchain, alongside emerging areas like IoT in health care, urban development and public safety. The research stresses the need for robust security and privacy measures in the public sector’s expanding IoT use.
This research offers a seminal exploration of IoT within the public sector, addressing a notable gap in current business and management literature. It synthesizes 14 years of research, offering a foundation for future academic and practical work. The findings act as a guide, suggesting innovative future research directions that use IoT’s transformative potential in public services.
