Mapping the Evolution of Accounting Conservatism Research: A Bibliometric Review

Accounting Conservatism (AC) is a fundamental concept in financial reporting, advocating for prudence in the recognition of financial information. Despite its critical role, there has been limited bibliometric analysis on AC research. This study addresses this gap by evaluating the evolution, current trends and future directions of AC research through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. The research objectives are to identify prevailing research trends and citation patterns in the field of AC, explore key themes and influential works, assess the applicability of Lotka’s Law to AC research and propose future research directions based on the findings. By providing a detailed bibliometric analysis, this research offers valuable insights into the development of AC literature, highlights significant contributors and informs stakeholders about emerging trends and potential research gaps. The study employed a systematic approach to analyze 403 documents retrieved from the Scopus database using the search term "accounting conservatism." Data were cleaned and harmonized, and bibliometric analysis was conducted using tools including Microsoft Excel, Open Refine, VOSviewer and biblioMagika. VOSviewer was utilized to map research networks and visualize key themes. The analysis reveals a significant increase in AC publications since 2000, with 89% published as articles in English. Major contributors include the US, China, Australia, Canada and the UK. Influential works by Khan and Watts (2009) and Kim and Zhang (2016) were identified, alongside notable authors such as Anwer S. Ahmed and Gerald J. Lobo. Key themes include "Conditional Accounting Conservatism," "Information Asymmetry," and "Unconditional Accounting Conservatism." Lotka’s Law was applied, illustrating concentrated productivity among select authors, paralleling the principles of AC. This study enhances the understanding of AC research trends and provides practical implications for financial reporting and regulatory practices. It also suggests areas for future research, including the exploration of additional databases and emerging AC themes.