Multi-Regional Input-Output Analysis (MRIO): Exploring Trends and Gaining Key Insights Through Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract Understanding the interaction of economies with the environment is very important in today’s globalized world. Traditional economic models, which focus on single regions, are often inadequate for capturing the complexity of these global interactions. To overcome this, Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) matrices expand conventional Input Output (IO) models by incorporating multiple regions, providing a comprehensive view of economic relationships within the global economy. The purpose of this study is to present a comprehensive bibliometric review of scientific articles published on the topic of “Multi-Regional Input-Output” analysis in an attempt to understand the research trends, key themes, and future research directions in this field. The methodology undertaken in this paper is a bibliometric analysis of 1,247 research publications from 2003 to 2024. This has been performed by extracting bibliometric data with the Biblioshiny function of the Bibliometrix package in R-studio and mapping it to identify crucial trends and contributors to MRIO research. The findings of these analyses can be summarised into five key points. First, research in the MRIO field is significantly increasing, especially since 2014 and peaking in 2022. Second, the Journal of Cleaner Production is by far the most prolific source for MRIO research. The thematic analysis finds that “carbon pricing,” “environmental policy,” and “embodied energy” are among the dominant and popular themes within MRIO research. The study highlights the importance of collaboration networks and key contributors within the field, identifying influential authors, sources, and trending keywords. Furthermore, the study underlines that important authors, sources and trending keywords in MRIO research agree with the pattern of collaboration extrapolated considering works cited. Finally, great value is put into future research to investigate new themes and work further on integrating and consolidating them into a wider MRIO framework. This is one of the first attempts at a bibliometric analysis of MRIO research. Hence, this bibliometric review provides valuable insights for future research by pinpointing areas for further investigation, such as integrating MRIO methodologies into broader sustainability assessment frameworks and improving their applicability for policy decision-making.