Mapping the Intellectual Core of Sustainable Digital Business Model Innovation

The convergence of digital transformation and sustainability has become a critical imperative for modern enterprises, yet the intellectual structure of this emerging field remains fragmented. This study aims to systematically map the scholarly landscape of Digital Business Model Innovation for Sustainability (DBMI-S) to delineate its foundational concepts and evolutionary trends. Utilizing a comprehensive bibliometric analysis, this research examines 294 Scopus-indexed publications from 2004 to 2024. The methodology involved co-occurrence network analysis and the application of Bradford’s Law to identify influential contributions and thematic clusters. The results reveal a significant and accelerating growth in research output, particularly between 2023 and 2024, underscoring the topic’s increasing relevance. Key research clusters are centered around "Business Model Innovation," "Digital Transformation," "Sustainable Development," and "Circular Economy," indicating a highly interdisciplinary domain. Influential journals such as Sustainability and Journal of Cleaner Production form the intellectual backbone, while strong international collaboration is evident. This study concludes that DBMI-S is a rapidly maturing research area with a distinct intellectual core. The findings provide a robust framework for academics to identify research gaps and for practitioners to understand the strategic integration of digital technologies for sustainable value creation, guiding future exploration in sector-specific applications and conceptual development.