Governance of the Extractive Industry and Public Policy in Fostering Sustainable Development: A Systematic Literature Review in Developing Countries
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Abstract
This systematic literature review (SLR) provides an analysis of 41 scholarly articles on extractive industry governance and sustainable development in developing countries published between 2008 and 2025. It uses a combined quantitative bibliometric approach using VOSviewer and an in-depth qualitative analysis to examine the research trends, themes and evolution in this field. The study’s novelty lies in its use of VOSviewer for public administration research and its integration of both quantitative and qualitative methods for holistic interpretation. The findings indicate a sharp increase in publications, reaching a maximum in 2024. Although the review period extends to 2025, the slight decrease in the final year reflects a partial data collection period (up to August 2025) rather than a decrease in academic interest, underscoring the ongoing urgency of sustainability issues. Geographically, the research is concentrated in the resource-rich countries of Africa and Latin America, with Nigeria and Australia being the most studied countries. Cluster analysis revealed two primary themes: sustainable development, which links extractive governance to global agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the governance approach, which is focused on internal frameworks and mechanisms such as stakeholder theory and decision-making. Transparency initiatives such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Social License to Operate (SLO) are a central focus in the reviewed literature. This study contributes to the landscape of academic knowledge and provides an evidence-based strategic guide for policymakers while also identifying research gaps for future exploration.
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