Social impact bonds in Europe after Covid-19 crisis: A bibliometric analysis

This study performs a bibliometric and content analysis on the development of Social Income Bonds (SIBs) in Europe, which shows a gap, especially after the COVID– pandemic. The purpose of this research is to answer the following research questions: what is the current status of the literature on social impact bonds in European countries after the COVID–19 crisis? Who are the most influential authors in the field? Could social impact bonds become a shared pattern in Europe to efficiently measure the social impact of public–private partnership? Why were SIBs implemented in some European countries but not in others? With this objective in mind, the study provides a bibliometric analysis; it answers unanswered questions in three key areas, and it offers directions for future studies. From a practical perspective, the study aims to give practical indications to policymakers and practitioners to make the outcome–based approach more efficient and resilient to crises. It also aims to provide academic researchers with a new direction for further research in this growing field.