Insights into CEO duality in corporate governance: a bibliometric and systematic analysis approach

Purpose This study aims to analyze chief executive officer (CEO) duality in corporate governance by using Scopus data. It explores CEO duality research trends across diverse corporate governance contexts and disciplines, shaping the future research agenda, and proposing recommendations for further investigations in this area. Design/methodology/approach This analysis is conducted through VOSviewer software and Biblioshiny by extracting the bibliometric network from the output files of the Scopus bibliographic database. Findings Research on CEO duality centers on keywords such as corporate governance, agency theory, board of directors, board size and firm performance. Word tree maps uncover various research areas and gaps. Top authors are Elsyed K. & Rashid K, with the University of Utara Malaysia as the leading organization. Main disciplines are “Business Management and Accounting” followed by “Economics.” “Corporate Governance: An International Review” tops the journals with 1,120 citations. Quantitative methods using secondary data dominate (94%), mostly from nonfinancial industries (96%). Theoretical lenses include agency theory, stewardship theory, stakeholder theory, resource dependence theory and institutional theory. Firm performance is the most researched aspect (38% of studies) concerning CEO duality. Practical implications Bibliometric and systematic analysis offer researchers a general overview and in-depth insights into current CEO duality research trends, influential articles and keywords in corporate governance. This study’s findings benefit research institutions, professional bibliometric users and funding agencies alike. Originality/value By visualizing bibliometric networks and conducting systematic analysis of top-cited articles, this study not only advances the academic understanding of CEO duality in corporate governance but also provides actionable recommendations for researchers, practitioners and policymakers to enhance governance practices and contribute to the field’s evolving body of knowledge.