Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the patterns of international research collaboration in distribution science, retail management, and logistics studies in Central Asian emerging markets, with a particular focus on Kazakhstan. Research design, data, and methodology: Using bibliometric network analysis, the study analyzes 3,671 Scopus-indexed publications (2014–2024) affiliated with Central Asian institutions in distribution-related subject areas. Co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence maps, and citation overlay analyses are employed to identify collaboration structures, dominant research themes, and their relationship with citation performance. Publications were categorized into internationally co-authored (n=1,549) versus domestic-only (n=2,122) papers for comparative citation analysis. Results: The findings reveal a significant citation premium for internationally co-authored papers, which receive, on average, 89% more citations (mean=10.8) than domestic-only publications (mean=5.7). The co-authorship network analysis identifies a paradigm shift from traditional post-Soviet collaboration patterns toward diversified partnerships with Western European, East Asian, and North American institutions. The International Collaboration Rate increased from 27.0% in 2014 to 46.0% in 2024. Keyword analysis indicates strong alignment between regional research output and global trends in distribution science, particularly in e-commerce logistics, supply chain management, and sustainable distribution systems. Conclusions: This study contributes to the understanding of research internationalization dynamics in emerging markets and provides evidence-based recommendations for science policy aimed at enhancing research impact through strategic international collaboration in distribution science.