Bibliometric Analysis of Project Delay Research in Nepal (2014–2025)

Abstract

Project delays and cost overruns are common in Nepal’s construction sector. This study maps how research on these issues has grown and what it mainly discusses. Papers were collected from Nepal Journals Online (NepJOL) and the IOE Graduate Conference Proceedings from 2014 to 2025. Of the 48 records, 33 papers were included after screening. VOSviewer was used to examine publication trends, key sources, author collaboration, and major topics using keyword links and bibliographic coupling. Results show a clear rise in delay-related studies in recent years, mostly published in local journals and conference proceedings. Many studies focus on hydropower and road projects and often use survey methods such as the relative importance Index (RII) and risk/performance frameworks. Author collaboration is limited and mainly involves a small group of researchers and institutions. This review summarizes the main themes and highlights gaps for future studies in Nepal.