Sustainable organizational development and human capital in the context of soft systems methodology

As the world faces major challenges related to the climate change and geopolitical hurdles, soft systems methodology (SSM) and institutional factors offer a complex approach that might be helpful in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and are therefore gaining an increasing popularity in the research literature.By embracing the principles of SSM within the realm of institutional economics, academics and decision-makers can navigate through the complexities of real-world problems and devise effective strategies for addressing them.Understanding the intricate relationship between SSM and institutional economics offers a unique lens through which organizational performance and sustainability can be enhanced.This synergy, when explored and applied judiciously, provides a comprehensive framework that addresses not only the technical aspects of an organization but also its socio-economic dimensions.In the empirical part of the paper, a bibliometric analysis is used based on the sample of 76 documents indexed in Web of Science (WoS) database between 1995 and 2023.The network cluster analysis using the text data and the bibliometric data is employed using the VOSViewer software for network analysis.The results show that as the economic and social processes are becoming more robust, SSM and institutional economics are currently returning to the spotlight of the academic research focused on topics such as organizational performance and sustainability as well as sustainable human capital efficiency.