Contribution of research on mentoring, leadership and social responsibility: a bibliometric and visualization analysis

This study examines the evolution and intellectual structure of research on mentoring and its connections with leadership and social responsibility through bibliometric analysis. Drawing on 291 publications indexed in Scopus, the study analyses global research trends, influential contributors, collaboration networks, and thematic developments. Findings show steady growth in mentoring research, with an annual growth rate of 7.31%, alongside a concentration of production in developed countries and limited international collaboration. The analysis identifies three intellectual clusters and two dominant thematic areas: mentoring as a mechanism for leadership development, and mentoring in relation to diversity and gender, particularly women’s professional trajectories. These findings position mentoring as a relational and developmental process that supports individual growth while embedding socially responsible values in organisational and educational contexts. The study contributes by mapping intersections between mentoring, leadership, and social responsibility, highlighting gaps, emerging trends, and opportunities for future research on mentoring practices and learning partnerships.