Rethinking Organization in the Age of Industry 4.0 and 5.0: A Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis of the Literature on Performance and Sustainability

Abstract

This article provides a bibliometric and thematic analysis of scientific literature addressing the relationships between Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0, organizational performance, and sustainable development. The study is based on a corpus of scientific publications indexed in the Scopus database, covering the period from 2020 to 27 January 2026 and adopts a methodological approach combining a descriptive bibliometric analysis, aimed at identifying publication trends, the most influential sources, geographic contributions, and citation impact, with a thematic analysis based on keyword co-occurrence, as well as a content analysis of titles, abstracts, and author keywords. Furthermore, this study was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, ensuring a transparent process in the identification, selection, eligibility, and inclusion of studies, as well as in the analytical procedures employed. The findings reveal a progressive evolution of the field, characterized by a shift from a techno-centric approach toward a more integrative perspective focused on human centricity, resilience, and sustainability. Several structuring and emerging themes are identified. By providing a structured mapping of the field, this article contributes to clarifying the conceptual dynamics linking Industry 4.0 and industry 5.0 to organizational performance and sustainable development, while also highlighting avenues for future research for both scholars and practitioners.