A bibliometric analysis of the Pygmalion effect in organization studies

This research aims to examine the literature on the Pygmalion effect, which is expressed as a self-fulfilling prophecy in the context of management organization from a bibliometric perspective. In this context, all relevant publications in the Web of Science database were scanned between 01-06.06.2024. In the first and second searches with the words Pygmalion, Pygmalion effect, Pygmalionism, management, and organization, a total of 27 research articles were subjected to content analysis within the scope of a systematic review. As a result of the content analysis, it was seen that although the Pygmalion effect has been found in the context of organization and management since 1979, there is a limited number of studies. These studies remain in the context of military organizations and individual performance. This limited literature, which reveals that the Pygmalion effect is important in the organizational context, sheds light on the variables that need to be investigated. It is obvious that the Pygmalion effect, starting with leadership and related variables, is a niche area where the Pygmalion effect can be examined at individual and group levels in the context of the organization, and many variables can be addressed in terms of antecedents and consequences.