Navigating the Digital Dimensions of the Metaverse: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda Exploring Implications Across Industries and Customers

Abstract

The metaverse concept has captured the imagination of technology enthusiasts and industry leaders, promising a new dimension of interconnected virtual experiences. Using a systematic review and research agenda, this study aims to shed light on the possible influences of metaverse research across industries and customers. The study blends bibliometric analysis, the PRISMA protocol, and the TCCM framework into a hybrid methodology to investigate current metaverse research trends across industries and customers. Through the PRISMA protocol, articles were determined transparently, bibliometric analysis was used to dissect trends in research, and the TCCM framework delivered a structured method to review the articles. A surge in metaverse research has been observed globally, significantly in the business domain, proposing innovative digital engagement via immersive digital technologies, such as augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR). Notable theories, geographical and industry contexts, thematic characteristics, and methodologies are presented as notable results of this study and attempt to navigate the digital dimensions of the metaverse. A theoretical framework was proposed to help businesses and academics augment their conceptual knowledge of the research domain. Furthermore, this study pinpointed several research gaps, paving the way for scholars, researchers, and academics to explore metaverse applications across diverse industries and geographical contexts to augment their theoretical and practical understanding of this research domain.