Conceptual Network Evolution of Cybernetic area in Middle East Countries

The aim of the present study is to visualize the dynamics of conceptual clusters, hidden patterns and emerging knowledge of "cybernetics in Middle Eastern countries" subject area in a global scale based on the co-word analysis of scientific outcomes indexed in the Web of Science database. This research is an applied one, performed with the co-word analysis method and analytical approach. The population includes 2280 keywords from 705 records in the cybernetics subject area in Middle Eastern countries, published in 7 journals indexed in the Web of Science database until 2018. To have a coherence set of data and create the co-occurrence matrix, RavarPreMap software applied. Then, using SPSS 16 and VOSViewer, the subjects were clustered and mapped. Specifications of co-word networks such as centrality and density illustrated using UCInet software in the form of a strategic diagram. Thereby, the situation and evolutionary branches of the cybernetics subject area revealed in Middle Eastern countries. The trend of scientific productions in cybernetics in Middle Eastern counties is incremental. Computer science, with 444 records, is the core subject in the mentioned studies. Researchers’ intellectual structures are identifiable in 12 clusters. The most significant cluster is the twelfth one, named master data mining algorithms and including 20 keywords. The distribution of clusters in the strategic diagram shows that Clusters 1, 2, and 4 are core issues in the subject area.Furthermore, they are mature and coherent, being studied at the core of the research area, having a core and developable role. The coword analysis is a proper and powerful method in discovering and visualizing science and knowledge, tracking sciences, studying the trend of conceptual dynamicity, identifying and analyzing researchable fields in the subject area of cybernetics. This strategic approach can drastically help research planners and policy-makers as well as governmental authorities.