This study aims to conduct a Structured Literature Review (SLR) on Non-Performing Loans (NPLs), defined as distressed credits or deteriorated loans, to explore their historical developments and prospects. NPLs played a prominent role in the global financial landscape post the 2007 economic crisis and, nowadays, their volume is managed thanks to regulatory intervention. However, academic research on this topic is limited and sparse, particularly in relation to market volume and prices trend, as well as emerging management strategies and sustainability’s perspective. Therefore, our objective is to fill this gap and observe how the academic literature has responded to the development of this instrument. The SLR, and its associated bibliometric analysis, conducted using the Biblioshny package available on R-Studio, were performed on a sample of 1.236 academic documents (Articles, Book Chapters and Conference Papers) available on Scopus and published from 2010 to 2023. The sample, selected through a rigorous and validated screening procedure, was then studied across variables defined in the Analytical Framework: Topics, Research Methods, Research Area and Geographical Area. Based on this analysis, as explicitly stated in the findings section, we observe specific trending topics and geographical areas of study related to NPLs. This study not only helps fill a significant gap in academic literature concerning NPLs, but also provides important implications for financial practice and economic policy conducted by professionals, aiding in a better understanding of how to address and manage NPLs in various economic and geographical contexts. The originality of this research lies in its structured approach and use of bibliometric analysis, to examine a wide range of academic publications over an extended period, serving as a potential base for further insights and future studies.

The aim of this paper is to explore the issue of gender diversity (GD) in relation to the world of investment funds. In recent times, in fact, savers’ choice does not only converge on the mere pursuit of profit. Investment funds, in this scenario, are increasingly judged according to their environmental and ethical actions, and not just by the promised rewards. Individual and institutional investors, on this wake, are aligning their behavior with their values by taking responsibility for the investments they select. It is central, therefore, to understand and observe how issues such as GD are evaluated, managed and converted into rating values by funds. This paper is supported by a mixed research methodology involving, on the one hand, an in-depth literature review on the aforementioned topic and, on the other hand, a statistical study developed with the “R-Studio” program. Through the statistical derivation, this study proposes an analysis of histograms and scatter plots on a sample of 4.151 investment funds and the GD-related rating judgments compared with their net assets and longevity. Based on our findings, funds with higher net assets achieve high rating classes but not excellence. In fact, larger funds reside in lower rating classes. Similarly, it is also valid for the amount of capital managed by the funds. From the empirical evidence we provide, it can also be seen that, there is no evidence between GD rating category and youngest funds longevity. Filling a gap that exists in the literature on GD-related rating assessment in investment funds, the originality of this paper concerns the descriptive statistics proposed. In fact, the paper contributes to the literature on GD by enriching the analysis of the factors surveyed for its measurement and rating judgment. This study may have both theoretical and practical implications. From a practical perspective, the statistical evidence in this paper could be a guideline for practitioners oriented toward ethical and profitable investment choices. From a theoretical point of view, instead, GD evaluation and monitoring could be a tool to reduce problems related to transparency and legitimacy theory, mitigating information asymmetry between parties and aligning them on potential risks.