The relationship between foreign direct investment and economic growth (FDI-EG) has been subject to extensive research. The first document related to FDI-EG research in Web of Science was published in 1992 so that the research time is close to 30 years. This article aims to make a bibliometric study to measure the FDI-EG research from different points of view. 1,075 documents with respect to FDI-EG research were collected, and a strong bibliometric analysis was carried out by Bibliometrix software and review of approaches. The Bibliometrix software has revealed the leading researchers, conceptual structure, and thematic evolution of the FDI-EG research. At the same time, reviewing the literature helps to make content analysis, the most influential document analysis, co-authorship analysis, and citation and co-citation analysis. Amongst the findings, C. Chen, Journal of International Economics, and the USA are the most influential researcher, journal, and country, respectively. The FDI-EG research are focussed on the technology and firm performance, research modelling, and theoretical inquiry. More discussions are made in terms of current research status, avenues for future research, advantages and drawbacks of the methods. This article helps in understanding the evolution of the FDI-EG research from the perspectives of the bibliometric and review.

This study seeks to understand the nuanced relationship between technological innovation and income inequality with an emphasis on the broader implications of this interplay on human–technology interactions in diverse socioeconomic settings. Using cross-country panel data from 59 nations (31 developed and 28 developing) from 1995 to 2020, the study employed the common correlated effect mean group (CCEMG) estimator. The robustness of our findings was validated using the augmented mean group (AMG) estimator and the panel causality test. The results indicate that technological innovation, while heralded for its potential to bridge communication and operational gaps, inadvertently exacerbates income disparities, with a pronounced effect in developed economies. Moreover, interactions between technological innovation and variables such as economic growth, globalisation and export trade introduce additional complexities, including both buffering and acceleration effects on the primary relationship. These findings shed light on the double-edged nature of technological advancements, underscoring the need for informed policy-making that harnesses the benefits of innovation while mitigating its unintended socioeconomic consequences. The study sets the stage for domain-specific explorations such as in education, public health and business. It also invites interdisciplinary discourse on the ethical and behavioural dimensions of technology adoption, especially user experiences and societal outcomes.