The use of quantitative methods in local government studies: a review and a conclusive message

Empirical quantitative methodologies are increasingly in demand in academic publications overall, and in the fields of public administration and local government studies, in particular. In this study, we review the evolution of quantitative studies in Local Government Studies (LGS) over the past 20 years. Using bibliometric analysis, we demonstrate the substantial impact of empirical studies in LGS. Additionally, the keyword co-occurrence analysis has revealed the main research topics, where quantitative analyses are used to explore or confirm theories. We compared these results to the topics in quantitative analysis within the fields of public administration and urban studies. Methods such as panel data and quasi-experimental techniques including differences-in-differences and synthetic control are briefly discussed. We conclude by highlighting the increasing importance of data transparency and accessibility for advancing empirical research in local government studies. We anticipate that this research will provide methodological insights for advancing research in this field.