Quo Vadis Sustainable Entrepreneurship? A Systematic Literature Review of Related Drivers and Inhibitors in SMEs

Abstract

This study develops a comprehensive overview of the literature on sustainable entrepreneurship (SE) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The primary aim is to map the research on SE in SMEs by conducting a systematic literature review of 206 articles published in refereed academic journals from 1987 to 2022. Two bibliometric analysis methods were used: bibliographic coupling and co-citation. Because the former technique is retrospective and the latter is forward-looking by nature, these methods complement each other. The results include a list of the most influential studies, top-cited sources, and six major thematic clusters: sustainable entrepreneurial orientation , performance , innovation and networks , sustainable business models , commitment to sustainability , and green entrepreneurship and circular economy . The dimensions that drive and/or inhibit SE in SMEs are sustainable entrepreneurial orientation, organization, performance, networks, contexts, and sustainable practices. This study is the first to combine bibliographic coupling and co-citation to analyze academic articles on SE in SME contexts. The findings provide a deeper understanding of this field's theoretical structure and facilitate the identification of potential new lines of research.