A Bibliometric Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Literature on Determinants of Small Business Growth

Abstract

A small business is the bedrock of every economy in the world, representing on average 95% of all organizations that are active in any given country, hence, identifying the factors that determine the growth of a small firm is paramount for a sustainable economy. The purpose of this paper is to provide, using a bibliometric analysis, a review of the small business growth topics. 1651 articles from the period 1976-2021 which were indexed in Web of Science database were analysed, in the development of the study. The main results of the article are derived from three types of analysis: a global analysis of all 1651 articles, an analysis of the citation and volume of publications and an analysis of the keyword. Hence, the most relevant findings help determine the rising interest in the subject, which publications are the most prolific and in which country the subject is mostly debated. The mapping and clustering of the keywords highlight the core elements that are associated with small business growth, also, by reviewing the most cited paper, the authors want to highlight which elements of small business growth are considered relevant by the academic world. The usefulness of this paper is derived from the underlying the trends that are currently discussed within the scientific community regarding the subject.