INTEGRATING GREEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP WITH SUSTAINABILITY TRANSITIONS: A BIBLIOMETRIC SYNTHESIS AND FUTURE RESEARCH PATHWAYS
Abstract
Purpose: This study examined the theoretical fragmentation and methodological limitations in existing literature. This PRISMA-guided systematic review and bibliometric analysis helps build a more integrated and rigorous knowledge base for green entrepreneurship and sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: We conducted a systematic search in the Scopus database and identified 516 peer-reviewed publications on green entrepreneurship and sustainability published between 2002 and 2025. A journal quality assessment was included, and a manual search of the top entrepreneurship journals was performed, with particular emphasis on Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal. Publication performance was analyzed, and science mapping was conducted using the Bibliometrix R package and VOSviewer. Findings: The analysis of the retrieved literature reveals an exponential increase in interest in Green Entrepreneurship since 2020. The geographic distribution of publication productivity and citations per paper showed that Asia is the most productive region, while Western countries are the most influential and impactful. This study uncovered three new theoretical contributions: the emergence of hybrid models in green entrepreneurship, a move from individual-level analysis to a focus on ecosystems, and the intersection of digitalization and environmental sustainability issues. It also highlights the lack of integration with mainstream entrepreneurial theories. Originality/value: This study overcomes some of the methodological limitations of previous analyses by including a journal quality assessment, broadening the database search, and uncovering novel theoretical contributions, thereby advancing the knowledge and research on green entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Keywords: Green entrepreneurship; Sustainability; Bibliometric analysis; PRISMA; Sustainable development; Eco-innovation
