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ORIGINAL RESEARCH
A Bibliometric Review on Eco-Innovation
in SMEs: Current Status, Development
and Future Directions
1
School of Economics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
Submission date: 2024-02-10
Final revision date: 2024-03-23
Acceptance date: 2024-04-13
Online publication date: 2024-06-05
Publication date: 2025-01-09
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2025;34(2):1083-1107
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Ever since the first session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-1) in 2014,
the field of eco-innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has received unprecedented
attention. However, knowledge analysis in this area still needs to be better developed. By using
bibliometric methodologies, this study seeks to establish a thorough framework for knowledge
analysis to compare the research dynamics of eco-innovation in SMEs between pre- and post-2014.
We thoroughly investigated 1996 records in the Web of Science database using CiteSpace, VOSviewer,
and other applications for visualization and analysis. The study found that research on eco-innovation
in SMEs has shown significant growth since the UNEA-1, with the leading country changing from the
United States before 2014 to China after 2014. Second, the study reveals the evolution of the knowledge
structure. Taking 2014 as the classification node, research on eco-innovation in SMEs has evolved
from corporate entrepreneurship and environmental management in the early period to sustainable
entrepreneurship, the circular economy, and digital transformation in the later period. The hot topic
of study progressively transitioned from a singular technological aspect to a multifaceted innovation
encompassing organizations, procedures, services, etc. Finally, this study identifies directions
for future research, such as combining ESG development needs, improving the diverse effects of
different types of SMEs, and developing eco-innovation pathways for SMEs in the Industry 4.0 era.
This paper provides researchers, policymakers, and the business community with an in-depth
understanding of the knowledge structure and research frontiers of eco-innovation in SMEs.
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