A Bibliometric Analysis of Factors Influencing Sustainability in Family Owned Micro, Small and Medium Entreprises in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66635/pj8kv294Keywords:
Family-owned MSMEs, Sustainability, India, Bibliometric AnalysisAbstract
The paper identifies and addresses a significant research gap by identifying factors contributing to the sustainability of family controlled MSMEs in India which is crucial sector for India’s growth and GDP.
The paper performed bibliometric analysis to identify key factors that are responsible for sustainability. The bibliometric analysis was performed using 1343 papers identified from SCOPUS database covering publications from 2010 to 2025. Co-occurrence analysis, co-citation analysis and thematic clustering were performed to identify research trends and themes in this domain.
Four important and crucial themes were identified for the sustainability of family controlled MSMEs in India. They are Family goals, succession planning, family culture and entrepreneurial orientation.
The findings highlight the need for further qualitative research to validate these identified factors. The paper at the end a comprehensive roadmap, providing critical insights for researchers and practitioners to develop effective sustainability strategies for Indian family-owned MSMEs
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