Mapping the Landscape of Social Sustainability in Manufacturing-Based MSMEs: A Bibliometric Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66635/tk46tx65Keywords:
Social Sustainability, MSMEs, Manufacturing, Bibliometric Review, PRISMA, VOSviewer, Labour Rights, Inclusive GrowthAbstract
This study puts together a systematic review of the evolving social sustainability research landscape in manufacturing based MSMEs, with a specific focus on the Indian context, by means of a bibliometric review of 1135 Scopus indexed publications. The paper, adopting PRISMA guidelines and VOSviewer, identifies the main themes related to worker safety, gender equity, fair wages and community engagement. It utilizes emerging model such as Industry 5.0 and green entrepreneurship and addresses how social practices influence economic performance and growth. It is found that there are regional and thematic gaps, particularly in the field of mental health, employment ergonomics and notably in the Northeast India which is underrepresented. This study contributes by consolidating current knowledge and provides tools for practitioners in the context of alignment of local practice with global sustainability goals through proposing implementation frameworks. Based on the findings, future research is proposed for encouraging inclusive, resilient, and digitally empowered MSMEs in various sectors in India.
References
1. Adam R., Kotzé P., Van Der Merwe A. (2011). Acceptance of enterprise resource planning
systems by small manufacturing enterprises. ICEIS 2011 - Proceedings of the 13th
International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems, 1 DISI, 229.
2. Adeniji C.G., Salau O.P., Joel O.O., Onayemi O.O., Alake O.R. (2024). Personality-Traits
Taxonomy and Operational and Environmental Performance: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
of Small and Medium Scale Manufacturing Enterprises. Sustainability (Switzerland) , 16(8).
3. Adeyeri M.K., Ayodeji S.P., Akinnuli B.O., Farayibi P.K., Ojo O.O., Adeleke K. (2019). Development of SMEs coping model for operations advancement in manufacturing technology. Advanced Applications in Manufacturing Engineering,169.
4. Ahn C., Oh M., Choi S. (2023). Servitization of SMEs: Focused on the Electrical Equipment and Metal Parts Manufacturers in South Korea. Processes, 11(1)
5. Ali A., Wasim A. (2022). Innovative Framework for Assessing the Impact of Agile Manufacturing in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(18).
6. Ansar, M. C., Tsusaka, T. W., & Syamsu, S. (2025). Social sustainability of micro, small, and medium enterprises: the case of Makassar city, Indonesia. Frontiers in Sustainability, 6, 1545072.
7. Arrieta Quiñones G., Alvarado Solera D.S., Severiche Sierra C.A. (2023). HSEQ management systems in MSMEs: key to competitiveness and sustainable development; [Sistemas de gestión HSEQ en MIPYMES: clave para la competitividad y el desarrollo sostenible]. Seminars in Medical Writing and Education, 2
8. Ashton W., Russell S., Futch E. (2017). The adoption of green business practices among small US Midwestern manufacturing enterprises. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 60(12), 2133.
9. Awan U., Sroufe R. (2022). Sustainability in the Circular Economy: Insights and Dynamics of Designing Circular Business Models. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 12(3)
10. Baskaran V., Nachiappan S., Rahman S. (2011). Supplier assessment based on corporate social responsibility criteria in Indian automotive and textile industry sectors. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, 4(4), 359.
11. Basu S., Usher K., Tamiya H., Akasegawa R., Hui Y., Chen Q., Cravioto J., Ohgaki H. (2024). Synergies and trade-offs quantification from regional waste policy to sustainable development goals: The case of Kyoto City. Sustainable Development, 32(6), 5966.
12. Canto-Cuevas F.-J., Palacín-Sánchez M.-J., Di Pietro F.D. (2019). Trade credit as a sustainable resource during an SME's Life Cycle. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(3).
13. Darmandieu A., Garcés-Ayerbe C., Renucci A., Rivera-Torres P. (2022). How does it pay to be circular in production processes? Eco-innovativeness and green jobs as moderators of a cost-efficiency advantage in European small and medium enterprises. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31(3), 1184.
14. Fatoki O. (2019). Drivers and barriers to sustainability manufacturing practices by small and medium enterprises in South Africa. Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal, 25(3).
15. Favi C., Germani M., Mandolini M., Marconi M. (2018). Implementation of a software platform to support an eco-design methodology within a manufacturing firm. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, 11(2), 79.
16. Iselda Ferrer-Blas, R., Galarcep-Barba, I., & Carlos Solano-Gaviño, J. (2024). Lean Manufacturing in food production: Systematic review, bibliometric analysis and proposed application. Scientia Agropecuaria, 15(4).
17. Gani A., James A.T., Asjad M., Talib F. (2022). Development of a manufacturing sustainability index for MSMEs using a structural approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 353.
18. Hofmann K.H., Jacob A., Pizzingrilli M. (2022). Overcoming Growth Challenges of Sustainable Ventures in the Fashion Industry: A Multinational Exploration. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(16), n.p..
19. Hoogendoorn B., Guerra D., van der Zwan P. (2015). What drives environmental practices of SMEs? Small Business Economics, 44(4), 759.
20. Hou Y., Fang Z. (2023). Unleashing the mechanism between small and medium enterprises, and green financing in China: a pathway toward environmental sustainability and green economic recovery. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(1), 1672.
21. Hsu J.-L., Cheng M.-C. (2012). What Prompts Small and Medium Enterprises to Engage in Corporate Social Responsibility? A Study from Taiwan. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 19(5), 288.
22. Huang W., Yin H., Choi S., Muhammad M. (2022). Micro-and Small-Sized Enterprises’ Sustainability-Oriented Innovation for COVID-19. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(12), n.p..
23. Hyder A.S., Sundström A. (2018). Is CSR focused Internationalization Realistic for High-Tech Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)? Proceedings of the 32nd International Business Information Management Association Conference, IBIMA 2018 - Vision 2020: Sustainable Economic Development and Application of Innovation Management from Regional expansion to Global Growth, 3868.
24. Jia P., Diabat A., Mathiyazhagan K. (2015). Analyzing the SSCM practices in the mining and mineral industry by ISM approach. Resources Policy, 46, 76.
25. Kane G. (2012). The green executive: Corporate leadership in a low carbon economy. The Green Executive: Corporate Leadership in a Low Carbon Economy, 1.
26. Kazantsev N., Stalker I.D., Sampaio P., Mehandjiev N. (2024). A Collaboration Design Method for Facilitating SME Inclusion in Global Supply Chains. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 58(19), 694.
27. Kocmanova A., Docekalova M., Nemecek P., Simberova I. (2011). Sustainability: Environmental, social and corporate governance performance in Czech SMEs. WMSCI 2011 - The 15th World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, Proceedings, 1, 94.
28. Kotturu C.M.V.V., Mahanty B. (2019). Policies for sustainable growth of the SMEs: A study in Indian automotive component manufacturing industry. International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 9(3), 199.
29. Li Y., Mathiyazhagan K. (2016). Application of DEMATEL approach to identify the influential indicators towards sustainable supply chain adoption in the auto components manufacturing sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 2931.
30. Madhavan M., Sharafuddin M.A., Wangtueai S. (2024). Impact of Industry 5.0 Readiness on Sustainable Business Growth of Marine Food Processing SMEs in Thailand. Administrative Sciences, 14(6), n.p..
31. Manzoor F., Wei L., Nurunnabi M., Subhan Q.A., Shah S.I.A., Fallatah S. (2019). The impact of transformational leadership on job performance and CSR as mediator in SMEs. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(2), n.p..
32. Martzopoulou A., Firfiris V. (2019). Comparison between Agrifood and Other Priority Sectors in N. Greece and S. Bulgaria towards Their Environmental and Sustainability Improvement. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, 7(1), 7.
33. Meirelles C.L., Sacomano J.B., Papalardo F. (2014). The Concept of Sustainability in View of Micro, Small and Medium Brazilian Companies. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, 439(2), 90.
34. Murakami F., Sulzbach A., Pereira G.M., Borchardt M., Sellitto M.A. (2015). How the Brazilian government can use public policies to induce recycling and still save money?. Journal of Cleaner Production, 96, 94.
35. Nazarejova J., Soltysova Z., Rudeichuk T. (2024). Requirements and Barriers for Human-Centered SMEs. Sensors, 24(14), n.p..
36. Olubiyi T.O., Suppiah S.D., Chidoko C. (2024). The future of small business in industry 5.0. The Future of Small Business in Industry 5.0, 1.
37. Pozo J., Kumar P., Cascio D.M.R.L., Khanna A., Dumon P., Delbeke D., Baets R., Fournier M., Fedeli J.-M., Fulbert L., Zimmermann L., Tillack B., Tian H., Aalto T., O'Brien P., Deptuck D., Xu J., Zhang X., Gale D. (2012). ESSenTIAL: EPIXfab services specifically targeting (SME) industrial takeup of advanced silicon photonics. International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks, , n.p..
38. Rahnama H., Johansen K., Larsson L., Rönnbäck A.Ö. (2022). Collaboration in Value Constellations for Sustainable Production: The Perspective of Small Technology Solution Providers. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(8), n.p..
39. Rebelo M., Santos G., Silva R. (2014). Conception of a flexible integrator and lean model for integrated management systems. Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, 25(2025), 683.
40. Schwab L., Gold S., Reiner G. (2019). Exploring financial sustainability of SMEs during periods of production growth: A simulation study. International Journal of Production Economics, 212, 8.
41. Sendawula K., Turyakira P., Akileng G., Vincent B. (2024). Environmental knowledge, regulatory compliance mechanisms, and environmental sustainability practices of manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Uganda. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 13(1), n.p..
42. Seraj A.H.A., Fazal S.A., Alshebami A.S. (2022). Entrepreneurial Competency, Financial Literacy, and Sustainable Performance—Examining the Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Resilience among Saudi Entrepreneurs. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(17), n.p..
43. Suriani S., Baharuddin S.M., Nur I., Abubakar H., Abustan (2024). Driving cost efficiency through operational excellence and sustainability of SMEs in Barru Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. International Journal of Management and Sustainability, 13(2), 448.
44. Sutarto A.P., Izzah N. (2022). Do Job Boredom and Distress Influence Self-Report Individual Work Performance? Case Study in an Indonesia Muslim Fashion Industry. Jurnal Optimasi Sistem Industri, 21(1), n.p..
45. Tantalo C., Caroli M.G., Vanevenhoven J. (2012). Corporate social responsibility and SME's competitiveness. International Journal of Technology Management, 58(2025), 129.
46. Tekala K., Baradarani S., Alzubi A., Berberoğlu A. (2024). Green Entrepreneurship for Business Sustainability: Do Environmental Dynamism and Green Structural Capital Matter?. Sustainability (Switzerland) , 16(13), n.p..
47. Tetrevova L. (2018). Communicating CSR in high profile industries: Case study of Czech chemical industry. Engineering Economics, 29(4), 478.
48. Thaba S.C., Mbohwa C. (2016). The impact of lack in occupational health and safety implementation in small businesses. Proceedings of the International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, 8-10 March 2016, 2908.
49. Ud Din F., Paul D. (2023). Demystifying xAOSF/AOSR Framework in the Context of Digital Twin and Industry 4.0. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, 544 LNNS, 600.
50. Wright C., Thorpe D. (2015). Use of advanced and green construction materials by small and medium-sized enterprises. Proceedings of the 31st Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management Conference, ARCOM 2015, 227.
51. Yongliang S., Sharon C.P.Y. (2022). Exploring the impact of agile project management practices on supply chain resilience and sustainability: a case study of the manufacturing industry. Journal of Modern Project Management, 10(1), 300.
