Scientometric evaluation and visual analytics of the scientific literature production on entrepreneurship, small business ventures, and innovation

Abstract

This study offers the first scientometric analysis, visual analytics, and visualization of the documents published in the Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (JSBE). The paper utilizes big data analytics and network analysis to analyze the production trends of articles, the citation impacts, and the research focus covering the period 1996 to 2019. The intellectual and social structures of the articles are also evaluated. Data for the analyses comes from the 535 articles produced by JSBE and indexed on SCOPUS. The results highlight four outcomes. First, the average annual literature production rate is 3.53%, with astronomical upward trend occurring in recent years, and the articles' productivity and impacts. Second, the visual and text analytics of scientific production and visualization reveals the terms dynamics, the thematic trends, intellectual structure, and clusters of the literature showing themes and topics covered by the articles published in JSBE. Third, the social and network structures of the scientific production highlight the impacts and patterns of cooperation and collaboration among authors and the associated institutions and countries. Finally, the overall results indicate that the published research papers align with the aims and scope of JSBE and point to areas that need to attract more articles to satisfy the Journal’s multidisciplinary goals. The paper contributes to the scholarship of integration. It provides a guide to scholars in the field of entrepreneurship, small business, and innovation, and particularly the readers of JSBE, the opportunity to identify the past research streams as a pointer to areas requiring future work.

RÉSUMÉ

Cette étude propose une première évaluation scientométrique, une analyse visuelle et une visualisation des documents publiés dans le Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (JSBE). L’article utilise des techniques analytiques de méga-données et de réseau pour examiner les tendances de production d’articles, l’impact des citations et l’axe de recherche couvrant la période de 2016 à 2019. Les structures intellectuelles et sociales des articles sont également évaluées. Les données destinées à être analysées proviennent des 535 articles produits par le JSBE et indexés par SCOPUS. Les analyses mettent en évidence quatre résultats. Premièrement, le taux moyen annuel de production de littérature est de 3.53%, avec une tendance à la hausse astronomique ces dernières années, qui se constate aussi pour la productivité et l’impact des articles. Deuxièmement, l’analyse visuelle et textuelle de la production et de la visualisation scientifiques révèle la dynamique des termes, les tendances thématiques, la structure intellectuelle et les regroupements de littérature montrant les thèmes et les sujets couverts par les articles publiés dans le JSBE. Troisièmement, les structures sociales et de réseau de la production scientifique mettent l’accent sur les impacts et les modèles de coopération et de collaboration entre les auteurs et les institutions et pays associés. Enfin, les résultats dans leur ensemble indiquent que les articles de recherche publiés sont conformes au champ d’application du JSBE et renvoient à des domaines pour de futurs travaux, pouvant répondre aux objectifs multidisciplinaires de la revue.

Keywords:

• Scientometric evaluation
• visual analytics
• data visualization
• big data analytics techniques
• small business ventures
• entrepreneurship
• innovation

MOTS CLÉS:

• Mots-clés : Évaluation scientométrique
• visualisation des données
• analytique visuelle
• techniques d’analyse des mégadonnées
• analyse des méga-données
• petites entreprises
• entrepreneuriat
• innovation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ikpe Justice Akpan

Ikpe Justice Akpan is an Associate Professor of Information Systems at Kent State University, Ohio, USA. He holds a Ph.D. from Lancaster University, UK, specializing in computer simulation and virtual reality, and a Master’s degree in Software Development from Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. Dr. Akpan serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship and led two special issues as Guest Editor focusing on the application advanced technologies in business. His research interests include computer simulation and applications, virtual reality, information visualization, and information systems strategies. He also employs operations research, computer science, and information systems techniques to solve business, healthcare, and social problems that impact families and societies. His publications appear in several reputable journals, including Decision Support Systems, Computer and Industrial Engineering, Journal of The Operational Research Society, Applied Energy, and Energy and Building. His article appearing in Simulation 95(2), won the Editors’ Choice award in 2019. Dr. Akpan has taught at several universities across the world, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and the USA. He was appointed a distinguished visiting Professor of Information Systems at Shanghai International University, Shanghai, China, in 2016, and has also taught at Universities in Africa and the Middle East.