The Scientometrics of Social Entrepreneurship and Its Establishment as an Academic Field¹

1. The authors are grateful for comments made by the audience of the “G‐Forum” entrepreneurship research conference in Zurich, Switzerland, at which a previous version of this paper was presented in November 2011, and for comments received for a working paper version published in the Schumpeter Discussion Papers Series. By incorporating feedback, updating data and extending the scope, this final version differs in many aspects from the previously mentioned earlier versions.

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the state of art of research on social entrepreneurship and the establishment of this topic in the academic world. It uses scientometric methods in measuring the maturity of social entrepreneurship research. The empirical part reveals the exponentially growing number of papers, the institutionalization of social entrepreneurship in seven dimensions, the emergence of thematic clusters, and methodological issues. The paper makes concrete suggestions on how to overcome methodological challenges. Furthermore, we provide a ranking of the 22 most cited academic contributions in social entrepreneurship. Surprisingly, almost half of the most cited papers have not been published in journals but in books, raising doubts about the current (over‐)rating of journal publications.

1. The authors are grateful for comments made by the audience of the “G‐Forum” entrepreneurship research conference in Zurich, Switzerland, at which a previous version of this paper was presented in November 2011, and for comments received for a working paper version published in the Schumpeter Discussion Papers Series. By incorporating feedback, updating data and extending the scope, this final version differs in many aspects from the previously mentioned earlier versions.

1. The authors are grateful for comments made by the audience of the “G‐Forum” entrepreneurship research conference in Zurich, Switzerland, at which a previous version of this paper was presented in November 2011, and for comments received for a working paper version published in the Schumpeter Discussion Papers Series. By incorporating feedback, updating data and extending the scope, this final version differs in many aspects from the previously mentioned earlier versions.

Notes

1. The authors are grateful for comments made by the audience of the “G‐Forum” entrepreneurship research conference in Zurich, Switzerland, at which a previous version of this paper was presented in November 2011, and for comments received for a working paper version published in the Schumpeter Discussion Papers Series. By incorporating feedback, updating data and extending the scope, this final version differs in many aspects from the previously mentioned earlier versions.

1 Greg Dees, the great pioneer of social entrepreneurship in practice and academia, passed away Friday, December 20, 2013, at age 63 while we were in final preparation of the submission of this article. His contribution to social entrepreneurship will live on. Our feelings are with his family.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sean Patrick Sassmannshausen

Sean Patrick Sassmannshausen is Professor for Business Studies and Entrepreneurship, Faculty for Business Administration, and Head of the start‐up center at OTH Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany.

Christine Volkmann

Christine Volkmann is Professor and Chair of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development and UNESCO‐Chair of Entrepreneurship and Intercultural Management, Schumpeter School of Business and Economics, University of Wuppertal, Germany.