Open Access
Article
SciPap-1380
Sustainability Drivers of Small and Medium Sized Firms: A Review and Research Agenda
by
Renata Korsakienė 1,* 
and Agota Giedrė Raišienė 2,*
1 Department of Management, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Saulėtekio str. 11, Vilnius LT-10223, Lithuania
2 Faculty of Social Sciences, Klaipeda University, Herkaus Manto str. 84, Klaipėda LT-92294, Lithuania
* Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract: While increasing awareness of issues such as raising energy prices, increasing customer concerns about the safety of products and services, and the reduction of carbon emissions influence firms, scarce studies focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). This study seeks to systematically analyse the literature focused on sustainability of SMEs. Bibliometric analysis of 220 articles included in the WoS database (Clarivate Analytics) database and visualization with VOSviewer software let us reveal the cooccurrence of author keywords, bibliographic coupling sources and references, leading journals, and countries. The second step of the research is based on a systemic review of 25 articles with the purpose of reviewing empirical findings in the field of firm-level sustainability of SMEs. The analysis has led to thematic commonalities considering resources and capabilities, strategy, stakeholders, human capital, and innovations. The paper fills the literature gap on systematic analysis of SME and sustainability and develops recommendations on how to address prevailing research gaps.
Keywords: Sustainability, Smes, Bibliometric Analysis, Thematic Commonalities
JEL classification: L21 - Business Objectives of the Firm, Q01 - Sustainable Development
Received: 13 September 2021 / Revised: 18 January 2022 / Accepted: 17 February 2022 / Published: 3 March 2022
