Scientific Frontier Mapping of Circular Entrepreneurship: Emerging Themes and Knowledge Dynamics (2015–2025)
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aims to map the scientific frontier of circular entrepreneurship by examining its emerging themes, intellectual foundations, and evolving knowledge dynamics over the period 2015–2025. Using a science-mapping approach based on bibliometric data retrieved from the Scopus database, the study applies co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, keyword co-occurrence, and network visualizations with VOSviewer to uncover the structural and conceptual development of the field. The findings reveal that circular entrepreneurship is anchored by the concept of the circular economy and increasingly integrated with entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability-oriented business models. Thematic clustering indicates four dominant research streams: sustainable and social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial innovation and firm dynamics, environmental management and impact, and circular business models with stakeholder engagement. Temporal and density analyses further demonstrate a shift from conceptual and normative discussions toward applied, ecosystem-based, and impact-oriented research. The study provides a comprehensive overview of how circular entrepreneurship has matured into an interdisciplinary and globally connected research domain, offering a structured foundation for future theoretical development, empirical investigation, and policy-oriented research.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
A. Zucchella and S. Urban, Circular entrepreneurship. Springer, 2019.
B. Re and G. Magnani, “Value co-creation in circular entrepreneurship: An exploratory study on born circular SMEs,” J. Bus. Res., vol. 147, pp. 189–207, 2022.
M. Henry, T. Hoogenstrijd, and J. Kirchherr, “Motivations and identities of ‘grassroots’ circular entrepreneurs: An initial exploration,” Bus. Strateg. Environ., vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 1122–1141, 2023.
R. M. Dantas, A. Ilyas, J. M. Martins, and J. X. Rita, “Circular entrepreneurship in emerging markets through the lens of sustainability,” J. Open Innov. Technol. Mark. Complex., vol. 8, no. 4, p. 211, 2022.
G. B. Dragan, W. Ben Arfi, V. Tiberius, A. Ammari, and M. Ferasso, “Acceptance of circular entrepreneurship: Employees’ perceptions on organizations’ transition to the circular economy,” J. Bus. Res., vol. 173, p. 114461, 2024.
R. Martín-Díez, M. Saiz-Santos, and A. Araujo, “Industrial circular entrepreneurship: supporting sustainability in the machine tool industry of the Basque Country, Spain,” Manag. Res. J. Iberoam. Acad. Manag., vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 405–425, 2025.
C. I. Fernandes, P. M. Veiga, and V. Ramadani, “Entrepreneurship as a transition to the circular economy,” Environ. Dev. Sustain., pp. 1–13, 2023.
T. T. Le, A. Behl, and G. Graham, “The role of entrepreneurship in successfully achieving circular supply chain management,” Glob. J. Flex. Syst. Manag., vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 537–561, 2023.
J. J. Ferreira, M. Klofsten, and D. Urbano, “Circular entrepreneurship ecosystems: an overview,” Circ. Entrep. Ecosyst., pp. 1–9, 2025.
F. Benita and P. Srinivasan, “On the circular entrepreneurship across continents: An analysis of terms of business descriptors,” Bus. Strateg. Dev., vol. 7, no. 3, p. e70006, 2024.
M. Panait, E. Hysa, L. Raimi, A. Kruja, and A. Rodriguez, “Guest editorial: Circular economy and entrepreneurship in emerging economies: Opportunities and challenges,” J. Entrep. Emerg. Econ., vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 673–677, 2022.
J. D. Borrero and S. Yousafzai, “Spinning the circle: unravelling the ‘why?’ behind social motivations in circular economy entrepreneurship,” J. Enterprising Communities People Places Glob. Econ., 2025.
V. Veleva and G. Bodkin, “Corporate-entrepreneur collaborations to advance a circular economy,” J. Clean. Prod., vol. 188, pp. 20–37, 2018.
A. De Chiara, “What is a circular entrepreneur? Understanding entrepreneurs’ experiences in order to support the circular economy,” Int. Entrep. Manag. J., vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 1–35, 2025.
M. Despeisse et al., “Unlocking value for a circular economy through 3D printing: A research agenda,” Technol. Forecast. Soc. Change, vol. 115, pp. 75–84, 2017.
S. Nosratabadi, A. Mosavi, S. Shamshirband, E. K. Zavadskas, A. Rakotonirainy, and K. W. Chau, “Sustainable business models: A review,” Sustainability, vol. 11, no. 6, p. 1663, 2019.
P. Demirel and G. O. Danisman, “Eco‐innovation and firm growth in the circular economy: Evidence from European small‐and medium‐sized enterprises,” Bus. Strateg. Environ., vol. 28, no. 8, pp. 1608–1618, 2019.
M. Donner, R. Gohier, and H. de Vries, “A new circular business model typology for creating value from agro-waste,” Sci. Total Environ., vol. 716, p. 137065, 2020.
A. Appolloni, C. J. C. Jabbour, I. D’Adamo, M. Gastaldi, and D. Settembre-Blundo, “Green recovery in the mature manufacturing industry: The role of the green-circular premium and sustainability certification in innovative efforts,” Ecol. Econ., vol. 193, p. 107311, 2022.
W. Kanda, M. Geissdoerfer, and O. Hjelm, “From circular business models to circular business ecosystems,” Bus. Strateg. Environ., vol. 30, no. 6, pp. 2814–2829, 2021.
J. A. Schumpeter and R. Swedberg, The theory of economic development. Routledge, 2021.
N. Dentchev et al., “Embracing the variety of sustainable business models: A prolific field of research and a future research agenda,” J. Clean. Prod., vol. 194, pp. 695–703, 2018.
M. Wilson, J. Paschen, and L. Pitt, “The circular economy meets artificial intelligence (AI): Understanding the opportunities of AI for reverse logistics,” Manag. Environ. Qual. An Int. J., vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 9–25, 2022.