Title: Circular economy, SMEs and the government: an exploratory bibliometrics and network analysis

Authors: Marcos Ferasso; Donizete Beck

Addresses: School of Economic and Organizational Sciences, Lusófona University, Campo Grande, 376, 1749-024, Lisbon, Portugal; Grupo de Investigación de Estudios Organizacionales Sostenibles, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile ' School of Business and Economics, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas, Campinas City, São Paulo State, Brazil

Abstract: Despite the increasing attention on circular economy (CE) and its adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the role of government (GOV) in facilitating this transition remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by investigating the CE-SME-GOV research landscape through a bibliometric and network analysis. A systematic review of 27 Scopus-indexed documents was conducted, employing keyword co-occurrence and co-authorship network analysis using VOSviewer. The findings reveal that CE and SME-related themes dominate the literature, while government-related concepts remain marginal. Key underdeveloped areas include circular cities, financial incentives, and supply chain integration. The study also highlights fragmented research networks, indicating a need for greater collaboration. This research contributes to the field by identifying emerging themes and policy-related gaps, providing scholars and policymakers with a roadmap for future research and strategic decision making.

Keywords: sustainability; government; entrepreneurship; bibliometrics; network analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBBM.2025.152215

International Journal of Bibliometrics in Business and Management, 2025 Vol.4 No.3, pp.274 - 294

Accepted: 28 Aug 2025
Published online: 11 Mar 2026 *

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