Charting the Global Trajectory of Women’s Entrepreneurship (1975-2025): Networks, Themes, and Research Frontiers

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research on women’s entrepreneurship, mapping its intellectual evolution, thematic structure, and collaborative landscape. Using 3,168 peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (1975–2025), the study applies performance analysis and science-mapping techniques through Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny to examine scientific production, citation impact, conceptual domains, and international research networks. The findings reveal a sustained growth trajectory, with accelerated publication expansion after 2014, signaling the consolidation of women’s entrepreneurship as a mature scholarly field. Intellectual structure analysis identifies a gender-centric knowledge core interconnected with financial inclusion, innovation and performance, institutional environments, and socio-cultural determinants. Thematic evolution indicates a shift from descriptive gender discourse toward integrative frameworks linking empowerment, entrepreneurial outcomes, and development imperatives. Collaboration mapping highlights a hub-and-spoke global network dominated by the United States and Western Europe, with increasing contributions from emerging economies, particularly India and China. Despite conceptual richness, structural asymmetries persist in geographic representation and international collaboration. By integrating fragmented research streams, this study develops a multidimensional knowledge architecture that advances theoretical synthesis and policy relevance. The findings provide strategic insights for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to foster inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and strengthen gender-responsive economic development worldwide.