IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i5p4482-d1086101.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

State of the Art of Business Models: A Bibliometric Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Rodrigo do Carmo

    (ISCTE-IUL, Av. das Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Carlos Jerónimo

    (ISCTE-IUL, Av. das Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Leandro Pereira

    (BRU-Business Research Unit, ISCTE, Sedas Nunes Building, Office 2W17, Avenida das Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Álvaro Dias

    (ISCTE-IUL, Av. das Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Vânia Patricio

    (ISCTE-IUL, Av. das Forças Armadas, 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal)

Abstract

Various studies have investigated the business model (BM) in different dimensions. However, bibliometric analyses in this discipline are still limited. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of business model research, identifying the state of the art, trends, and other indicators by analyzing articles published on the Web of Science (WoS) platform from 2017 to 2022. The present study examines the simultaneous occurrence of publications by year, keyword trends, bibliographic coupling, analysis of co-authorship, cities, and institutions, and finds that the literature on business models rapidly expanded between 2017 and 2020. A total of 14,881 articles were obtained as samples. The present study employs VOSviewer software to analyze the data. A considerable amount of literature has been produced on BMs, but researchers have stopped developing further literature which is thought-provoking. Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that there is a need to research BMs in different domains such as sustainability and digitalization.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodrigo do Carmo & Carlos Jerónimo & Leandro Pereira & Álvaro Dias & Vânia Patricio, 2023. "State of the Art of Business Models: A Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-14, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:5:p:4482-:d:1086101
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/5/4482/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/5/4482/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mercedes Jiménez-García & José Ruiz-Chico & Antonio Rafael Peña-Sánchez & José Antonio López-Sánchez, 2020. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Sports Tourism and Sustainability (2002–2019)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Steve Evans & Doroteya Vladimirova & Maria Holgado & Kirsten Van Fossen & Miying Yang & Elisabete A. Silva & Claire Y. Barlow, 2017. "Business Model Innovation for Sustainability: Towards a Unified Perspective for Creation of Sustainable Business Models," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(5), pages 597-608, July.
    3. Oliver Gassmann & Karolin Frankenberger & Roman Sauer, 2016. "Exploring the Field of Business Model Innovation," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-319-41144-6, March.
    4. Buckley, Peter J. & Tian, Xiaowen, 2017. "Internalization theory and the performance of emerging-market multinational enterprises," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 976-990.
    5. Alexia Athanasopoulou & Mark De Reuver, 2020. "How do business model tools facilitate business model exploration? Evidence from action research," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 30(3), pages 495-508, September.
    6. Federico Cosenz & Vinicius Picanço Rodrigues & Francesco Rosati, 2020. "Dynamic business modeling for sustainability: Exploring a system dynamics perspective to develop sustainable business models," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 651-664, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nadia Preghenella & Cinzia Battistella, 2021. "Exploring business models for sustainability: A bibliographic investigation of the literature and future research directions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2505-2522, July.
    2. Bencsik, Barbara & Palmié, Maximilian & Parida, Vinit & Wincent, Joakim & Gassmann, Oliver, 2023. "Business models for digital sustainability: Framework, microfoundations of value capture, and empirical evidence from 130 smart city services," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    3. Winston Jerónimo Silvestre & Ana Fonseca & Sandra Naomi Morioka, 2022. "Strategic sustainability integration: Merging management tools to support business model decisions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2052-2067, July.
    4. Martinez-Valencia, Lina & Garcia-Perez, Manuel & Wolcott, Michael P., 2021. "Supply chain configuration of sustainable aviation fuel: Review, challenges, and pathways for including environmental and social benefits," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    5. Maurizio Massaro & Francesca Dal Mas & Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour & Carlo Bagnoli, 2020. "Crypto‐economy and new sustainable business models: Reflections and projections using a case study analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(5), pages 2150-2160, September.
    6. Sebastian Schroedel, 2023. "The Sustainable Business Model Database: 92 Patterns That Enable Sustainability in Business Model Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-27, May.
    7. Li-Min Chuang & Yu-Po Lee, 2023. "Toward Sustainable Development: The Causes and Consequences of Organizational Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-22, May.
    8. Sarah Stempfle & Domenico Carlucci & Luigi Roselli & Bernardo Corrado de Gennaro, 2025. "A Conceptual Framework for an Agroecological Business Model Canvas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-27, October.
    9. Juliana Kurek & Luciana Londero Brandli & Marcos Antonio Leite Frandoloso & Amanda Lange Salvia & Janaina Mazutti, 2023. "Sustainable Business Models Innovation and Design Thinking: A Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review of Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.
    10. Astrid Cocquyt & Saskia Crucke & Hendrik Slabbinck, 2020. "Organizational characteristics explaining participation in sustainable business models in the sharing economy: Evidence from the fashion industry using conjoint analysis," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 2603-2613, September.
    11. María E. Aguilar-Fernández & José Ramon Otegi-Olaso, 2018. "Firm Size and the Business Model for Sustainable Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-27, December.
    12. Ringsberg, Henrik, 2023. "Sustainable FLM transport based on IPF transport by ferry in coastal rural areas: A case from Sweden," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    13. Eleonora Annunziata & Francesco Rizzi & Tiberio Daddi & Marco Frey, 2019. "Business models for interfirm energy cooperation in industrial parks: A possible taxonomy," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(2), pages 133-148.
    14. Guosong Wang & Huizhen Zhang, 2025. "FinTech-Driven Corporate Sustainability: A Technology–Organization–Environment Framework Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-28, September.
    15. José Augusto Lacerda Fernandes & José Milton de Sousa-Filho & Fernando Luiz Emerenciano Viana, 2021. "Sustainable Business Models in a Challenging Context: The Amana Katu Case," RAC - Revista de Administração Contemporânea (Journal of Contemporary Administration), ANPAD - Associação Nacional de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Administração, vol. 25(3), pages 200205-2002.
    16. Anna M. Hansson & Eja Pedersen & Niklas P. E. Karlsson & Stefan E. B. Weisner, 2023. "Barriers and drivers for sustainable business model innovation based on a radical farmland change scenario," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 8083-8106, August.
    17. Ancillai, Chiara & Sabatini, Andrea & Gatti, Marco & Perna, Andrea, 2023. "Digital technology and business model innovation: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    18. Yang, Yi & Rhee, Mooweon & Suhk Pak, Yong, 2024. "With or without metamorphosis of learning Orientation: Post-Cross-Border mergers and acquisitions performance of emerging multinational enterprises," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    19. Sylwia Lorenc & Tomasz Leśniak & Arkadiusz Kustra & Maria Sierpińska, 2023. "Evolution of Business Models of Mining and Energy Sector Companies according to Current Market Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-21, July.
    20. Yingkai Tang & Aswad Akram & Lucian‐Ionel Cioca & Syed Ghulam Meran Shah & Muhammad Asim Ali Qureshi, 2021. "Whether an innovation act as a catalytic moderator between corporate social responsibility performance and stated owned and non‐state owned enterprises' performance or not? An evidence from Pakistani ," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(3), pages 1127-1141, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:5:p:4482-:d:1086101. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.