IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i10p4665-d1659346.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Higher Education Institutions as Leverage for Backing up SMEs’ Efforts to Meet SDG 9

Author

Listed:
  • Luis Velazquez

    (Industrial Engineering, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Engineering, University of Sonora, Hermosillo 83000, Mexico)

Abstract

This article explores the current state of collaboration between higher education institutions (HEIs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), focusing on advancing the achievements of SDG 9. Using two bibliometric analyses, in Scopus and Web of the Science, this study examines resilient infrastructure, innovation, information and communication technology, and financial services as fundamental concepts within SDG 9’s targets to investigate how SMEs can contribute to meeting SDG 9 and what can be expected from higher education institutions to generate knowledge that supports SMEs’ efforts. The bibliometric analysis revealed trends and patterns that shape the state of the art regarding HEIs-SMEs collaboration for SDG 9. There is a subtle yet significant partnership between higher education institutions and SMEs centered around the key aspect of innovation within SDG 9. Even more significant is the insight into various mechanisms for strengthening knowledge transfer from higher education institutions to SMEs, as they substantially enhance the capabilities and skills of their workforce to innovate primarily through information and communication technologies. This suggests that higher education institutions emerge as strategic partners for SMEs to progress toward, if not all, some of the targets of SDG 9, which is essential for their sustainable future readiness.

Suggested Citation

  • Luis Velazquez, 2025. "Higher Education Institutions as Leverage for Backing up SMEs’ Efforts to Meet SDG 9," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-19, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:10:p:4665-:d:1659346
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4665/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4665/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Distinguin, Isabelle & Rugemintwari, Clovis & Tacneng, Ruth, 2016. "Can Informal Firms Hurt Registered SMEs’ Access to Credit?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 18-40.
    2. Todd Davey & Sofía Louise Martínez-Martínez & Rafael Ventura & Victoria Galán-Muros, 2024. "The creation of academic spin-offs: University-Business Collaboration matters," Post-Print hal-04813983, HAL.
    3. Hervás-Oliver, José-Luis & Parrilli, Mario Davide & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Sempere-Ripoll, Francisca, 2021. "The drivers of SME innovation in the regions of the EU," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    4. Mila Cascajares & Alfredo Alcayde & Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2021. "The Bibliometric Literature on Scopus and WoS: The Medicine and Environmental Sciences Categories as Case of Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-31, May.
    5. Bouwman, Harry & Nikou, Shahrokh & de Reuver, Mark, 2019. "Digitalization, business models, and SMEs: How do business model innovation practices improve performance of digitalizing SMEs?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(9).
    6. Donbesuur, Francis & Ampong, George Oppong Appiagyei & Owusu-Yirenkyi, Diana & Chu, Irene, 2020. "Technological innovation, organizational innovation and international performance of SMEs: The moderating role of domestic institutional environment," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    7. Zifeng Liang, 2021. "Assessment of the Construction of a Climate Resilient City: An Empirical Study Based on the Difference in Differences Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-20, February.
    8. Aurelija Burinskienė & Jolanta Nalivaikė, 2024. "Digital and Sustainable (Twin) Transformations: A Case of SMEs in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-24, February.
    9. Heejung Yu & Howon Lee & Hongbeom Jeon, 2017. "What is 5G? Emerging 5G Mobile Services and Network Requirements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-22, October.
    10. Valentina Bucaioni & Gianluca Murgia & Josef Taalbi, 2025. "The impact of explorative and exploitative collaborations on SMEs innovative performance," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 63(2), pages 463-494, March.
    11. Qixiang Wang & Linghui Kong & Jin Li & Bangyi Li & Fan Wang, 2020. "Behavioral Evolutionary Analysis between the Government and Uncertified Recycler in China’s E-Waste Recycling Management," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-15, October.
    12. Miki Fukuda & Eric Zusman, 2024. "Meaningful Youth Engagement in Sustainability Processes in Japan and Finland: A Comparative Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-20, July.
    13. Muhammad Arsalan Nazir & Mohsin Raza Khan, 2024. "Identification of roles and factors influencing the adoption of ICTs in the SMEs of Pakistan by using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)," Innovation and Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(1), pages 189-215, January.
    14. Szopik-Depczyńska, Katarzyna & Kędzierska-Szczepaniak, Angelika & Szczepaniak, Krzysztof & Cheba, Katarzyna & Gajda, Waldemar & Ioppolo, Giuseppe, 2018. "Innovation in sustainable development: an investigation of the EU context using 2030 agenda indicators," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 251-262.
    15. Miika Kumpulainen & Marko Seppänen, 2022. "Combining Web of Science and Scopus datasets in citation-based literature study," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(10), pages 5613-5631, October.
    16. Tri Yuwono & Agus Suroso & Weni Novandari, 2024. "Information and communication technology in SMEs: a systematic literature review," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-23, December.
    17. Chatterjee, Abheek & Layton, Astrid, 2020. "Mimicking nature for resilient resource and infrastructure network design," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    18. Idiano D’Adamo & Cristina Di Carlo & Massimo Gastaldi & Edouard Nicolas Rossi & Antonio Felice Uricchio, 2024. "Economic Performance, Environmental Protection and Social Progress: A Cluster Analysis Comparison towards Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-24, June.
    19. Fernanda Pedro & Ernesto Giglio & Luis Velazquez & Nora Munguia, 2021. "Constructed Governance as Solution to Conflicts in E-Waste Recycling Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-22, February.
    20. Ermal Hetemi & Joaquin Ordieres-Meré & Cali Nuur, 2020. "An Institutional Approach to Digitalization in Sustainability-Oriented Infrastructure Projects: The Limits of the Building Information Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-20, May.
    21. Ana M. Osorio & Luisa F. Úsuga & Jaime A. Restrepo-Carmona & Isabel Rendón & Julián Sierra-Pérez & Rafael E. Vásquez, 2024. "Methodology for Stakeholder Prioritization in the Context of Digital Transformation and Society 5.0," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-18, June.
    22. Doh, Soogwan & Kim, Byungkyu, 2014. "Government support for SME innovations in the regional industries: The case of government financial support program in South Korea," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(9), pages 1557-1569.
    23. Isabelle Distinguin & Clovis Rugemintwari & Ruth Tacneng, 2016. "Can Informal Firms Hurt Registered SMEs’ Access to Credit?," Post-Print hal-04881158, HAL.
    24. Ndeye Ndiaye & Lutfi Abdul Razak & Ruslan Nagayev & Adam Ng, 2018. "Demystifying small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) performance in emerging and developing economies," Borsa Istanbul Review, Research and Business Development Department, Borsa Istanbul, vol. 18(4), pages 269-281, December.
    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. Mohammad Amin & Caroline Nogueira, 2025. "Does Competition from Informal Firms Encourage the Formal Firms to Obtain Quality Certificates ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 11023, The World Bank.
    2. Qian Xiao, 2023. "State equity participation and financing constraints of private enterprises in China: Based on the competitive pressure perspective," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(11), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Gao, Xiaoxue, 2024. "Unlocking the path to digital financial accounting: A study on Chinese SMEs and startups," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    4. Bischoff, Thore Sören & Hipp, Ann & Runst, Petrik, 2023. "Firm innovation and generalized trust as a regional resource," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(8).
    5. Youtang Zhang & Eshetu Yesuf Ayele, 2022. "Factors Affecting Small and Micro Enterprise Performance with the Mediating Effect of Government Support: Evidence from the Amhara Region Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-20, June.
    6. Radicic, Dragana & Petković, Saša, 2023. "Impact of digitalization on technological innovations in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    7. Choi, Hyeseung & Lee, Min-Jae & Roh, Taewoo, 2024. "Is institutional pressure the driver for green business model innovation of SMEs? Mediating and moderating roles of regional innovation intermediaries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    8. Bischoff, Thore Sören & Hipp, Ann & Runst, Petrik, 2022. "Firm innovation and generalized trust as a regional resource," ifh Working Papers 32/2022, Volkswirtschaftliches Institut für Mittelstand und Handwerk an der Universität Göttingen (ifh).
    9. Pan, Xin & Chen, Xuanjin & Qiu, Shumin, 2024. "Pushing boundaries or overstepping? Exploring the paradoxical impact of radical innovation on government subsidies in Chinese SMEs," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    10. Naradda Gamage, Sisira Kumara & Ekanayake, EMS & Abeyrathne, GAKNJ & Prasanna, RPIR & Jayasundara, JMSB & Rajapakshe, PSK, 2019. "Global Challenges and Survival Strategies of the SMEs in the Era of Economic Globalization: A Systematic Review," MPRA Paper 98419, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Irina Heim & Lilya Mergaliyeva, 2025. "Organizational Wrongdoing within the Context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: An Integrative Review," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 198(3), pages 615-635, May.
    12. Sam Z. Njinyah & Simplice A. Asongu, 2023. "Unregistered Firms, Financial Access and Innovation," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 32(2), pages 307-346, July.
    13. Emil Velinov & Milan Maly & Yelena Petrenko & Igor Denisov & Vasko Vassilev, 2020. "The Role of Top Management Team Digitalization and Firm Internationalization for Sustainable Business," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-11, November.
    14. Yuhuan Jin & Sheng Zhang, 2019. "Credit Rationing in Small and Micro Enterprises: A Theoretical Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-15, March.
    15. Idiano D'Adamo & Massimo Gastaldi & Ilhan Ozturk, 2023. "The sustainable development of mobility in the green transition: Renewable energy, local industrial chain, and battery recycling," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 840-852, April.
    16. Malewska, Kamila & Cyfert, Szymon & Chwiłkowska-Kubala, Anna & Mierzejewska, Katrzyna & Szumowski, Witold, 2024. "The missing link between digital transformation and business model innovation in energy SMEs: The role of digital organisational culture," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    17. Zheng, Yunjian & Lin, Chen & Yan, Jiale & Guo, Yani, 2025. "How to enhance the innovation capacity of technology-based enterprises: A fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    18. Anna Marciniuk-Kluska & Mariusz Kluska, 2025. "Energy Recovery from Municipal Biodegradable Waste in a Circular Economy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, April.
    19. Pedro Antonio Martín-Cervantes & Parisa Ziarati & Pablo de Frutos Madrazo & Iza Gigauri, 2025. "Digital Marketing as a Driver of Change Towards the Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-24, June.
    20. Zahoor, Nadia & Zopiatis, Anastasios & Adomako, Samuel & Lamprinakos, Grigorios, 2023. "The micro-foundations of digitally transforming SMEs: How digital literacy and technology interact with managerial attributes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).

    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:17:y:2025:i:10:p:4665-:d:1659346. 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.