The Intellectual Structure of Scientific Production on Entrepreneurial Propensity: an Analysis in the Light of Co-citations

Abstract

Entrepreneurial propensity is the favorable predisposition of the individual to create new ventures. This study aimed to present the structure of the scientific production that provides the basis for studies on the tendency to entrepreneurship, using co-citation analysis. The method was exploratory and the data analysis was performed on scientific articles retrieved from the Scopus database. The results revealed that studies on the topic began in the 1970s, but it was only after the year 2000 that a significant increase in research occurred. Exploratory Factorial Analysis (EFA) revealed that the structure of scientific production on a propensity for entrepreneurship is explained in 68.34%, by 24 authors, who were grouped in eight dimensions: entrepreneurship as an organizational process; the characteristics of entrepreneurs; entrepreneurial attitudes and behavior; the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention; locus of control and effects of culture on entrepreneurship; cognitive processes and identification of opportunities; entrepreneurial action and decision making. This study reinforces the need for more investigations that aim to find a nucleus to understand entrepreneurs’ importance in society. Future research could explore similarities and differences between the constructs present in the current literature about future entrepreneurs.