Abstract

The paper explores a comparison of the literature on digitalization within SMEs produced in Italy and Spain, where these countries share similarities in their business structures, corporate cultures, and, moreover, academia and research industries. There is a notable lack of literature review papers incorporating bibliometric analysis, and those available tend to offer a broad perspective on the topic. This paper answers the following questions: a) What are the differences in the developments and trends in Italian and Spanish studies on digitalization in SMEs from 2018 to 2023? b) How do the key themes that have been the focus of research on digitalization in SMEs differ during the given period? and c) What are the comparisons regarding the prevailing trends in collaborative networks among authors, universities, and countries in Italian and Spanish studies on digitalization during the given period? The paper employs a bibliometric technique to analyze a dataset comprising 125 publications from top-tier journals obtained from the Scopus database. A performance analysis was conducted on 85 documents from Italy and 40 from Spain, utilizing the Bibliometrix package and the Biblioshiny tool. The results reveal that research interest in digitalization in SMEs has risen in both countries. Italy stands out with superior publications and citations, along with longer author timelines. However, the diversity of research themes in both countries is limited. Additionally, the results clarify that Italy possesses more extensive collaborative networks, while Spanish universities prioritize frequent and international collaboration.

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