Mapping tribal entrepreneurship research trends through bibliometric analysis

Abstract Tribal communities, with their unique cultures, traditions, and economies, represent diverse indigenous groups worldwide. They thrive on sustainable practices and are deeply intertwined with the environment. However, colonization, forced assimilation, and land use have disrupted their traditional livelihoods, raising concerns about economic conditions. Entrepreneurship has emerged as a key tool for uplifting the financial conditions of these communities, as evidenced by policies and increased research. This paper analyses the progress of research on tribal entrepreneurship using bibliometric approaches. The curated data was retrieved from SCOPUS using keywords related to Tribal and indigenous communities and entrepreneurship. The study analyses the key bibliometric aspects of temporal growth, authors, institutions, country, and journal productivity, and thematic network visualization using VOSviewer. The study is based on 529 documents in the field of tribal entrepreneurship research, indicating a substantial increase in publications. Most publications have been published in the United States. However, India is an emerging country regarding publications on tribal entrepreneurship. Key themes include indigenous community, sustainable economics, tribal tourism, economic development, and women’s entrepreneurship. The outcomes of this study significantly contribute to the tribal entrepreneurship literature by providing insight into entrepreneurial aspects. Many themes identified through this study, along with tribal tourism, offer a valuable insights for uplifting economic conditions. Furthermore, the study shall help future researchers delve into recent advancements in tribal entrepreneurship to assess its individual impact.