Celebrating the Research Shaping the Future of MSMEs Worldwide
The Journal of the International Council for Small Business (JICSB) proudly unveils its Top 10 Most Impactful Papers of 2025 — a curated collection of scholarship that is redefining how we understand entrepreneurship, innovation, sustainability, and MSME growth across the globe.
This year’s selection reflects the depth, diversity, and real-world relevance of contemporary entrepreneurship research. These papers were chosen based on scholarly impact, readership engagement, and their contribution to advancing both academic inquiry and practical application for entrepreneurs, educators, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders.
The Top 10 Most Impactful Papers of 2025
Explore the full JICSB 2025 Impact Collection
1. Self-leadership: The Essential Drive for Entrepreneurs
Marco Furtner, Simon Liegl & Kilian Klösel
2. Examining the Impact of Humane Entrepreneurship on Overall Firm Performance: An Empirical Investigation of SMEs
Zoran Bjelic, Christophe Schmitt, Rico Baldegger & Raymond Bou Nader
3. Creativity and Alertness for Successful Entrepreneurship
Masoud Karami, Clécio Falcão Araujo, Jintong Tang & Lucas Bonacina Roldan
4. Practical Insights into Predicting Defaults in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Hamid Cheraghali & Peter Molnár
5. Empowering K–12 Pupils: Fostering Problem-Solving Skills Through Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Computational Thinking
Anette Bentz, Jonas Krasowski, Bernhard Standl & Claudia Wiepcke
6. Enabling University and Regional Conditions to Create a Thriving Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Kimberly M. Gramm, David L. Doerfert, Amy E. Boren-Alpízar, Scott Burris & Rudy Ritz
7. Navigating the Digital Shift: Exploring the Online Dimension in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Tatyana Tsukanova, Susana C. Santos & Eric Liguori
8. A Review on High Growth Firms and Scaling
Euclides Major, Carlos M. DaSilva & David Urbano
9. The Knowing–Doing Gap: Family SMEs and Sustainability in Germany and Sweden
Börje Boers, Thomas Henschel, Adrian Ade & Stefan Kemp
10. The Potential of CSR Engagement in UK SMEs
Cezara Nicoara & Vita Kadile