The evolving role of trade fairs in business: A systematic literature review and a research agenda

This paper analyzes and critically discusses the state of the art of the trade fair scientific literature. The study adopts a systematic literature review, performed through a comparison of peer-reviewed articles on trade fairs, trade shows and exhibitions. A total of 125 papers (from 1927 to 2016) included in 31 different journals were used in the analysis. The papers were aggregated into the following themes: i) TF participation and outcomes; ii) TF market and management, and iii) TF structural meaning. Each theme comprises a set of related topics. By systemizing the research to date and deriving research avenues, the paper guides researchers to further understand the trade fair topical and structural meanings, contributing to edify a coherent and robust body of theory relevant to both academics and practitioners.