Mapping the evolution of entrepreneurial research themes in China: A combination analysis of co-word and critical event

As the largest and fastest-growing transition economy in the world, China has seen both the growth of entrepreneurship and increasing scholarly endeavors in this area. To gain an in-depth insight into the evolutionary themes of entrepreneurship research in China, the present study applied a combination of co-word and critical event analysis to examine the co-evolution path of entrepreneurial activity and transition process. By investigating 277 articles published in 23 leading international academic journals from 2005 through 2019 along with several contemporaneous critical events, this paper finds that entrepreneurial studies have become more complex and diverse along with the growth of entrepreneurial activities. It implies a positive impact caused by China's market transition on entrepreneurial opportunities which has further given rise to the development of academic inquiry in the area.