Body of Knowledge in Theory of Entrepreneurial Empowerment of the Poor: An Extensive Scientometric Analysis

Entrepreneurial empowerment is less regarded as a vital approach to sustainable poverty reduction. The literature defines entrepreneurial empowerment of the poor as either “empowering the poor for entrepreneurship” or “empowering the poor through entrepreneurship”. However, there is neither a comprehensive theoretical explanation nor a clear understanding about the body of knowledge on the entrepreneurial empowerment of the poor. This study, practical in the purpose and descriptive - documentary in data collection, aims to identify the body of certified knowledge on entrepreneurial empowerment of the poor in relation to its theoretical components. To do this, we first found three theoretical components based on the definitions in the literature: institutions, entrepreneurial agency, and outcomes. Then, we recognized the body of knowledge, by searching for keywords related to empowerment, entrepreneurship, poor and poverty in the WoS database through an extensive scientometric analysis over the period 1970-2019, using the CitNetExplorer software. Findings consisted of identifying bibliometric indices; introducing six knowledge clusters, including micro-finance, base-of-the-pyramid, entrepreneurial impetus, technology and infrastructure, organizing innovation and marketing of the poor's businesses, and female entrepreneurship. And accordingly, explaining the body of knowledge in relation to institutions and entrepreneurial agency. Besides, we researched in more general scientific databases to learn why some expected knowledge clusters were not discovered. Connecting the body of knowledge to the theoretical components identifies scientific and theoretical contributions.