Decades of progress: a bibliometric examination of women entrepreneurship (1993–2023)

Purpose This study aims to explore the intellectual evolution and structural development of women entrepreneurship research over the past three decades. It aims to identify thematic trends, conceptual clusters, prolific contributors and global research patterns informing both academic inquiry and policy discourse. By highlighting emerging and evolving themes, the study positions itself as a foundational resource for scholars and practitioners. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive bibliometric analysis was conducted using the SCOPUS database, covering 1,723 covering 1,723 articles published between 1993 and 2023. The study used performance analysis in R Studio via the Biblioshiny interface to examine publication outputs, authorship patterns, citations and journal distributions. Scientific mapping was carried out using VOSviewer to visualize co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence and co-citation patterns. This approach enabled a deeper understanding of the field’s knowledge structures. Findings The results indicate exponential growth in scholarly contributions, particularly post-2010, reflecting heightened academic and policy interest in women entrepreneurship. Key thematic clusters emerged around entrepreneurial intention, gender dynamics, sustainability, microfinance and education. The analysis also highlights influential authors, high-impact journals, productive institutions and cross-national collaboration networks, especially from the UK, USA, Malaysia and Indonesia. Practical implications Beyond mapping publication trends, the study critically identifies conceptual blind spots and underexplored research streams. These include the intersection of women entrepreneurship with digital transformation, informal economies and intersectionality. Insights from this analysis provide evidence-based recommendations for future research agendas, policymaking, curriculum design and targeted support for women-led enterprises. Originality/value Unlike other bibliometric studies, this paper is offering a dual-layered approach by combining performance metrics with scientific mapping techniques. It interprets the structural and conceptual progression of the field. The findings emphasized and stressed upon growth of a more constructive view of women entrepreneurship and cemented the groundwork for theory advancement and inclusive ecosystem-building in both developed and emerging economies.