Towards a comprehensive framework of the institutional dimensions in entrepreneurship research

Abstract Rates of entrepreneurship differ significantly between countries. Previous studies have shown that the institutional context can explain these differences; in particular, the institutional dimensions approach has recently gained attention for its potential to explain entrepreneurial activity across countries. However, it is still unclear how this approach has evolved, what has been advanced and what remains to be done. Through a rigorous systematic analysis of 84 articles published in Q1 journals included in the Journal Citation Reports™ for the period 2000–2025, this study focuses on the utilization of institutional dimensions (regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive) as a conceptual framework, extending beyond the traditional examination of formal and informal institutions. The main findings reveal that (a) there is no consensus on the variables that measure the institutional dimensions, particularly the normative and cultural-cognitive dimensions; (b) additional research is needed on the interactions between the three dimensions and their effect on entrepreneurship; (c) there are relevant differences in the effects of institutional dimensions on different economic sectors and different types of entrepreneurship, such as opportunity or necessity; (d) each institutional dimension influences differently at each stage of the entrepreneurial process; and (e) there are still few academic publications using the institutional dimensions framework in the field of entrepreneurship, although the number of articles published recently is increasing. From these results, some opportunities for future research lines are derived.