Purpose

This paper aims to offer a wider examination of the research concerning entrepreneurship characteristics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region via a review of recent studies relevant to this topic. Research publications concerning entrepreneurship within the MENA region evidence growing interest in this field of study, with the potential to boost and drive future economic development and growth. This focus within entrepreneurship research is because of the economic development in the region, which is becoming increasingly important for policymakers and businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

The author performed a systematic literature review to produce robust information about entrepreneurship in the MENA region, followed by a thematic analysis to identify key research themes within each category.

Findings

Despite the growth in entrepreneurship research in the MENA region, research on certain factors is lacking. An analysis of 271 studies published between 2009 and 2019 identifies 9 main research categories, within which 30 themes have attracted significant academic attention. Female entrepreneurship and gender, youth entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship behaviour and orientation are the three key categories influencing perspectives on entrepreneurship in the MENA region. This study highlights research gaps and provides recommendations to guide future research on the sustainable development of entrepreneurship in the MENA region.

Originality/value

This paper highlights trends in entrepreneurship research amongst scholars within the MENA region and suggests paths for future research efforts.

中文翻译：

---

中东和北非的创业研究：趋势、挑战和可持续性问题

目的

本文旨在通过回顾与该主题相关的近期研究，对有关中东和北非 (MENA) 地区创业特征的研究进行更广泛的研究。中东和北非地区关于创业的研究出版物表明，人们对这一研究领域的兴趣日益浓厚，具有促进和推动未来经济发展和增长的潜力。创业研究的这一重点是由于该地区的经济发展，这对政策制定者和企业来说变得越来越重要。

设计/方法/方法

作者进行了系统的文献回顾，以提供有关 MENA 地区创业的可靠信息，然后进行专题分析以确定每个类别中的关键研究主题。

发现

尽管中东和北非地区的创业研究有所增长，但缺乏对某些因素的研究。对 2009 年至 2019 年间发表的 271 项研究的分析确定了 9 个主要研究类别，其中 30 个主题引起了学术界的极大关注。女性创业和性别、青年创业和创业行为和方向是影响 MENA 地区创业观点的三个关键类别。本研究突出了研究空白，并提供了建议，以指导未来对 MENA 地区创业可持续发展的研究。

原创性/价值

本文重点介绍了 MENA 地区学者的创业研究趋势，并为未来的研究工作提出了建议。