Performance evaluation in networks of small and medium enterprises: state of the art to the delimitations posed by researcher

Abstract

The research aims at building, in the researcher, the knowledge to guide him where to look for opportunities (gaps) to search his topic of interest - here illustrated in the theme Networks of Small and Medium Enterprises. The work is characterized as exploratory and descriptive with qualitative and quantitative approach. The analysis of the publication characteristics (41 articles from the selected literature portfolio, 862 articles referenced in this portfolio and the set of articles resulting from crossing between the two banks of articles) showed the following results: (i) European Planning Studies is one of the most outstanding  journals (ii) the article entitled Does cooperation enhance competitiveness? Assessing the impacts of inter-firm collaboration, published in 1996, written by Stuart A. Rosenfeld, is the most recognized article in the literature portfolio and the article entitled Small Firms, Social Capital and the Enhancement of Business Performance Through Innovation Programmes, written by Philip Cooke and David Wills in 1999, published in the journal Small Business Economics  is the most outstanding article written by the most prominent author in the set of articles (portfolio and references); (iii) Luiz Cesar Ribeiro Carpinetti  is the most prolific author of the literature portfolio and Hubert Schmitz is the most prolific author of the portfolio references.