Scrutinizing Business Development Research: Dynamic Retrospective Analysis and Conceptual Evolution

Yu-Min Wei () and Hsin-Mei Lin
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Yu-Min Wei: PhD Program in Strategy and Development of Emerging Industries, National Chi Nan University, Nantou County 54561, Taiwan
Hsin-Mei Lin: Department of International Business Studies, National Chi Nan University, Nantou County 54561, Taiwan

Administrative Sciences, 2024, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-32

Abstract: While prevalent in enterprise practice, business development (BD) activities have garnered limited attention within academic circles, leading to a noticeable dearth of discussions regarding their comprehensive understanding and the contemporary research landscape. Previous research has underscored the pivotal role and importance of business development activities in generating new growth opportunities and enhancing dynamic capabilities for enterprises. This article seeks to bridge this academic gap by synthesizing six decades of research literature on enterprise business development activities and tracing the progression of its research trajectory to uncover its complete narrative. Its contributions are manifold: firstly, we intensified the foundational elements of business development research by conducting a meticulous examination of various perspectives and providing insights into former ambiguities surrounding crucial aspects; secondly, it elucidates how contextual factors influence the emergence and evolution of enterprises’ business development activities, highlighting its research significance across different eras; thirdly, it conducts a comprehensive exploration of various research streams within business development and their nuanced interactions across key dimensions. Through these endeavors, this study aims to enrich academic discourse in the domain of business development, establishing a robust academic foundation for subsequent research.

Keywords: business development (BD); business environment; corporate entrepreneurship; social network; absorptive capacity (ACAP) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L M M0 M1 M10 M11 M12 M14 M15 M16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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