Digitalization and Cybersecurity in SMEs: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This paper presents a bibliometric analysis of digitalization and cybersecurity in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), using the R tool Bibliometrix, with a total of 417 papers. First, our paper contributes to academia by showing that research on this topic is grouped into four clusters corresponding to four research lines: Industry 4.0 and Smart Factory; Industry 4.0 and SME; SME and Cybersecurity; Digitalization, SMEs, and Entrepreneurship. Second, our paper contributes to the literature by highlighting the existing gaps. We see that the digital transformation of SMEs entails increasing exposure to possible cyberattacks, which can be a determining factor for digitalization and, additionally, can affect the future of the SME business. In this context, we see that this gap has not been covered, as research lines have been found that focus on these issues but are unconnected. Regarding future research, we can predict that cybersecurity in SMEs will be a particular case of cybersecurity in firms, separated from research on digitalization in SMEs, which addresses issues such as smart factories and Industry 4.0 objectives in these enterprises.