Artificial intelligence in retail SMEs: A science mapping analysis of operational efficiency and firm performance

This study maps and synthesizes the evolving intellectual structure of research on artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in retail small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with particular emphasis on its implications for operational effectiveness and firm performance. Despite the growing scholarly interest in AI-enabled retail transformation, existing evidence remains fragmented, lacking a comprehensive understanding of thematic development, influential contributions, and emerging research trajectories. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using a dataset extracted from the Scopus data base following the PRISMA framework. Bibliometric techniques, including performance analysis, science mapping, co-occurrence analysis, co-citation analysis, and thematic evolution, were performed using Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and R software to examine publication trends, influential authors, countries, institutions, journals, and knowledge clusters. The findings reveal a rapid increase in AI-related retail SME research, driven by themes such as digital transformation, machine learning, customer analytics, operational efficiency, innovation capability, and business performance. The analysis identifies leading contributors, dominant collaboration networks, and emerging topics associated with sustainability, Industry 5.0, and data-driven decision-making. The study further highlights underexplored areas, particularly the integration of AI with organizational capabilities and sustainable business strategies in SME contexts. This research contributes original value by offering a comprehensive intellectual map of AI adoption in retail SMEs and proposing future research directions through a bibliometrics methodology perspective. The evidence provides theoretical insights for advancing AI adoption literature and practical implications for managers and policymakers seeking to enhance SME competitiveness, digital resilience, and sustainable growth in an increasingly technology-driven retail environment.