Business sustainability in SMEs: towards an Afrocentric research agenda

This chapter describes an Afrocentric research agenda towards understanding business sustainability within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Africa. Small and medium-sized enterprises across Africa are adopting various business models and practices to support sustainable development. However, there is a considerable lack of understanding of how SMEs integrate sustainability principles within their business models. This chapter examines the background of small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa by highlighting their characteristics, challenges and contributions towards sustainable development. The chapter further explores the literature on business sustainability and SMEs in Africa to summarise our current understanding of sustainability in SMEs. This summary emphasises SMEs' understanding of business sustainability, sustainability practices, and the relevant drivers of sustainability practices. The synthesis of the literature subsequently provides new insights to develop an Afrocentric research agenda. This research agenda highlights relevant themes, questions, and methodologies to guide future investigations in Africa.