Environmental Awareness, Green Consumption, and Entrepreneurial Sustainability in Rural Development: A Bibliometric Analysis
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the interrelationships between rural consumers’ environmental awareness, green consumption, and rural entrepreneurial sustainability, and to assess their collective contribution to responsible rural economic development, with particular emphasis on Asian and South Asian contexts. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts a bibliometric and systematic literature review approach, integrating the TCCM (Theory, Context, Characteristics, and Methodology) framework. Data were collected from Scopus and Web of Science databases, covering the period 2015–2025. A total of 247 journal articles were initially identified, of which 75 were selected for in-depth content analysis. Bibliometric techniques, including citation analysis and bibliographic coupling, were applied to identify key trends, thematic linkages, and regional research patterns. Findings: The results reveal that green consumption is strongly associated with rural economic development, particularly during the 2018–2020 period, while the relationship between rural entrepreneurial sustainability and rural economic development remains relatively underexplored. Environmental awareness emerges as a critical driver of green consumption behaviours, which, in turn, influence sustainable entrepreneurial activities. The study also identifies significant regional disparities, with South Asia exhibiting limited research output and weak international collaboration compared to other regions. Additionally, the findings highlight a decline in publication trends after 2021, despite increasing global sustainability challenges. Practical Implications: The findings suggest that policymakers should promote environmental education, support green entrepreneurship, and strengthen research collaboration, particularly in underrepresented regions such as South Asia. Managers and entrepreneurs are encouraged to integrate consumer environmental awareness into business models and marketing strategies to enhance sustainable value creation. Strengthening public–private partnerships and supporting rural innovation ecosystems can further accelerate sustainable rural development. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature by integrating environmental awareness, green consumption, and entrepreneurial sustainability within a unified analytical framework. By applying the TCCM approach, it provides a comprehensive synthesis of theoretical and empirical insights, identifies critical research gaps, and proposes directions for future research, particularly in the context of developing rural economies.