Bibliometric research published in the Journal of Management History has recognized a 2006 paper by Patrick Murphy, Ph.D., as the most influential publication in the journal’s 30-year history. Murphy is the Goodrich Chair of Entrepreneurship, a professor in the Collat School of Business at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and director of the J. Frank Barefield Jr., Entrepreneurship Program.

The newly released 2025 bibliometric analysis, which marks the journal’s 30th anniversary, examined 497 peer-reviewed articles published in the journal indexed in the Scopus database. The research examined citations, impact and thematic influences with a series of rigorous bibliographic cluster analyses.

The 2006 paper, titled “A Conceptual History of Entrepreneurial Thought,” written by Murphy and two colleagues, ranked first in terms of both citation metrics and thematic influence. The paper examines the importance of entrepreneurship in academic and practical settings, its influences on business and society, and how people have perceived entrepreneurial activities throughout much of human history.  

“That paper was one of my first entrepreneurship publications focusing on what makes the field distinct from other areas,” said Murphy, lead author of the study. “It’s based on Chapter 2 of my dissertation. I knew it attracted some attention and has become assigned reading in doctoral seminars, but this exceeds my expectations. Entrepreneurship was a fledgling field at the time. I’m happy to be part of the many phenomenal scholars from around the world who have been published in the Journal of Management History.”  

The 2025 analysis examines the evolution of the overall field of business management, highlighting landmark contributions and emerging disciplines. Its recognition of UAB scholarship is a testament to UAB’s commitment to high-impact research.