Firm Survival in Agriculture : A Systematic Review of Analytical Approaches

Szerb, Boglárka and Csonka, Arnold (2026) Firm Survival in Agriculture : A Systematic Review of Analytical Approaches. REGIONAL AND BUSINESS STUDIES, 18 (1). pp. 49-68. ISSN 2061-2311

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Abstract

The long-term viability of agricultural enterprises remains a key policy and research issue, particularly in sectors exposed to market and environmental uncertainties. This systematic literature review examines the application of survival analysis in studying the persistence and exit of agricultural firms. The review encompasses peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2024, identified through structured searches in the Web of Science and ScienceDirect databases. Studies were included if they applied survival analysis or related quantitative methods and were published in journals ranked at least in the Q3 category according to SCImago. Thirteen publications met the inclusion criteria. Most studies employed Cox proportional hazards models or Kaplan–Meier estimators and analyzed a range of explanatory variables, including demographic, financial, organizational, and institutional factors. While the majority focused on general farm-level dynamics, only two addressed wine-producing enterprises. These highlighted the importance of cooperative membership, institutional networks, and prior performance in determining survival outcomes. The review identifies a clear gap in the literature on the survival of wine sector firms, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. The findings support the relevance of survival analysis in agricultural economics and provide a conceptual basis for future empirical studies on Hungarian grape and wine enterprises. The findings also provide methodological guidance for future empirical research and may support policy discussions related to the resilience of wine-producing enterprises.

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