Let's take the entrepreneurial ecosystem metaphor seriously (original) (raw)
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Toward an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Research Program
Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 2021
Entrepreneurial ecosystems have become a prominent concept, yet in its current state, the concept itself represents a paradox. While it draws on a rich intellectual history and provides an opportunity to synthesize different strands of research, it is also under-theorized and the mechanisms that govern ecosystem evolution are not well understood. This paper takes stock of recent advancements in ecosystem scholarship and synthesizes the empirical reality of the causal mechanisms. We use these dynamics to position ecosystems in a broader context, within and beyond the domain of entrepreneurship research, and propose a transdisciplinary research program for ecosystem research and practice.
A manifesto for researching entrepreneurial ecosystems
Local Economy, 2020
Entrepreneurial ecosystems are the focus of government economic policies around the world for their potential to generate entrepreneur-led economic development. The paper identifies key research questions and challenges to building effective public policy: (i) the limitations of existing data sources, (ii) the need to balance findings from quantitative and qualitative studies, (iii) the danger that entrepreneurial ecosystems will be just a policy fad, (iv) the narrow focus of policy and research on high tech firms and scale-ups, and (v) the need to balance research approaches between simplified models and a complex systems approach. There is a need for a better understanding of the diversity of policy contexts (level of government, country context) and model of ecosystem governance. A more granulated understanding of ecosystem thinking is required, with greater consideration of the diversity of actors and the institutional context, with more attention given to the heterogeneous nature of places and complex interactions between actors and networks. Looking to the future, the potential of new data sources and methodologies is identified. Future research should give greater consideration to the institutional context to understand how policy can better support entrepreneurial activity and the extent to which specific policies can be replicated elsewhere.
The Resilience of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 2017
Despite intense scholarly interest in entrepreneurial ecosystems, research has not explicitly emphasized ecosystem-level dynamics or explored sources of variance among ecosystems. We theorize that entrepreneurial ecosystems are heterogeneous in a key, system-level characteristic: resilience. We define entrepreneurial ecosystem resilience and theorize that it is intimately tied to the interaction between micro- and macro-level processes of an ecosystem. We contend that entrepreneurial ecosystems differ in both the diversity of participants, ventures, business models, and support organizations, and their coherence around shared values and activities. The interplay between ecosystem diversity and coherence, in turn, produces resilience. Our theory has implications for scholars, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers.
Toward a process theory of entrepreneurial ecosystems
Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 2017
Entrepreneurial ecosystems have emerged as a popular concept within entrepreneurship policy and practitioner communities. Specifically, they are seen as a regional economic development strategy based around creating supportive environments that foster innovative startups. However, existing research on entrepreneurial ecosystems has been largely typological and atheoretical and has not yet explored how they influence the entrepreneurship process. This paper critically examines the relationships between ecosystems and other existing bodies of work such as clusters and regional innovation systems. Drawing on this background, the paper suggests that a process-based view of ecosystems provides a better framework to understand their role in supporting new venture creation. This framework is used to explain the evolution and transformation of entrepreneurial ecosystems and to create a typology of different ecosystem structures.
Towards a Process Theory of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 2017
Entrepreneurial ecosystems have emerged as a popular concept within entrepreneurship policy and practitioner communities. Specifically, they are seen as a regional economic development strategy based around creating supportive environments that foster innovative startups. However, existing research on entrepreneurial ecosystems has been largely typological and atheoretical and has not yet explored how they influence the entrepreneurship process. This paper critically examines the relationships between ecosystems and other existing bodies of work such as clusters and regional innovation systems. Drawing on this background, the paper suggests that a process-based view of ecosystems provides a better framework to understand their role in supporting new venture creation. This framework is used to explain the evolution and transformation of entrepreneurial ecosystems and to create a typology of different ecosystem structures. Forthcoming in Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal
From sustainability to thrivability: A novel framework for entrepreneurial ecosystems
International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 2021
The present research proposes a theoretical framework for a thrivable entrepreneurial ecosystem in which thrivability is a novel entrepreneurship approach that embeds a comprehensive view in which sustainability is 'the way to walk' rather than the goal to reach. A thrivable entrepreneurial ecosystem aims to create prosperity through ecosystem resource (re)generation and transformation to define long-term economic goals. The framework is applied here to address the grand challenge of sustainable development in wineries. A local wine ecosystem in Italy is employed as a case study supported by mix-method-based, in-depth data collection (survey and interview). Results from the study support the idea that organizations can collaborate in a thrivable entrepreneurial ecosystem as a unique entity respectful of nature, driving economic viability of both firms and territories by improving quality of life, and caring for natural resources and local communities. This novel entrepreneurial approach may represent a turning point for facing increasingly grand business challenges.
Evolutionary entrepreneurial ecosystems: a research pathway
Small Business Economics, 2021
The recent widespread interest of policy in entrepreneurial ecosystems has been complemented by a burgeoning academic research output. This research to date may be broadly categorized as focusing on place, actors, governance, and evolution. Of these groupings, evolutionary processes have been paid least attention despite their centrality to a dynamic ecosystem phenomenon that evolves from an origin through processes of growth, adaptation, and resilience. To redress this imbalance, we frame a future research agenda on evolutionary processes of entrepreneurial ecosystems. Foremost amongst these are the competing lens for the evolutionary processes, the appropriate and evolving geographic scope and boundaries of the ecosystem, and the evolving visible or invisible modes of governance. Methodologically, we call for greater use of longitudinal studies of such evolutionary processes.
Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal
This research paper addresses the lack of clarity and challenges in applying the ecosystem concept by systematically analyzing and comparing two complex conceptualizations of entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems. Through a literature synthesis, essential distinguishing characteristics are identified using an inductive approach, facilitating the understanding of ecosystem configurations. Clustering procedures are employed to identify distinct ecosystem groups, summarized in a table. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems to empower the research community and practitioners in developing effective ecosystem management approaches.
The Relational Organization of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Entrepreneurial ecosystems have emerged as a popular concept to explain the persist- ence of high-growth entrepreneurship within regions. However, as a theoretical concept ecosystems remain underdeveloped, making it difficult to understand their structure and influence on the entrepreneurship process. The article argues that ecosystems are com- posed of 10 cultural, social, and material attributes that provide benefits and resources to entrepreneurs and that the relationships between these attributes reproduce the ecosys- tem. This model is illustrated with case studies of Waterloo, Ontario, and Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The cases demonstrate the variety of different configurations that ecosystems can take.