From Invisible to Visible: A Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Research

Abstract

By incorporating both “entrepreneurial” and “ecosystem” elements, entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) are argued to constitute “organized attempts to establish environments that are conducive to increasing the success for newly established ventures” (Audretsch et al., 2019: 313). Interest in EEs by scholars, policymakers, and practitioners has grown rapidly in recent years given the impact that their complex interdependencies of various actors and activities has on the entry, growth, and exit of new ventures (Abootorabi, et al, 2021). However, continued progress in EE research is undermined by at least three challenges. First, there is widespread inconsistency in the use of the term EE. Second, scholars lament that too much attention has been given to the elements of the system itself, without proper attention to the evolution of and connections between these elements (Acs, et al, 2017). Third, given that “the current state of ecosystem research is fragmented and heterogeneous with regard to theoretical approaches” (Wurth et al., 2021: 5), “there exists no ‘theory’ of the ecosystem” (Audretsch et al., 2019: 316). In light of the challenges facing scholars interested in making a contribution to the EE literature, this symposium is intended to achieve two objectives by engaging a group of the leading voices in the EE field in a panel discussion. First, it seeks to provide insight into the panelists’ understandings of and perspectives on the current state of EE research in order to identify fruitful areas of inquiry going forward. Second, it seeks to tap into their experience as authors in order to share strategies and tactics about how to publish EE research in the very best management and entrepreneurship journals.