Investigating Entrepreneurial and Innovation Ecosystems for Conceptual Understanding and Practical Applications

Abstract

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.