Ecosystem Concept Research Articles

Environmentally balanced agroecosystems – key to sustainable development

Considering the large-scale aggravation of the global environmental problem, despite the nearly thirty-year implementation of the Concept of Sustainable Development, developed in Rio de Janeiro (1992),it needs additional researchand justification today. The very fact of a large-scale aggravation of the global environmental problem makes one doubt the methodological correctness of the concept. Since the consumption of natural resources, and, therefore,the ecological state of the environment dependsto a large extent on the understanding of the ecological essence of energy relations in ecosystems, it is worth focusing on the scientific provisions of the domestic school of physical economy, elaborated inthe works of Serhiy Podolinskyi, VolodymyrVernadskyi,Mykola Rudenko, Viktor Pysmak . It is in accordance with these provisions that the system of criteria-indicators of sustainable development requires revision. A new vision of the theoretical foundations for the development of such indicators is proposed.The authors saturate the modern, post-industrial understanding of the meaning of sustainable development with noospheric content. Based on the concept of noospheric ecosystems developed in previous author's works, an attempt is also made to providea qualitatively new justification of the goals and directions of the planetary development ofthe entire human population. Conclusions.The authors see the future trend of implementing the concept of sustainable development only in theapproximationof nature management mechanisms to natural analogues. The applied implementation of the author's theoretical provisions in reforming the administrative-territorial system is proposed

Value co-destruction through misintegration of resources within a public service ecosystem

ABSTRACT The concept of public service ecosystem is gaining much interest in discourses concerning value co-destruction in public service delivery. We adopt public service ecosystem as a perspective to view value co-destruction within infrastructure industry through misintegration of resources. To us, value destruction represents a decline in individual, organizational or societal well-being. Our research identifies hybridity, temporality, interconnectedness, and interdependence as pivotal characteristics of the public service ecosystem leading to misintegration of resources. We argue that mitigating value co-destruction requires a focus on institutional arrangements, structures, and incentives to align value creation processes and bridge gaps in the public service ecosystem.

DIGITAL LEARNING ECOSYSTEM AT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS: A 4-UNIVERSITY PERSPECTIVE

In today's era, universities operate within a highly interconnected global landscape, which is increasingly accessible via virtual platforms, decentralized institutions, and an information-driven economy. The capacity of a university to leverage its reputation, ranking, and networks plays a pivotal role in attracting and retaining students, researchers, staff, and industry collaborators. This underscores the significance of engaging with local, national, and global communities to achieve success. This article critically examines existing literature on the digital ecosystem within the realm of education. Various studies have explored aspects such as digital ecosystem dynamics, innovation, communication channels, technology integration, and human capital considerations, aiming to elucidate effective strategies for creating and operating within this evolving landscape. The analysis delves into key themes and focal points within the concept and practice of digital ecosystems, with particular emphasis on academic initiatives as catalysts for ecosystem development and relationship cultivation. Furthermore, the article addresses the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing digital resources in Iran, while highlighting initiatives undertaken by leading universities to foster digital ecosystems. Ultimately, it provides managerial insights into potential future trajectories in this domain.

Бизнес-экосистемы как эффективная форма организации корпоративных взаимодействий

The article discusses the concept and types of ecosystems in economics: knowledge ecosystem, innovation ecosystem, examines their properties and differences, and makes an attempt to systematize the views of various scientists on the nature and essence of economic ecosystems. The emphasis in the study is on industrial business ecosystems from the point of view of organizing effective corporate interaction between participants in their structure.

From Corporate Digital Responsibility to Responsible Digital Ecosystems

The significant and rapidly growing impact that digital technologies has on all aspects of our lives has raised awareness of benefits but also concerns and worries linked to the development and use of these technologies. The concept of responsibility, as expressed in terms such as corporate social responsibility or responsible research and innovation, represents one well-established discourse and a set of practices that are used to deal with social and ethical concerns and which are now a well-established part of the broader sustainability literature. Recently, a novel discourse has gained prominence that specifically explores the question of which responsibilities arise for organisations based on their engagement with digital technologies. This discourse uses the term ‘corporate digital responsibility’ to describe how organisations can understand, shape, and discharge their responsibilities not just in a narrow economic sense, but also their broader moral, social and environmental responsibilities. This article takes its point of departure from the corporate digital responsibility discussion and aims to contribute to the theoretical underpinnings of the term. This article suggests that an appropriate metaphor to approach the reality of current socio-technical systems is that of an “ecosystem”. This metaphor accommodates many of the systems features of contemporary digital technologies, but it clashes with traditional conceptions of responsibility. This article argues that a concept of responsible digital ecosystems is a precondition for the successful ascription of responsibilities in digital contexts. Such ecosystems can be understood as systems that are designed to foster and support existing and novel responsibilities, that align responsibility ascriptions with a view to achieve desirable and acceptable outcomes. Based on these ideas of responsible digital ecosystems, this article spells out some of the implications for research and practice that the adoption of this conceptual framework entails.

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS: RESEARCH OF CORPORATE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS AND PROSPECTS FOR THE FORMATION OF INTERCORPORATE ECOSYSTEMS IN RUSSIA

The author examines the ecosystem approach, corporate innovation ecosystems and intercorporate innovation ecosystems. Considering the importance of their development for achieving the required pace of innovative development of Russian companies and the Russian economy, the study of their condition and development prospects determines the purpose of this paper. An analysis of the literature revealed an increase in the number of studies on innovation ecosystems and their diversity, indicating the potential for further development of the concept of innovation ecosystems. The analysis of the innovative activity of Russian companies shows that the main indicators reflecting the degree of innovative development in Russia in 2019–2022 are growing, but not enough. The average share of innovation costs in 2020–2022 was 2.1%, and in industry – only 1.7%, there was a reduction in the volume of inter-enterprise cooperation on the development of innovations. The author formulated the definition of a corporate innovation ecosystem as a singular innovation ecosystem established by a given company to create innovative value necessary for its development. The author has also formulated the features of its configuration that determine the logic of its functioning. The results of the study show the high potential for scientific and technological cooperation between Russian companies. Therefore, the author formulated the concept of an Intercorporate Innovation Ecosystem, which is a singular innovation ecosystem created on the initiative of two or more participants by partially integrating their corporate innovation ecosystems into an Intercorporate Innovation Ecosystem. Their aim is to carry out joint innovation activities and then independently commercialise the results. The proposed concept, implemented in accordance with the principles of the ecosystem approach, in terms of contractual relations, as well as implying the development of a single platform or functioning on a multi-platform basis, has theoretical validity and seems applicable in the practice of Russian companies and significant for the development of the Russian economy.

A survey of the state‐of‐the‐art approaches for evaluating trust in software ecosystems

AbstractThird‐party software has streamlined the software engineering process, allowed software engineers to focus on developing more advanced components, and reduced time and cost. This shift has led to software development strategies moving from competition to collaboration, resulting in the concept of software ecosystems, in which internal and external actors work together on shared platforms and place their trust in the ecosystem. However, the increase in shared components has also created challenges, especially in security, as the large dependency trees significantly enlarge a system's attack surface. The situation is made worse by the lack of effective ways to measure and ensure the trustworthiness of these components. In this article, we explore current approaches used to evaluate trust in software ecosystems, focusing on analyzing the specific techniques utilized, the primary factors in trust evaluation, the diverse formats for result presentation, as well as the software ecosystem entities considered in the approaches. Our goal is to provide the status of current trust evaluation approaches, including their limitations. We identify key challenges, including the limited coverage of software ecosystem entities; the objectivity, universality, and environmental impacts of the evaluation approaches; the risk assessment for the evaluation approaches; and the security attacks posed by trust evaluation in these approaches.

Research Review of Exploratory Development of Smart Logistics Ecosystem in China

As a new cross field, the intelligent logistics ecosystem in the early stage of development has become an exploratory research hotspot of scholars in recent years. This paper takes the theory and development of smart logistics as the starting point, makes a descriptive summary of the concept and characteristics of smart logistics ecosystem, and summarizes the research perspectives of smart logistics ecosystem from horizontal and vertical aspects.

The Science of Vegetation with Reference to India

Pt. I Vegetation is the sum total of plant population covering a region and its descrete units circumscribed by characteristic environment, are communities. The species content is the flora. The physical and the biological surroundings characterise the environmental complex. Both plants and their environment are dynamic systems interacting within and with each other. The amplitude of variations in the environment is generally met with synchronised adaptive responses of the plants in time and space. Differentiation of ecads and ecotypes within the plastic species is the result. However, many forms and invaders may get eliminated also if the situation goes beyond their range of tolerance set by the genetic organisation as the factors may become critical at different stages of the life-cycle. The species around provide the genetic material for recruitment and ecesis within the community.pt. II Migration of species involving mobility of disseminules, their germination, aggregation, competition and final ecesis-ever continuing processes lead to colonisation and invasions. All these plant phenomena react upon the environment introducing changes therein. Thus newer community-environment-complex equilibria are set up in the dynamic system. The whole process is called, succession in relation to time and the series of succeeding communities for a given area, a sere. When it happens ‘de novo’ with no trace of plant present originally in the area, it is prisere as a result of primary succession and subsere with disturbed communities in which secondary succession is the rule. The mechanism of succession is driven by the reacting and changing environment consequential largely either to the plant processes themselves or to extraneous forces succession is autogenic in the former and allogenic in the latter case. In every case succession terminates into a more stable climax community generally dependant upon the climate and soil. The taxa used for classifying communities differ widely among ecologists but association is the basic unit accepted by all, though with varying concepts. The concept of ecosystem in relation to energy and matter within the community is the most acceptable basis for comprehending;vegetation types in India.Pt. III Since vegetation evolves out of the flora floristic regions of India should form the basis of its main divisions. For this purpose three main latitudinal belts viz. (1) Eastern and Western Himalayas, (2) Assam, Gangetic Plains and Rajasthan, and (3) Deccan and Malabar are recognised. The seven provinces with their distinct climate including photoperiod can be individually considered for the description of vegetation types along gradients of altitude, humidity-aridity, history and proximity of human settlements and soil fertility. Along these gradients closed, open and desert types of structure within forests, scrub and grass can be described with their combinations wherever necessary. Physiognomy, structure, function, composition, dynamics, habitat relations and history are the important diagnostic criteria of vegetation types. Size, texture and seasonal behaviour of leaves of dominant species may also be given. The hydrophytes can be described in each place as floating, suspended, submerged anchored, floating-leaved anchored and emergent anchored.

Reference ecosystem construction and adaptive restoration effect evaluation: A case study of a small watershed in the loess hilly region

AbstractThe loess hilly region is one of the most fragile areas in China. Many ecological restoration projects in this region are equivalent to simple afforestation and grass planting, with large investment and low benefits. Based on the concept of reference ecosystem, this study uses remote sensing data and vegetation community survey of Wanhuigou catchment, and applies methods such as redundancy analysis and GeoDetector to explore the characteristics of topography, soil, and vegetation of reference ecosystem, so as to provide restoration standards for damaged or degraded ecosystems in a small watershed. Thirteen typical and representative areas are selected to evaluate the degree of ecosystem damage and resilience, and divided into four categories according to the evaluation results and characteristics of ecosystems. Corresponding restoration measures such as protection and conservation, natural restoration, auxiliary regeneration, and ecological reconstruction are adopted for ecosystems under different scenarios with reference ecosystems as the target, and the effectiveness of implementation is assessed. The results show that the combination conditions of elevation and slope have a very important influence on the distribution of ecosystems. In the process of ecological restoration, it is necessary to deeply grasp the characteristics of soil and species diversity within the same community and among different communities, as well as their interrelationships. Adaptive restoration measures for ecosystems in different situations are conducive to the sustainability and effectiveness of ecosystem restoration. Given the complexity and diversity of habitat conditions and plant community types in Wanhuigou catchment, the results have certain universality, which can provide reference for the comprehensive management of other small watersheds in the loess hilly region, so as to achieve sustainable construction and restoration of ecosystems as well as harmonious development between humans and nature.

Enhancing bioretention efficiency for pollutant mitigation in stormwater runoff: Exploring ecosystem cycling dynamics amidst temporal variability

In this study, three distinct bioretention setups incorporating fillers, plants, and earthworms were established to evaluate the operational efficiency under an ecosystem concept across varying time scales. The results revealed that under short-term operating conditions, extending the drying period led to a notable increase in the removal of NO3–-N, total phosphorus (TP), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 5 %–7%, 4 %–12 %, and 5 %–10 %, respectively. Conversely, under long-time operating conditions, the introduction of plants resulted in a significant boost in COD removal by 10 %–20 %, while the inclusion of earthworms improved NH4+-N and NO3–-N removal, especially TP removal by 9 %–16 %. Microbial community analysis further indicated the favorable impact of the bioretention system on biological nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism, particularly with the incorporation of plants and earthworms. This study provides a reference for the operational performance of bioretention systems on different time scales.

Design of a healthcare ecosystem to improve user experience in pediatric urotherapy

AbstractThis paper addresses challenges in pediatric urotherapy, focusing on low patient compliance and motivation. Informed by creative sessions with children aged 9-13y, a novel urotherapy ecosystem concept is designed. It includes a smart drinking bottle, context-aware reminder watch, home uroflowmeter, smartphone app, and clinician portal. Interconnected products, embodied interaction, stigma-free design, and a digital training buddy aim to enhance engagement, motivation, and patient experience. This concept showcases the potential of integrating diverse design methodologies in healthcare design.

Application of The TaRL Approach to Improve Science Learning Outcomes Students on Ecosystem Materials

This classroom action research aims to improve student learning outcomes by applying the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) concept to the ecosystem concept. TaRL is an approach to learning that aims to ensure that students understand the subject matter being taught. It focuses on identifying students' levels of understanding and aligning them with the appropriate level of learning. The research method uses descriptive language with two cycles. Data analysis techniques use qualitative and quantitative analysis. Each cycle consists of planning, implementation, observation, and reflection. The subjects of this research were 40 class XD students at SMAN 7 Banjarmasin for the 2022–2023 academic year. The learning process in TaRL groups students into three categories, namely students with intermediate, above, and below-average levels. Material and problems are given according to their level of learning, but still with the same learning objectives and outcomes. Student learning outcomes in learning activities increased from pre-cycle, showing a classical completeness of 32.5%; cycle I showed a classical completeness of 62.5%; and cycle II had reached the success indicator with a classical completeness of 87.5%. Research using the TaRL approach has improved the science learning outcomes of class XD students at SMA Negeri 7 Banjarmasin.

Rethinking some roots of ecosystem approach in aquatic ecology: between the food cycle and lake metabolism.

The present study provides new insight into the key aspects of the early formative period of the ecosystem concept in aquatic ecology. Raymond Lindeman's trophodynamics is known to be a starting point for the development of the modern concept of ecosystem. The trophodynamic approach in ecology was proposed by Lindeman in his widely cited paper of 1942. Lindeman's views are analyzed in comparison with the contemporary production studies in aquatic ecology. It is shown that a similar theoretical system has been proposed in the USSR at the end of the 1930s by Georgiy G. Vinberg. He introduced the concept of biotic balance based on the wide appraisal of the dark and light bottles method. The study shows that both Lindeman's trophodynamics and Vinberg's concept of biotic balance relied on an energy-based approach in considering the wholeness of a water body. The two scientists, however, differed in several important aspects concerning the interpretation of the role of living organisms. The holistic interpretation of ecosystem by Lindeman and Vinberg can be seen as part of the dilemma between physicalism and organicism. At the same time, the main emphasis in the concepts of both Vinberg and Lindemann was on the primary production component, a feature that was common to the first holistic systems in production hydrobiology (e.g., E. Naumann's regional limnology). It is clear that modern problems of aquatic ecology should be addressed from the perspective of the organismocentric understanding of the ecosystem, but undoubtedly at the new level of development of this view.

The entrepreneurial university: strategies, processes, and competing goals

AbstractThe configuration of the entrepreneurial university remains poorly understood given the complexity of the university as an organisation with multiple missions and multiple ‘products and services’, delivered by multiple and sometimes competing sub-organisations with different cultures and norms, in response to different outside pressures and demands. The outcomes of the entrepreneurial university reflect the plurality of goals, including research, teaching, knowledge commercialisation, and civic and community empowerment, but they are rarely considered within the same conceptual and empirical framework. Hence, the aim of this paper is to explore how multiple and sometimes competing strategies and associated arrangements, resources and capabilities within the entrepreneurial university affect the delivery of economic and social benefits to the external world across teaching, research, knowledge commercialisation, and civic and community empowerment missions. To achieve this aim, we elaborate the entrepreneurial university ecosystem concept so that we can systematically capture the cross-influences of the entrepreneurial university elements in their entirety rather than focussing on selected ecosystem elements and their effects in relation to one particular university mission. Our analysis is based on a novel institution-level database on university strategies, goals, policies, and support mechanisms, providing annual data for all higher education institutions in the UK over the period 2017–2020, complemented with annual administrative data on staff, finances, graduate outcomes, and infrastructure, as well as contextual data on the wider regional entrepreneurship ecosystem. Using a Seemingly Unrelated Estimation approach, we contribute with novel fundings explicitly identifying synergies and tensions between different elements of the entrepreneurial university ecosystem that affect the delivery of its outcomes.

Factors influencing the evolution of information ecosystems: an institutional theory perspective

PurposeThe ecosystem concept has attracted attention in information system research to explain business competition, innovation and many other emerging phenomena. Existing studies focus more on a single ecosystem type or a single ecosystem goal and pay little attention to the ecosystem’s evolution. The objective of the study is to investigate the factors that impact the evolution of the information ecosystem (IE) to gain a better understanding of strategic thinking.Design/methodology/approachThe IE involves many actors, so the multi-case study approach is conducted with purposeful sampling to recruit all the significant ecosystem actors. The collected qualitative data are analyzed by coding data, exploring data relationships and structuring pattern steps; institutional theory is used as a theoretical framework.FindingsThe results demonstrate that industry practices, laws and regulations, new actors and the mimetic pressure of outsourcers drive the growth of the ecosystem. Strategy intention, cost pressure and normative pressure all contribute to the IE’s evolution.Originality/valueThe concept of ecosystems has attracted attention in information system research. The study investigates the factors contributing to the evolution of the IE from an institutional theory perspective. Our suggestion is that new players can find a niche in offering information technology (IT)/ information services (IS)-related solutions to survive in the ecosystem; however, they need to pay attention to the normative pressure.

Conceptualization and critical dimensions of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems

While the concept of entrepreneurial ecosystems has famously been capturing the holistic view of entrepreneurial development, the question of how entrepreneurial ecosystems can specifically foster inclusiveness and advance toward sustainable development goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations is still an underexplored area of research. Despite the fact that scholars have shown a growing interest in defining and measuring entrepreneurial ecosystems, this is still a neglected area of research in the context of marginalized communities. Previously the effectiveness of entrepreneurial ecosystems has largely been focused on aligning skills with opportunities, providing equal accessibility to available geographical resources, and supporting social networks with favourable policies. However, few studies explain social, economic and geographical issues faced by marginalized communities within the debate of entrepreneurial ecosystem. By critically analyzing the literature on entrepreneurial ecosystems, this paper conceptualizes the new construct of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and their related dimensions. At the interface research, scholars will create unique positioning by using theoretical advancement. Moreover, policy-makers could align their strategic goals with the purposed inclusive dimensions that transform the socio-economic conditions of marginalized communities.

CREATING A SUSTAINABLE DIGITAL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR GLOBAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

This research aims to analyze the challenges and opportunities in creating a sustainable digital business ecosystem to support inclusive global economic growth. The research method used includes collecting and analyzing various documents such as research reports, academic publications, government policies, and industry documents related to digital business ecosystems, sustainability, and global economic development. The results show that the integration between the concepts of digital business ecosystems and sustainability has a crucial role in creating a sustainable business environment. Key factors such as digital inclusion, sustainable innovation and multi-stakeholder partnerships were identified as important elements in achieving this goal. The implications of this research highlight the need for collaborative action between governments, companies, and non-governmental organizations in designing policies and business practices that support sustainable economic growth. Building a comprehensive, forward-thinking, and environmentally friendly digital business network is essential for long-term economic development that positively impacts society. Stakeholders can achieve long-term improvements that benefit future generations by prioritizing economic, social, and environmental sustainability. This research aims to build a durable digital business environment for the betterment of the world economy through its contribution to academic literature and business practice.

Exploring performance heterogeneity: Integrative insights from strategic management and marketing

The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast several definitions of performance outcomes across the strategic management and strategic marketing literature streams. We motivate our study on the shared history of both fields in explaining performance heterogeneity across firms. Our review of literature on the concept of competitive advantage in the strategic management field, and an exemplar case of strategic marketing research on brand competitiveness, highlights opportunities for cross-fertilization across these domains. In particular, we argue that future research on brand competitiveness may benefit by drawing on the concept of ecosystems, business models, and microfoundations research in strategic management.

Intrapreneurial ecosystems in academia and their overlooked outputs: Graduate employability and wellbeing

The aim of this paper is dual: a) to elaborate a systemic concept of intrapreneurship in academia which will be reflective of complexities and idiosyncrasies of the University as a multi-mission multi-function organisation; and b) to empirically test this concept in the context of relatively neglected outputs of academic intrapreneurship such as graduate employability and graduate wellbeing. Guided by an intrapreneurial ecosystem framework, our analysis is based on a combination of administrative and survey panel data for 141 UK higher education institutions. We arrive at several contributing findings. These suggest that the intrapreneurial ecosystem within academia is increasingly predisposed towards enhancing the quality of graduate outcomes rather than simply promoting raw measures such as graduate jobs or the number of graduate start-ups. Furthermore, we reveal the critical role of University national stakeholder networks for graduate career satisfaction, start-up generation, and undergraduate employment. Finally, our empirical exercise and its results demonstrate the practical value of the proposed concept of the intrapreneurial ecosystem for University management and practitioners, not least because it systematically identifies areas for an immediate, medium- and long-term action.