Emergent and growing entrepreneurial ecosystems: How do institutional logics shape fields of entrepreneurship?

Alterskye, A.; Cuvero, M.; Hernandez-Vivanco, A.; Belitski, M.; Bortnovskaya, M. International Small Business Journal. DOI: 10.1177/02662426251351900

This article explores two different types of entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) – emergent and growing – using the institutional logics perspective. Fields of entrepreneurship within EEs are analysed empirically in two U.K. cities, and the institutional orders that inform the dominant entrepreneurial institutional logic in each ecosystem are uncovered. The study reveals that, in an emergent ecosystem, entrepreneurs notice institutional voids and take part in institutional entrepreneurship to strengthen the institutional order of ‘Profession’ and ‘Community’ institutional orders. In a growing EE, the strength of ‘Community’ and ‘Market’ institutional orders and overlapping activity-based fields helps to strengthen the entrepreneurial institutional logic. This perspective develops and enriches our understanding of EEs as localised contexts in which embedded fields of entrepreneurship are sensitive to local institutional conditions, particularly highlighting divergent institutional logics in different ecosystem contexts. This represents a novel approach to analysing EEs through the lens of the institutional logics perspective, by utilising a framework to understand the interinstitutional system-based institutional orders as influencers that shape the dominant institutional logic in a field of entrepreneurship. © The Author(s) 2025

Digital platform ecosystems: A systemic view of power wielded by the platform orchestrators over complementors

Simone, C.; Laudando, A.; Scardini, S. Industrial Marketing Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.10.001. 

In the rising shaped-by-platforms landscape, increasing power has been concentrated in the hands of a few dominant digital platform orchestrators. This growing dominance has brought the issue of power asymmetries between platform orchestrators and complementors to the forefront of economic and managerial literature. Although most studies attribute the dominant position of platform orchestrators primarily to their economic power, it represents only one source of a broader multidimensional power. This study unveils a critical literature gap: the lack of systemic frameworks enlightening the multiple sources of the platform orchestrators' power. The research addresses this gap, adopting the systems thinking perspective that enables to enrich literature in two ways: first, to move beyond a monolithic definition of the platform orchestrator's power by identifying three different sources from which it emerges (economic, technological and regulatory); and second, to integrate the static view of platform orchestrators' power by enlightening how each source affects the other according to recursive interdependent feedback loops. The originality of this work is double: 1) it provides an insightful taxonomy of the three main sources of the platform orchestrator's power; 2) it develops a 3 × 3 matrix shedding light on the interdependences and feedback loops among the three sources of power. © 2025 The Authors.

“My dad was a steelworker” but we're “trying to re-invent the Rust Belt”: Liminal places, lived experiences, and the leaders of transitional entrepreneurial ecosystems

Roundy, P.T.; Ginting-Szczesny, B.A.; Im, S. Journal of Business Venturing Insights. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbvi.2025.e00580. 

Transitional entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) are undergoing significant structural and sectoral transformations. Navigating the threshold between a transitional EE's past (“what was”) and its uncertain future (“what will be”) creates unique challenges that require leadership. Research has adopted an instrumental approach to EE leadership that focuses on leadership activities and how they influence EE effectiveness, primarily in healthy, non-transitional EEs. However, the lived experiences of EE leaders who are attempting to guide EEs through transitions are poorly understood, which creates conceptual and practical problems. Building on Transition Studies, EE research, and a study of 44 leaders in a transitional EE, we develop a model that explains how life experiences equip community members to be leaders in the liminal places of transitional EEs. Our main insight is that, in EEs facing major transitions, scholars and practitioners can benefit from an expanded conceptualization of EE leadership that acknowledges the importance of not just what leadership does, but who leaders are. Our study opens new conversations about the intersection of EE leadership, ecosystem transitions, and lived experience. © 2025 Elsevier Inc.

The (Re)Design of Ecosystems to Face Grand Challenges—Toward the Management of Creative Evolution

Fritzsche, A.; Le Masson, P.; Müller-Seitz, G.; Ollila, S.; Velamuri, V. Creativity and Innovation Management.  DOI:10.1111/caim.70022

Today's grand challenges have to be discussed comprehensively, addressing the current design and the redesign of social and economic ecosystems. Tackling grand challenges requires a step into the unknown, a situation that is well-characterised today as strongly different in nature from uncertainty and requires specific types of management. This opens the door to radical changes in ecosystems' configurations (new values, new interdependencies and new independencies). Hence, our call for papers for this special issue asked about (re)designing ecosystems to face grand challenges. The papers of this special issue analyse a great variety of empirical situations (energy, organised crime, wind-energy–air quality). They elaborate extensively on how one can manage the complex intertwined processes that lead to exploring both new products/services associated with grand challenges and new collaborations in the ecosystem, enabling the commitment of new players in new partnerships. This editorial highlights three pivotal constructs deriving from the contributions: (A) ‘generativity enhancer’ as a critical type of action/actor in the redesign of the ecosystem; (B) creative preservation as a critical factor shaping performance; and (C) necessary methods for creating/sparing effective multiple local design spaces. Building on the constructs, it concludes by discussing the (re)design of ecosystems as creative evolution and how to manage it. © 2025 The Author(s). Creativity and Innovation Management published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Struggling with entrepreneurial ecosystems. 

Fritsch, M. Journal of Technology Transfer. DOI: 10.1007/s10961-025-10280-0. 

This article discusses the notion of entrepreneurial ecosystems and proposes directions for the further development of the concept. Since the main goal of the concept is to identify factors that determine regional development, the key variable to assess the quality of an EE and the effect of respective policy measures should be a measure of regional performance. It is argued that a broad definition of entrepreneurship should be applied that includes the entire universe of new businesses (‘everyday’ entrepreneurship), and also accounts for incumbent firms. There is good reason to regard EE as a part of the regional innovation system and merge the two concepts. The paper discusses a number of open questions concerning the elements of a system and its dynamic properties. Finally, it outlines several key challenges for the further development of the concept. © The Author(s) 2025.

Conceptualizing Circular Ecosystems: An Analysis of 45 Definitions

Geissdoerfer, M.; Kanda, W.; Kirchherr, J. Business Strategy and the Environment. DOI: 10.1002/bse.70242. 

The circular ecosystem concept is gaining prominence among academics and practitioners. However, critics claim the concept is used and understood differently by different actors. While conceptual plurality offers possibilities for broad interpretations and engagement, it can undermine the relevance of the concept as an analytical lens due to knowledge fragmentation. This paper aims to create transparency regarding the current understandings of the circular ecosystem concept. For this purpose, we have gathered, coded and analysed 45 circular ecosystem definitions. Our findings indicate that circular ecosystems are most frequently depicted as the interactions and resource flows between independent actors. However, it is often not highlighted that these actors are not stakeholders in the conventional sense, as they can fulfil different roles in different contexts. We further find that circular ecosystem definitions show few explicit linkages to the older and more prevalent circular business model and industrial ecology concepts despite strong conceptual interdependencies. A considerable body of literature subdivides the circular ecosystem into six sub-ecosystems: industrial, urban, entrepreneurial, knowledge, innovation and business. We critically discuss and synthesise the various circular ecosystem conceptualisations throughout this paper and propose a new unified definition, categorisation and framework. Overall, we hope to contribute towards the coherence of the circular ecosystem concept and streamline the growing research in this area around a common understanding of the underlying real-world phenomena. © 2025 The Author(s). Business Strategy and the Environment published by ERP Environment and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Motivation, Satisfaction, Place Attachment, and Return Intention to Natural Destinations: A Structural Analysis of Ayabaca Moorlands, Peru

Lujan-Vera, P.E.; Mamani-Cornejo, J.; Seminario-Morales, M.V.; Esparza-Huamanchumo, R.M. Tourism and Hospitality. DOI: 10.3390/tourhosp6040163.

This study examines the relationships among motivation, satisfaction, place attachment, and revisit intention in the context of ecotourism in the Ayabaca Moorlands, a biodiverse Andean ecosystem of high cultural significance in northern Peru. Using a non-experimental quantitative design, data were collected from 350 national and international visitors and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings reveal that while motivation does not directly influence place attachment, it significantly affects satisfaction and revisit intention. Results provide empirical evidence that satisfying experiences foster enduring emotional bonds with environmentally sensitive destinations. The study underscores the importance of tourism management strategies that cultivate emotional connections and visitor loyalty while integrating cultural and contextual factors to ensure the long-term sustainability of high-mountain ecotourism. © 2025 by the authors.

Is aging in the regional labor market wiping out localized external economies? Evidence from European manufacturing firms

Berti Mecocci, F.; Maghssudipour, A. Industrial and Corporate Change. DOI: 10.1093/icc/dtaf006. 

Aging is an increasingly relevant phenomenon for several European countries. While endogenous adaptations of technology downsize concerns about possibly shrinking productivity, we know little about the pressures that aging exerts on the effects of localized external economies - such as the economies of specialization and urbanization - on productivity. On the one hand, as the regional labor market ages, we expect that labor pooling and knowledge spillovers decline due to a reduction in job hopping, and entrepreneurship shrinks due to a limited time horizon for future income flows. On the other hand, technological adaptation should be faster due to selection and competition in thick labor markets. To study these mechanisms, we use data on manufacturing firms across NUTS-2 regions in eight European countries. We deal with endogeneity in the correlation between productivity and localized external economies such as industry size and entrepreneurial quality, and we design a regional varying instrumental variable to deal with endogeneity in aging. Our results indicate that while the impact of aging on productivity is positive, the effects of localized external economies are positive for younger regions and negative for older ones. We identify a threshold in the workforce's age composition at which the positive effects of localized external economies on productivity vanish: 19.68% of workers in the older age group for specialization economies and 24.28% for urbanization economies. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press in association with the Industrial and Corporate Change Association.

Coopetition revisited: Ambivalent impacts on drama program selection

Kim, D.; Kim, T. Industrial and Corporate Change. DOI: 10.1093/icc/dtae047

This study examines how competition and cooperation among diverse competitors affect viewers' selection of drama programs. It explores the impact of internal and external factors, including structural industry dynamics and the emergence of over-the-top services. Environmental uncertainty moderates these effects, encouraging companies to adopt strategic approaches to attract viewers. Empirical analyses support the identified relationships, particularly regarding viewership ratings. Findings provide theoretical and practical insights for navigating competitive environments in the television drama industry. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press in association with the Industrial and Corporate Change Association. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site-for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cross-industry innovation for sustainable repositioning through cluster collaboration

Faeroevik, K.H.; Maehle, N. Economics of Innovation and New Technology. DOI: 10.1080/10438599.2024.2427837.

Recent literature on sustainable transitions seeks to bridge macro–and micro-level dynamics; this study examines how agents at different levels interact, and what implications these lower-level dynamics have on sustainable repositioning. A new normal characterized by frequent industry crises, coupled with green policy initiatives, creates push and pull opportunities for sustainable repositioning; thus, incumbent firms must continuously adjust to changing conditions. Cross-industry innovation (CII) has emerged as a favorable option for sustaining competitiveness. To illustrate this development, this study provides insights into how firms from the oil and gas industry attempt CII in the aquaculture industry based on cluster-to-cluster collaboration and facilitation. Our findings indicate a form of tandem development for both industry clusters and incumbent firms, with the cluster responding to bottom-up changes in its firms. Moreover, cluster collaboration lowers initial CII obstacles in terms of knowledge and entry points and offers a gateway for incumbent firms looking to enter different industries. This facilitates an outbound and coupled CII that emerges to maintain a knowledge continuum for incumbent actors within sustainable repositioning. On a larger scale, these cluster initiatives can act as agents for stepwise sustainability transitions and further evolve into a cross-industry cluster. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

“Place”, “policy” and “actors” as strategic dimensions of urban innovation districts: insights from a systematic literature review

Clancy, M.; Crehan, E.; O'Toole, T. Innovation: Organization and Management. DOI: 10.1080/14479338.2025.2572642. 

This paper responds to an ongoing dialogue amongst policy makers and academics regarding how an urban innovation district can act as a cauldron and catalyser of innovative activities and drive urban regeneration and economic growth. A systematic review of the literature on district creation and thematic analysis is conducted on peer-reviewed articles in the business and management discipline, identifying 64 of the most relevant publications in the field and the topics of interest. A literature classification framework is developed, focusing on how urban innovation districts are conceptually framed and methodologically studied, with particular attention to the strategies and theoretical foundations that inform their development. The literature is classified into three major categories based on the main focus of each article: ‘Policy’, ‘Place’ and key ‘Actors’ who drive the development of a district. From the analysis, it is argued that relational proximity, local interaction and synergistic relationships are essential components in enhancing knowledge spillover and innovation creation in urban innovation districts. However, relatively few articles are published on the interactions between key Actors, and the dynamics underlying these interactions. Our main contributions are the development of an inductively derived framework that organises the literature into three categories and highlights dominant conceptual and methodological patterns; and the identification of prominent research gaps across these categories, accompanied by methodological and implementation-oriented suggestions to inform future scholarly and practical work. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Challenges of Emerging Technologies and the Role of Universities Operating in Clusters (A Systemic Approach)

Gagnidze, I. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-07163-7_4.

Emerging technologies present numerous challenges to the global economy. This paper is based on research and reports from globally recognised organisations. The rationale for this is that forecasting requires extensive efforts. Such studies necessitate a broad, robust network of researchers and substantial funding, which only globally recognised and large organisations can provide. The author initially explores anticipated fluctuations in the labour market and examines the role of the education system, with particular emphasis on universities. The World Economic Forum has identified key stakeholders whose collaborative efforts are indispensable for the successful implementation of emerging technologies. The author juxtaposes this list with the actors represented in the triple, quadruple, and quintuple helix models, as well as those within cluster frameworks. The analysis indicates that clusters constitute a more effective tool for achieving these objectives. In this study, the author highlights the pivotal role of universities within clusters during the era of digital transformation. The impact of robust clusters on the development of local economies - particularly in the context of emerging clusters - is articulated using a systemic approach devised by the author. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.