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Studying innovation ecosystems using ecology theory

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  • Shaw, Duncan R.
  • Allen, Tim

Abstract

This paper proposes a set of perspectives for studying innovation ecosystems that are based on ecological research. Our perspectives are based on fundamental similarities between natural and business systems. We suggest that innovation ecosystems can be defined as pathways of interlinked business models. Pathways are characterised by the flows they convey not the types of business model that support the flows. These pathways convey material and informational resources, as well as value. Like the nutrient and energy pathways in natural ecosystems. Pathways help to recycle scarce resources such as customer attention and customer-derived information. Business model descriptions are similar to an organism's genome in that they describe limitations on sensing, acting and understanding. We conceptualise this as the ‘umwelt’; the self-world. These limitations have implications for how firms and customers interact with customers. They have other implications for how firms interact with each other in business model communities and how they accommodate each other.

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  • Shaw, Duncan R. & Allen, Tim, 2018. "Studying innovation ecosystems using ecology theory," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 88-102.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:136:y:2018:i:c:p:88-102
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2016.11.030
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    9. Cobben, Dieudonnee & Ooms, Ward & Roijakkers, Nadine & Radziwon, Agnieszka, 2022. "Ecosystem types: A systematic review on boundaries and goals," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 138-164.
    10. Granstrand, Ove & Holgersson, Marcus, 2020. "Innovation ecosystems: A conceptual review and a new definition," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 90.
    11. Gabriele Cepeliauskaite & Zaneta Stasiskiene, 2020. "The Framework of the Principles of Sustainable Urban Ecosystems Development and Functioning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, January.
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    13. Mohamed Shawesh & Kolawole Iyiola & Ahmad Alzubi, 2024. "Innovation Eco-Embeddedness, Breakthrough Innovation, and Performance of Non-Core Firms: A Mediation Moderation Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-24, October.
    14. Laura Corazza & Dario Cottafava & Daniel Torchia & Amandeep Dhir, 2024. "Interpreting stakeholder ecosystems through relational stakeholder theory: The case of a highly contested megaproject," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 2384-2412, March.
    15. Yuan, Ning & Li, Meijuan, 2024. "Research on collaborative innovation behavior of enterprise innovation ecosystem under evolutionary game," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    16. Matthew M. Mars & Judith L. Bronstein, 2020. "The population ecology of undesigned systems: an analysis of the Arizona charter school system," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, December.
    17. Zhongji Yang & Liangqun Qi & Xin Li & Tianxi Wang, 2022. "How Does Successful Catch-Up Occur in Complex Products and Systems from the Innovation Ecosystem Perspective? A Case of China’s High-Speed Railway," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.
    18. Denicolai, Stefano & Previtali, Pietro, 2020. "Precision Medicine: Implications for value chains and business models in life sciences," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    19. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Flechas, Ximena Alejandra & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Borini, Felipe Mendes, 2021. "Ecosystem management: Past achievements and future promises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    20. Patrycja Klimas & Wojciech Czakon, 2022. "Species in the wild: a typology of innovation ecosystems," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 249-282, January.
    21. Jing Huang & Hongqi Wang & Jianlong Wu & Zhongji Yang & Xiaobo Hu & Mengmeng Bao, 2020. "Exploring the Key Driving Forces of the Sustainable Intergenerational Evolution of the Industrial Alliance Innovation Ecosystem: Evidence from a Case Study of China’s TDIA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-31, February.
    22. Könnölä, Totti & Eloranta, Ville & Turunen, Taija & Salo, Ahti, 2021. "Transformative governance of innovation ecosystems," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    23. Ruiyu Hu & Zemenghong Bao & Zhisen Lin & Kun Lv, 2024. "The Innovative Construction of Provinces, Regional Artificial Intelligence Development, and the Resilience of Regional Innovation Ecosystems: Quasi-Natural Experiments Based on Spatial Difference-in-D," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-37, September.
    24. Rush, Howard & Marshall, Nick & Bessant, John & Ramalingam, Ben, 2021. "Applying an ecosystems approach to humanitarian innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).

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