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Regional entrepreneurial ecosystems: how family firm embeddedness triggers ecosystem development

Author

Listed:
  • Bernhard Fabian Bichler

    (University of Innsbruck)

  • Andreas Kallmuenzer

    (Excelia Business School – CERIIM)

  • Mike Peters

    (University of Innsbruck)

  • Tanja Petry

    (University of Innsbruck)

  • Thomas Clauss

    (University Witten/Herdecke)

Abstract

Regional business development is driven by family firms, which are generally deeply embedded in their region, particularly in rural areas. This study explores how family entrepreneurs’ embeddedness drives an entrepreneurial ecosystem as a regional context for innovation. For this purpose, the study brings together entrepreneurship research on embeddedness and on ecosystems, and develops the entrepreneurial ecosystem embeddedness framework to better understand the connection of entrepreneurs to their local environment along three dimensions. Analyzing qualitative interviews from the hospitality context with a pattern matching approach, we highlight the role of family entrepreneurs’ (1) horizontal embeddedness in the economic and socio-political environment, their (2) vertical embeddedness in industry regimes, in particular the family, and their (3) spatial embeddedness in the region for value creation. Thereby we contribute to a differentiated understanding of how embeddedness as a social fabric relates to entrepreneurial ecosystems. The propositions of this study recommend raising awareness for managing entrepreneurs’ embeddedness along these three dimensions since unilateral engagement and a lack of coordinated embeddedness can restrict value creation.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernhard Fabian Bichler & Andreas Kallmuenzer & Mike Peters & Tanja Petry & Thomas Clauss, 2022. "Regional entrepreneurial ecosystems: how family firm embeddedness triggers ecosystem development," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 15-44, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:rvmgts:v:16:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s11846-020-00434-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11846-020-00434-9
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    Cited by:

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    2. Stefano Ghinoi & Riccardo Vita & Bodo Steiner & Alessandro Sinatra, 2024. "Family firm network strategies in regional clusters: evidence from Italy," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(1), pages 87-103, January.
    3. Daniel Feser, 2023. "Innovation intermediaries revised: a systematic literature review on innovation intermediaries’ role for knowledge sharing," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1827-1862, July.
    4. Maresch, Daniela & Leo, Hannes & Walsh, Steven T., 2023. "Hotspurs in, sober bores out: A call and an agenda for entrepreneurship and innovation policies that foster rapidly scaling ventures," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    5. Zhao, Xin & Xu, Yong & Vasa, László & Shahzad, Umer, 2023. "Entrepreneurial ecosystem and urban innovation: Contextual findings in the lens of sustainable development from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).

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