Networks as Catalysts of Entrepreneurial Dynamics in Low-Income Territories: A Case Study of Five African Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

What distinguishes an entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) that supports entrepreneurial dynamics from one that does not? Despite being a hot issue, several scholars address the paucity of empirical studies that attempt to explain the overall functioning of EEs. To provide this perspective, we present a novel study of the theoretical and methodological facets of the interorganizational network among EE actors at the national level. Exploratory research based on network theory is conducted in five low-income African nations to better understand the organizational models of these EEs and their effects on businesses and regions. Innovative research techniques such as web scraping, quantitative graph theory, and qualitative comparative analysis are used in this study. Metrics of interorganizational ties such as closeness, cohesiveness, and interconnectivity are crucial to this viewpoint because they are fundamental causal factors for understanding the genesis of high rates of entrepreneurial dynamics in these low-income countries. To facilitate the spread of entrepreneurial support components to entrepreneurs, this study emphasizes the importance of the characteristics of EE networks and, consequently, of the interactions between their actors. It also emphasizes how crucial it is for knowledge and information to move freely inside an EE, as well as how important it is to have a strong collaborative and cooperative environment. Thus, a deeper comprehension of EEs helps us identify the circumstances that are generally favorable for alliance games and coopetition to flourish in a given region.