The business ecosystem concept in innovation policy context: building a conceptual framework

Abstract

The aim of this conceptual paper is to explore the business ecosystem concept in innovation policy context, and question whether it has something new to bring to the innovation policy field compared to previous theoretical discussions. A comparative study was conducted where three widely utilized policy approaches were examined together with the business ecosystem concept. The ecosystem concept differs from the three approaches, for example in its evolving around innovation, and its self-organizing and self-renewing nature. This paper sets a conceptual basis for further empirical research concerning the innovation policy implications of the business ecosystem concept.

Unpacking the social innovation ecosystem: an empirically grounded typology of empowering network constellations

“…This precariousness and limited action radius forms an important background to the rise of the "SI ecosystems" concept (Cameron 2011). Much policy efforts and innovation scholarship have been dedicated to "innovation ecosystems" as support structures for entrepreneurs or firms (Autio and Thomas 2014;Oh et al 2016), or specifically to "business ecosystems" (Rinkinen & Harmaakorpi 2018). Arguably, the development of "SI ecosystems" is of no lesser societal significance (Franz, Hochgerner, and Howaldt 2012;Moulaert et al 2017).…”

“…Similar to the innovation systems developed to stimulate technological innovation, regional development and sustainability transitions (Hekkert et al 2007), this second-order mode of SI activity seeks to create the conditions and support structures (Oh et al 2016, 3) for it to flourish. The "ecosystem" concept thus accounts for the networked, co-produced agency that characterizes contemporary innovation more generally (Etzkowitz and Leydesdorff 2000;Akrich et al 2002;Papaioannou, Wield, and Chataway 2009;Hutter et al 2015: Rinkinen andHarmaakorpi 2018). As such, it enriches accounts in which SI is reduced to the agency of particular "innovation heroes".…”

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

“…Alexander et al [55] found that highly formalized legal procedures to ensure contract execution lead to high-level innovation of technology alliances. The social regime in which the innovation ecosystem is located is mainly a policy environment created by the government's macro-management [56,57]. Policies aim to guide linking activities among the three stages of research, technology transformation, and system development [58,59].…”

Regional development platforms as incubators of business ecosystems. Case study: The Lahti urban region, Finland

“…The innovation ecosystem is often compared to the innovation system concept (Oh et al, 2016; Papaionnou, Wield, & Chataway, 2007; Wessner, 2007). Even though these two concepts have a lot in common, they also differ in that the innovation ecosystem concept brings a new viewpoint to regional innovation research (Rinkinen & Harmaakorpi, 2018). For example, the innovation ecosystem concept takes market mechanisms better into account when compared with the innovation systems theory, and the innovation ecosystem emphasises the role of ecosystem firms, open innovation, and shared value creation among these firms (Papaionnou et al, 2007; Rinkinen & Harmaakorpi, 2018).…”