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In recent years, we have seen increasing interest in new service concepts that take advantage of the capabilities of business ecosystems instead of single companies. In this article, we describe how a business ecosystem begins to develop around a service business idea proposed by an entrepreneur. We aim to recognize the different domains of players...
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... our previous studies (Heikkilä, 2010) we observed the expansion of the business ecosystem to follow the process of collaborative business modelling depicted in Fig 1. (Heikkilä, 2010). The collaborative process consists of two parallel processes: 1) the systematic analysis, improvement and adjustment of business model and its components (on the right hand side of the figure), and 2) the organisational change management process (left hand side). That is, at the same time as the joint business model is being developed, a serious amount of effort has to be put on change management, to select the collaborators and escort the partners to harmonise the network strategy, and to synchronise its operations as well as evaluate the feasibility of the operational business model. In this paper, we are concentrating on the very first tasks of the change management, setting the scene and selection of the players. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. In the next chapter, Relevant Research, we review the existing literature on ecosystems. After describing the action research method applied in our research, we present the case study. Finally, in Analysis, we draw some conclusions from the case. We end this paper with a summary, contributions and limitations of this study, and concluding remarks and suggestions for future work. Recently it has become quite common in research literature to conceptualize business networks by comparing them to biological ecosystems (Iansiti & Levien, 2004a p. 35). Similar to biological ecosystems a business ecosystem is formed by large, loosely coupled networks of entities. These entities such as firms, organisations, entrepreneurs etc. interact with each other and the health and performance of each actor is dependent on the health and performance of the whole. That is, the actors are simultaneously influenced by their own capabilities and their interaction ties with the other players in the ecosystem (Håkansson & Ford, 2002). The trend of many firms looking for new opportunities beyond their existing industry explicates (Solaimani et al., 2010) that contemporary ecosystems are not restricted to any single industry but cross a variety of industries (Moore, 1993). Perhaps the major difference between the concepts of business ecosystem and business network is in the variety of actors. Typically business networks are considered as groups of firms co- operating in designing, producing and delivering products to customers. Business ecosystem, in turn, includes partners and subcontractors but also complementors, competitors, customers and potential collaborator companies as well as public bodies, local incubators, investors and even research institutes and universities (Moore, 1998). An ecosystem is expected to have a heterogeneous structure, with actors adopting dramatically different roles that influence different aspect of the stability and productivity of the whole. This especially is the case when complex knowledge is needed, and the sources of expertise are widely dispersed (Powell et al., 1996). As Iansiti and Levien (2004b) point out, it is merely an academic exercise to try to draw the boundaries of an ecosystem. Instead it is more helpful to recognize the types of organisations or players that are or would be involved. Each ecosystem typically encompasses several domains that it shares with other ecosystems (Iansiti & Levien, 2004b). At the birth phase innovative ideas may come from large corporations or organisations, but often they are suggested and pushed forward by entrepreneurs, or in spin-off companies. Many of the seeds of new businesses die young, but perhaps are revitalised some later date when getting more fertile grounds. Fighting Low Activity by Business Creation (abbreviation: LA) is a next generation Tekes funded project. The project focuses on preventing health issues (e.g. obesity, type 2 diabetes) typical of Western industrialized countries by developing significant global export goods based on Finnish wellbeing know-how. These product and service innovations, spread with help of new service business and e-Business models, are expected to have a significant impact on public health and national economy. One example of the business concepts being examined in this project is exercise prescription, an innovation in the field of preventive health care. Our research method is Action Research, AR, where researchers actively participate in the business decisions by producing knowledge for the players in the ecosystem. Whereas other research methods seek to study organisational phenomena but not to change them, the action researcher is simultaneously studying the phenomenon and creating organisational change (Heikkilä, 2010; Aspegren et al. 2011). Action research, building on pragmatist philosophy (Baskerville & Myers, 2004), is an established research method in social sciences. In pragmatism the investigator and the research object are assumed to be interactively linked so that the findings are literally created as the investigation proceeds (Guba & Lincoln, 1994). Here, we researchers are actively taking part in the ...
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... Every action of institutions can positively or negatively affect the general situation of this network. Actors are expected to take on different roles and exhibit a heterogeneous structure, significantly influencing each other in terms of stability and productivity (Heikkilä, Kuivaniemi 2012;Iansiti, Levien 2004). Although the term ecosystem is based on the metaphor of biology, at a certain point it has a conscious guiding function. ...
... In this study, it was found that various challenges were effective in achieving the goal. Heikkilä and Kuivaniemi (2012) suggest that an expanding ecosystem can be analyzed by considering six different sub-ecosystems: technology, research, customer demands, competitors, social environment, legal and political environment. Motoyama and Knowlton (2016) examined the interactions between entrepreneurs and support organizations by considering the entrepreneurship ecosystem with a social network approach. ...
This article, under the title "The Power of Innovation: Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, Components, Research and Start-up Approaches and the Development Process of the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Turkey", examines how Turkey's dynamic entrepreneurship environment is shaped by innovation and the important components in this process. While entrepreneurship has a critical role in economic development and social transformation, innovation stands out as the main driving force of this process. First of all, Turkey's young and educated population, increasing digitalization and access to technology strengthen the entrepreneurial culture and create new business opportunities. In the article, the basic elements of the innovation ecosystem in Turkey, namely the interactions between universities, public institutions, the private sector and entrepreneurs, are discussed in detail. Additionally, the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs in Turkey are analyzed through factors such as limited financial resources, inadequate mentoring and training opportunities. In this context, the effects of the state's innovation strategies, incentive mechanisms and entrepreneurship support programs are examined. For example, the contributions of the supports provided by organizations such as KOSGEB and TÜBİTAK to the realization of entrepreneurs' projects are emphasized. In the article, the contribution of international collaborations and foreign investments to Turkey's innovation ecosystem is discussed, thus focusing on its competitiveness potential in the global market. Additionally, successful domestic enterprise examples are supported by concrete data showing how innovation and entrepreneurship create synergy. As a result, the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Turkey is directly linked to the power of innovation. In order to create a sustainable innovation environment, the need for continuous support, training and policy development comes to the fore. This article aims to provide readers with a comprehensive perspective by presenting the paths and strategies to be followed to maximize Turkey's entrepreneurial potential.
... Business ecosystem theory already gives a first insight on how certain agents act in collaborative relationships (Williamson and DeMeyer, 2012;Heikkilä and Kuivaniemi, 2012;Wulf, 2017;Wulf, 2019;Wulf, 2021;Rong and Shi, 2015) and try to influence their environment (Rong et al., 2010;Adner, Oxley and Silverman, 2013). They are single components in a bigger system (Butel, 2014). ...
In this work, Keystones and Niche players in collaborative relationships are investigated to get a deeper understanding of their characteristics and strategic actions. Business ecosystem theory is used to outline first characteristic encountered in research. Building on that, further characteristics as well as actions leading to strategic action in the network or business ecosystem are researched and outlined. Keystones and Niche players are investigated by a qualitative case study approach in order to further explore their characteristics and actions. Besides having used a multiple case study analysis a multilevel analysis of different agents in the system has been conducted. This ensures a triangulation of the extracted findings. Results show that Keystone and Niche player characteristics and actions can are very complex and aligned to each other and other agents of the system. Research outcome highlights that Keystones and Niche player not only align their strategic action to the environment and use their specific characteristics to do so, they also influence their environment. This is possible due to the alignment of action between the company and the individual acting in the collaborative relationship by following an open or collaborative strategy.
... Aynı şekilde kurumların yaptığı her hamle de ağın kendisini ve kurumu iyi ya da kötü yönde etkilemektedir. Aktörlerin birbirini istikrar ve üretkenlik anlamında çarpıcı bir şekilde etkilemesiyle her aktörün farklı roller üstlenmesi ve heterojen bir yapıya sahip olması beklenmektedir (Heikkilä, Kuivaniemi 2012;Iansiti, Levien 2004). ...
The subject of this thesis is the historical process of Turkish entrepreneurship ecosystem between 2001-2020 within the framework of regional dynamics. The study focuses on the evaluation of regional dynamics within the context of the culture and local context of the Istanbul entrepreneurship ecosystem region. The aim of the thesis is to reveal the regional dynamics as in the entrepreneurship ecosystems in the world and that entrepreneurship is an ecosystem issue by not leaving the local context. At the same time, it is among the aims of the thesis that ecosystems can be different at the regional level and the necessity of creating road maps in line with these differences. The study was carried out with the qualitative research method. The research was conducted with the case study design of the qualitative research method. In the research, in-depth interviews were conducted with 42 people from different components of the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Interview records were analyzed with the MAXQDA 2022 program. As a result of this thesis, the dynamics of the Istanbul entrepreneurship ecosystem region, the cultural and the impact levels between the stakeholders were revealed.
... Similarly to the natural ecosystem, each participant influences others and is affected by others, therefore, have to adapt and evolve in order to survive. Every participant linked by activities aimed at acquiring data and building knowledge resources, as well as the possibility of conducting tests and experiments (Heikkilä & Kuivaniemi, 2012). Within ecosystems, conditions are set up for the initiation of startups and the collaboration with existing brands. ...
Theoretical background: The worldwide fashion business has confronted the demand to transit from a linear to a circular business model, that involves a series of fundamental alterations to the hitherto highly efficient strategies. As a consequence, a conceptual issue concerning fashion brand value creation has emerged. This applies notably to luxury, premium and fast fashion brands. Satisfying the expectations of customers and stakeholders should cease to be simply a matter of manufacturing a varied and impressive product line, since it has to be both sustainable and sensitive to the emergent requirements of the natural and social environment. Along with the aforementioned challeanges, the key messages conveyed by brands through the marketing communication are also undergoing a transformation.
Purpose of the article: To present the perspectives on building fashion brand equity in a circular economy, including risks and opportunities.
Research methods: A review of scientific and specialised studies, selected using specific keywords, was undertaken. Data sources included academic resources: books, articles, market data (e.g. McKinsey & Company) and statistics published on the Statista platform, as well as specialised resources: expert articles, reports from organisations approaching the issue under research (e.g. EU, UN, Fashion Revolution, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, etc.). The search area was composed of electronic resources: licensed, open access websites and topic-related websites. The aim of the data analysis was to systematise background knowledge through an inductive method.
Main findings: 1. The fashion business needs a change of mission, vision and strategy along with cooperation and coopetition among brands of the luxury goods, mass goods and organic MSMEs markets within its ecosystems in order to achieve the expected brand value. 2. The implementation of circular economy model in the fashion business implies the necessity to restrict overproduction and overconsumption of clothes and accessories at the same time as utilising sustainable raw materials and production technologies. Furthermore, it requires the dissemination of the slow fashion model, which incorporates the reuse of clothes by other users (rental of clothes, second hand, upcycling). 3.Change of consumer behaviour, popularisation of research findings and expertise from independent organizations is a factor stimulating fashion brands to act towards a circular economy in order to maintain high brand value.
... Range of actors involved in the construction and retrofit business (mod.Moore, 1998;Heikkilä and Kuivaniemi, 2012;Toppinen et al., 2019;Viholainen et al., 2021;Lähtinen et al., 2023). ...
... Business ecosystem tiers. Source: Moore, J.F., Heikkilä, M.; Kuivaniemi, L., based on [9,15]. ...
... However, some concepts identify features characteristic for all business ecosystems. Therefore, typical features of the business ecosystem are [3,4,9,15,17,18]: According to Wilczyński [19], the theory of complexity that concentrates on the interaction between elements comprising a single system [20] is particularly suitable for describing phenomena in a business ecosystem. The business ecosystem supports phenomena typical of a complex adaptive system. ...
Rapid technological changes have forced postal operators to adapt their services to the needs of the information society, exploit new business opportunities, and pay more attention to emerging and rapidly growing direct and indirect competition. The main goal of the article is to provide an answer to the question Do we have to digitalize postal services? The objectives of the article are as follows: defining of the postal ecosystem concept; defining of postal e-services; developing an action proposal approach for the operator designated to create a digital ecosystem of the postal service. Therefore, it is necessary to survey postal operators regarding the digitalization of the economy and postal e-services. The survey should focus on individual customers, businesses and telecommunications market experts. The survey covered postal e-services supplied by the designated operator in Poland. Its assessment has been based on variables which have major impact on the perception of postal e-services. These variables include: scope of e-services, regulatory framework (security), competitiveness, telecommunications infrastructure, advancement of e-services, innovation level, and digital awareness and digital skills in the society. In order to meet these objectives, the article refers to the essence of the ecosystem as a solution to the research problem. Additionally, studies on postal e-services have been presented, which enable to develop an action proposal to strengthen the position of the postal operator in the postal ecosystem. The article is based on studies that use various research methods, such as critical analysis of scientific literature, synthesis and generalization, Delphi method, versatile benchmarking and graphic visualization. Additionally, findings of studies on e-services have been presented to cover the European Union, as well as solicit opinions of individual and business clients and telecommunications market experts in Poland. This enables to develop an action proposal designed to strengthen the position of the postal operator in the postal ecosystem. The study has delivered an answer to the research question. Thus, the authors can confirm that it is necessary to digitalize postal services.
... Illustrating the roles and relations of the actors, Figure 3 pictures the main developer in the role of a keystone player while the partnering companies in its closest network form the enlarged business (see Heikkilä andKuivaniemi, 2012 andMoore, 1993). ...
... Illustrating the roles and relations of the actors, Figure 3 pictures the main developer in the role of a keystone player while the partnering companies in its closest network form the enlarged business (see Heikkilä andKuivaniemi, 2012 andMoore, 1993). ...
... Similarly, our results show that familiarity between project participants creates trust, leading to better understanding of the working habits of other participants, thus decreasing the need for formal task coordination (Pulkka et al., 2016). Further, the results indicated how the project-based J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f business ecosystem evolves over various phases as presented in Figure 4, i.e. participant involvement differs in the living and use phase when compared to the design and construction pahse, and each phase can have its specific individual goals (see also Heikkilä andKuivaniemi, 2012, Lappi et al., 2017). The key message from a managerial perspective is that the developer and main contractor need to adopt a strong leadership role over the business ecosystem, and that feedback is needed for the ecosystem to function efficiently and for learning to take place. ...
Lowering environmental impacts by material choices is proposed as a way to promote urban sustainability transition, and one solution is building more wooden multi-storey constructions (WMCs). In the construction industry, however, there is a strong path dependency towards applying well-established construction materials and methods, as well as partnerships. To gain understanding of network-based collaboration, learning and end-user involvement in novel wooden construction business, the study uses qualitative methods and employs business ecosystem approach in the analysis. The studied WMC business case revealed that barriers of collaborative business ecosystem development include both the lack of clarity in the shared goals between actors and weak end-user involvement. Moreover, neither companies nor end-users fully recognize sustainability aspects around WMC. Enabling factors such as smooth communication and building trust among business actors during planning and building were recognised. The study suggests that a broader business ecosystem approach, including the living and use of the building, offers a mindset shift for developing sustainability-driven logic alongside profitable construction business and creating value for consumers.
... A simplified illustration combining the business ecosystem networks of the studied case projects. The business ecosystem layers are adapted from Moore (1993) and Heikkilä and Kuivaniemi (2012). ...
... Lessing and Brege 2015), which benefits the whole business ecosystem, including future end-users. However, due to the long lifetime of the product, i.e. the residential building, the ecosystem should apparently not be portrayed as a stagnant system including the keystone and the participants of the design and construction phases, but as an ecosystem that evolves throughout the life cycle of the building, with the homeowners taking the role of the keystone during the use phase (see also Heikkilä and Kuivaniemi 2012). ...
... Even though it has been heavily criticized (Bawden & Zuber-Skerritt, 2002;Coghlan & Brannick, 2001;Eden & Huxham, 1996;Greenwood & Levin, 1998;Kotnour, 2011), the abductive perspective is a method to test new ideas or to make sense of new situations. Previous studies have used this methodology for understanding the role of political entrepreneurship (Björkman & Sundgren, 2005), as well as how entrepreneurial ecosystems are built (Heikkilä & Kuivaniemi, 2012). ...
The current socio‐economic scenarios have generated several challenges for any organization. Regional authorities have designed policies that combine supply–demand needs and innovative entrepreneurship programs. The alignment between regional and business strategies has become critical to ensure the necessary resources, skills and capabilities in the region. This article analyses the alignment of regional strategies (entrepreneurial innovation ecosystems) and business strategies (development of new entrepreneurial innovations). By adopting mixed theoretical approaches, we proposed a conceptual model to understand the role of institutional strategies on the definition of business strategies. Given the nature of this study, our methodological design combines a case study approach and an action research approach. Our results provide insights into the positive outcomes generated when regional strategies and business strategies are aligned.
... Jahrhundert haben gezeigt, wie 24.000+ Personen vor mehr als 500 Jahren zu Formung, Ausbau und Nutzung der gemeinsamen Stärken beigetragen haben. Es ist ihnen gelungen, eine florierende Industrie mit erfolgreichen Organisationen (Agenten) aufzubauen (Munro, 2012 (Milinkovich, 2008;Heikkilä & Kuivaniemi, 2012). Eine Unterscheidung ist auch zwischen einem Ecosystem und einer Plattform notwendig. ...
Globalisierung, Urbanisierung und Digitalisierung sind Megatrends, die das aktuelle Zeitalter charakterisieren und den Arbeitsalltag beeinflussen. Sie werden als Externalitäten wahr-genommen, die in den Vorstellungen der Menschen auf die Menschen wirken. Bei genauerer Betrachtung kann allerdings festgestellt werden, dass die Konzepte von Menschen entwickelt wurden, durch Menschen geprägt und durch sie verarbeitet, interpretiert und bewertet werden. Es sind Erscheinungen, die auf das Engste mit den Menschen verknüpft sind. In Diskussionen, die darauf abzielen, den genannten Megatrends proaktiv und mit Mitgestaltungswille zu begegnen, taucht immer öfters der Begriff Ecosystem auf. Er impliziert ein Zusammenspannen von Individuen und Organisationen in einem globalen, oftmals urbanen und nicht selten digitalen Umfeld über Organisationsgrenzen hinweg mit dem Ziel, mit vereinten Ressourcen ein gewünschtes Ergebnis zu erzielen. Vorliegendes White Papier beabsichtig, das Thema Ecosystems zu erschliessen. Es werden Schlüsselbegriffe definiert, zentrale Punkte ausgeführt sowie Relevanz und Implikationen dargelegt.
