Understanding entrepreneurial ecosystems using complex adaptive systems theory: getting the big picture for economic development, practice, and policy

Lisa J. Daniel; Margarietha J. de Villiers Scheepers; Morgan P. Miles; Saskia de Klerk

doi:10.1080/08985626.2022.2083691

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Understanding entrepreneurial ecosystems using complex adaptive systems theory: getting the big picture for economic development, practice, and policy

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Understanding entrepreneurial ecosystems using complex adaptive systems theory: getting the big picture for economic development, practice, and policy

Lisa J. Daniel, Margarietha J. de Villiers Scheepers, Morgan P. Miles and Saskia de Klerk

Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Vol.34(9-10), pp.911-934

2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2022.2083691

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Abstract

Complex adaptive systems

entrepreneurial ecosystems

qualitative studies

regional economic development

system dynamics

This paper demonstrates how the theory of complex adaptive systems (CAS) and entrepreneurial ecosystems (EE) can be synthesized to create a comprehensive framework for understanding EEs as comprising dynamic and diverse actors, factors, and interdependencies. We adapt four elements common to CAS and propose a context-specific framework for explaining EEs through people, place, purpose, and process to provide insights for policy, development, and regulatory interventions. Motivated by the challenge to develop a practical and parsimonious framework for comprehensive EE analysis, we present a case study using a CAS approach to illustrate the nature of EEs as dynamic, interconnected social systems and identify opportunities for economic development interventions. The study offers a novel framework for system-level EE analysis, and in doing so, it contributes to entrepreneurial economic development, research, policy, and practice.

Details

Title: Understanding entrepreneurial ecosystems using complex adaptive systems theory: getting the big picture for economic development, practice, and policy
Authors: Lisa J. Daniel (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Business and Creative Industries
Margarietha J. de Villiers Scheepers (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Business and Creative Industries
Morgan P. Miles (Author) - University of Queensland
Saskia de Klerk (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Business and Creative Industries
Publication details: Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Vol.34(9-10), pp.911-934
Publisher: Routledge
DOI: 10.1080/08985626.2022.2083691
ISSN: 1464-5114
Copyright note: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Entrepreneurship & Regional Development on 20 June 2022, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2022.2083691. It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Organisation Unit: Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; School of Business and Creative Industries; Sustainability Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99649775602621
Output Type: Journal article