In their article ‘Actors’ activities and interactions in innovation ecosystems: A systematic literature review and typology’, Felipa Carrara, doctoral candidate, and Jun. Prof. Dr. Elena Freisinger, Head of Department, synthesize the current literature on actors in innovation ecosystems and derive factors that determine their interactions.
The article is published in International Journal of Innovation Management (VHB: B; ABS: 2).
Abstract:
In innovation ecosystems, actors from various industries co-create innovations within a complementary and modular architecture. Due to the uniqueness of any innovation ecosystem, research, specifically on actors, is context-specific, posing challenges in generalising results. To address this challenge, and to advance the understanding of actors and the underlying mechanisms influencing them, we conducted a systematic literature review. We identify and analyse 81 peer-reviewed articles on actors in innovation ecosystems, that we organise in a research framework. By doing so, we synthesise literature, provide a comprehensive overview of internal- and external-factors on organizational- and ecosystem-level influencing actors in innovation ecosystems, and identify outcomes and performances of this setting. Further, we propose a typology of actors in innovation ecosystems in terms of the interplay of their activities. By critically evaluating current literature, we determine gaps of knowledge, that hinder a holistic understanding of innovation ecosystems, and offer approaches to address them.