An inter-disciplinary research on new forms of collaboration: Towards a more unified understanding of ecosystems

Abstract

Ecosystems, which can be defined as relatively self-contained, self-adjusting systems of resource-integrating actors connected by shared institutional arrangements and mutual value creation through service exchange, are an increasingly widespread form of collaboration. As knowledge and resources become more distributed in the economy and as risk and uncertainties loom, firms in a variety of industries and inhabiting a variety of geographies are progressively using ecosystems to address complex challenges and effectively co-create value with their stakeholders. In light of this trend, ecosystems deserve the continued attention of strategy and innovation management scholars and practitioners alike. While there are a number of important studies addressing ecosystems, a unified understanding of these new and complex forms of collaboration is currently lacking. In fact, the present understating on ecosystems is severely fragmented and often confined to the boundaries of single research fields. With this challenge in mind, this doctoral research aims to advance the current understanding of ecosystems as new forms of collaboration by using an inter-disciplinary approach.