"Close enough to speak; distant enough to learn?" A critique of the entrepreneurial ecosystem metaphor.
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| Authors: | Harrison, Richard T.1 (AUTHOR) r.harrison@ed.ac.uk |
|---|---|
| Source: | Journal of Technology Transfer. Feb2026, Vol. 51 Issue 1, p11-33. 23p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Business ecosystems, *Entrepreneurship, *Business networks, *Economic development, *Value creation, Criticism, Paradigms (Social sciences) |
| Abstract: | Over the past decade, publications about the 'entrepreneurial ecosystem' (EE) have increased. EE promotes entrepreneurship-based innovation, value creation, and economic development. It emphasises the role of human agents, mainly entrepreneurs, and their interconnected actions within complex adaptive networks. This paper builds on previous critiques of the ecosystem metaphor and its flawed application to entrepreneurship (Mars et al., 2012; Pickett and Cadenasso in Ecosystems, 5:1–10, 2002; Krivý in Digit Geograph Soc, 5:100057, 2023; Kuckertz in J Bus Ventur Insights, 11:1–7, 2019; Harrison and Rocha, in: Huggins, Kitagawa, Prokop, Theodoraki, Thompson (eds) Entrepreneurial ecosystems in cities and regions: emergence, evolution, future, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2024). At best, the EE is a weak and inappropriate metaphor, offering limited value as an analytical tool. This analysis lays the groundwork for a critical perspective on future research regarding entrepreneurial ecosystems. This should focus on a paradigm of 'closing down'—setting clear boundaries, reducing ambiguity, and examining what can and cannot be transferred from the source metaphor (ecosystem) to the target domain (place-specific entrepreneurship-led economic development). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Database: | Entrepreneurial Studies Source |
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| Header | DbId: ent DbLabel: Entrepreneurial Studies Source An: 191575305 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Harrison%2C+Richard+T%2E%22">Harrison, Richard T.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> r.harrison@ed.ac.uk</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Technology+Transfer%22">Journal of Technology Transfer</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 51 Issue 1, p11-33. 23p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Business+ecosystems%22">Business ecosystems</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Entrepreneurship%22">Entrepreneurship</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Business+networks%22">Business networks</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Economic+development%22">Economic development</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Value+creation%22">Value creation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Criticism%22">Criticism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Paradigms+%28Social+sciences%29%22">Paradigms (Social sciences)</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Over the past decade, publications about the 'entrepreneurial ecosystem' (EE) have increased. EE promotes entrepreneurship-based innovation, value creation, and economic development. It emphasises the role of human agents, mainly entrepreneurs, and their interconnected actions within complex adaptive networks. This paper builds on previous critiques of the ecosystem metaphor and its flawed application to entrepreneurship (Mars et al., 2012; Pickett and Cadenasso in Ecosystems, 5:1–10, 2002; Krivý in Digit Geograph Soc, 5:100057, 2023; Kuckertz in J Bus Ventur Insights, 11:1–7, 2019; Harrison and Rocha, in: Huggins, Kitagawa, Prokop, Theodoraki, Thompson (eds) Entrepreneurial ecosystems in cities and regions: emergence, evolution, future, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2024). At best, the EE is a weak and inappropriate metaphor, offering limited value as an analytical tool. This analysis lays the groundwork for a critical perspective on future research regarding entrepreneurial ecosystems. This should focus on a paradigm of 'closing down'—setting clear boundaries, reducing ambiguity, and examining what can and cannot be transferred from the source metaphor (ecosystem) to the target domain (place-specific entrepreneurship-led economic development). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ent&AN=191575305 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10961-025-10206-w Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 23 StartPage: 11 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Business ecosystems Type: general – SubjectFull: Entrepreneurship Type: general – SubjectFull: Business networks Type: general – SubjectFull: Economic development Type: general – SubjectFull: Value creation Type: general – SubjectFull: Criticism Type: general – SubjectFull: Paradigms (Social sciences) Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: "Close enough to speak; distant enough to learn?" A critique of the entrepreneurial ecosystem metaphor. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Harrison, Richard T. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Text: Feb2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 08929912 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 51 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Technology Transfer Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
