Tendencies towards integration and disintegration of the entrepreneurial ecosystem: an institution-based view of the dynamics

Abstract

This empirical study adopts an institutional theory framework to analyze the interactions and complex dynamics of entrepreneurial ecosystems. While previous research investigated interactions between the different actors of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, little attention has been dedicated to understanding the impact of the interactions upon the ecosystem dynamics. Adopting a case study approach based on interviews with actors of the Lund University ecosystem, the paper shows that when depending on a specific set of formal and informal rules, the interactions can have differentiated impact on both integrative and disintegrative dynamics of the ecosystem. More specifically, a particular set of informal institutions, promotes the drivers of integration, while formal institutions in some situations can lead to the isolation of ecosystem actors and organizations, contributing to disintegration dynamics.