BOOK TIP: Handbook of entrepreneurial ecosystems

Entrepreneurial ecosystems are increasingly important for policy makers who want to foster entrepreneurship and innovation. But despite success stories such as Silicon Valley, a clear theoretical basis is lacking. The Research Handbook on Entrepreneurial Ecosystems aims to fill this gap by exploring seven themes: the foundations of ecosystems, the mindset of key actors, cultural contexts, academic entrepreneurship, digital governance, sustainability and ecosystem measurement.

Nordic contributions to the book include a chapter on motorcycle taxi drivers in Colombia, co-authored by Andrea Porras-Paez of the Lund School of Economics. The researchers argue that public policy needs to work on inclusiveness in developing entrepreneurial ecosystems as the degree of formalization increases with growth. Another chapter focuses on five different entrepreneurial voices: loner, internationalist, optimist, collaborator and beginner – co-authored by Henri Hakala Lappeenranta of the Finnish University of Technology Lahti. The main message of the study is the importance of policy makers tailoring ecosystem initiatives to regional circumstances.

With empirical insights and global perspectives, the book is intended to be a resource for researchers, students and policy makers – but is also worth reading for anyone with a general interest in entrepreneurial and place-based innovations.