The Ecosystem Concept in Economics and Management: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Aim. To summarize and systemize the approaches available in the Russian scientific literature regarding the consideration of the ecosystem in economics and management, it is essential to highlight changes in the study of the main components of the economy due to the formation of the ecosystem and to demonstrate the specifics of the contribution of ecosystems to the development of economic processes.
Objectives. To define and describe the structure components of the ecosystem as a new business organization form. To explore the specifics of business development based on the ecosystem, which is determined by its organizational and structural aspects. To highlight the advantages available to participants that arise from developing business within the ecosystem.
Methods. The research was conducted in three stages. In the first stage, a query was made in the research system of the scientific electronic library eLibrary.ru according to the specified parameters, with the application of additional filters. In the second stage, a register of studies with the highest number of citations was formed by ranking the works found within the search query by the number of citations. These studies were then evaluated based on inclusion and exclusion criteria for substantive analysis. The third stage involved the systematization and synthesis of the information obtained from the content analysis of the selected materials.
Results. In business management, ecosystems offer opportunities that were unavailable to companies relying on traditional approaches to business development. The structural and organizational aspects of the ecosystem, along with participant interaction, differentiate it from traditional management technologies, allowing ecosystem companies to adapt flexibly to changes in the business environment while also laying the groundwork for new qualities in the environment. The main features of the ecosystem include technological modularity, coordination, and the sharing of complementary resources, among which intellectual resources and skills are the most critical for generating value. An ecosystem company comprises a set of companies across different industries within the economy, aimed at achieving a common goal of developing, extending, and offering complex products and services under a unified brand. The scale of the ecosystem defines its value for participants, illustrated by the direct relationship: “the value of ecosystem – the number of participants in the ecosystem – the number of new customers”, which is characterized as demand-side economies of scale. The advantages of participating in the ecosystem are highlighted through coordination, collaboration, and customization, made possible by the technological infrastructure of the ecosystem.
Conclusions. The research of the ecosystem as a new unit of economic analysis, in terms of business organization and management, enables us to formulate the advantages and disadvantages of implementing this form of cooperation among companies. The role of the ecosystem in advancing the economy as a whole is defined through the creation of new features in the business environment. These features can be described using two concepts: “ecosystem”, representing the nature of the business environment, and “networking”. The establishment of these two conditions determines the potential for innovation.