De Gruyter Handbook of Business Ecosystems

Over the past three decades, the concept of the business ecosystem has transformed strategic thinking. As a hybrid between markets and hierarchies, it complements traditional industry and value chain perspectives by emphasizing collaboration, co-innovation, aligning investments, and the co-evolution of multiple organizations. Today, firms increasingly compete as part of ecosystems rather than as standalone enterprises. This creates new management challenges: orchestrating diverse partners, balancing openness with control, and sustaining long-term ecosystem health while creating and capturing value. De Gruyter Handbook on Business Ecosystems combines a concise overview of the evolution of ecosystem thinking—from Moore's pioneering work to recent advances in ecosystem governance, architecture, the role of artificial intelligence, and resilience—with practical insights into how ecosystems can be designed, managed, and led. Bringing together leading academics and experienced practitioners, the chapters are organized around four themes: ecosystem typologies, governance, ecosystem creation and evolution, and ecosystem management and leadership. By combining rigorous research with practical experience, this book provides an essential resource for both managers seeking to build and orchestrate ecosystems and scholars advancing the field.