Bolsa de Doutoramento FCT
2022.14694.BD

Publications

Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and High-value Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Analysis

Publication . Andrade, Roberta Dutra de; Pinheiro, Paulo Gonçalves; Carvalho, Luísa Cagica; Rocha, Raysa Geaquinto

Originating from the foundational integration of entrepreneurial ecosystems and digital ecosystems, the Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (DEEs) construct has gained increasing scholarly attention since its conceptualisation. However, despite its theoretical relevance, empirical research on DEEs remains limited by overgeneralised assumptions, insufficient digital specificity, and a lack of systematic, cross-national analysis. Existing studies often treat all DEE elements as equally necessary and universally effective, without accounting for contextual asymmetries, threshold effects, or systemic dysfunctions. This thesis investigates the conditions under which DEEs enable the emergence of high-value entrepreneurial outcomes—namely, startups, unicorns, and digitally enabled unicorns—across diverse economic and regional contexts (e.g., Advanced Economies, Emerging Economies, Europe, Asia-Pacific, high-performing ecosystems, and low-performing ecosystems). Addressing these gaps, this thesis poses the central research question: What specific or group of Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (DEE) elements are required to generate startups, unicorns, and digitally enabled unicorns, and how do these needs, bottlenecks, and thresholds differ across economic, geographical, and performance-based contexts? To answer this, the study pursues three objectives: to identify necessary and/or sufficient elements and configurations of DEEs; to detect how these vary across different country groupings; and to recognise bottleneck thresholds for each entrepreneurial outcome. The empirical analysis draws on data from 112 countries and operationalises eight core DEE elements: Cultural and Informal Institutions (CII), Formal Institutions, Regulation and Taxation (FIRT), Market Conditions (MC), Physical Infrastructure (PI), Human Capital (HC), Knowledge Creation and Dissemination (KCD), Finance (F), and Network and Support (NS). Each of these was adapted to incorporate digitally embedded indicators, reflecting the specificity of digital entrepreneurship. The three outcomes under investigation—startups (newly established ventures focused on technologies and technological processes or platforms with scalable business models), unicorns (privately held startup companies valued at over USD 1 billion), and digitally enabled unicorns (unicorns whose business models are fundamentally dependent on digital technologies)—were analysed concerning these DEE elements. The study employs a novel combination of Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), grounded in a Popperian falsification logic, to investigate non-compensatory constraints and sufficient causal configurations. The findings challenge the assumption of universal necessity in DEEs. While certain conditions—such as market connectivity, support networks, and digital infrastructure—emerge as necessary in high-performing contexts, no single element is universally indispensable across all outcomes or regions. The thesis introduces two original theoretical constructs: Functional DEEs, where elements are coherently mobilised and digitally integrated, and Dysfunctional DEEs, where fragmentation and underperformance prevail despite the nominal presence of resources. These models, grounded in novel empirical configurations, offer a new logic for ecosystem classification and performance interpretation. This research contributes to entrepreneurship by providing a falsifiable, context-sensitive, and digitally specified framework for assessing DEEs. It has significant implications for theory-building, measurement practice, policy design, and strategic decision-making. By bridging digital complexity with ecosystem functionality and distinguishing between presence and effective mobilisation of resources, the thesis offers new perspectives for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to understand and shape the evolving landscape of digital entrepreneurship.

2025-11-17Doctoral thesis

Embargoed access

Description

Bolsa de doutoramento atribuída a Roberta Dutra de Andrade, no âmbito do doutoramento em Gestão com o título Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and High-value Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Analysis

Funding agency

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.