Understanding the mechanisms of entrepreneurial ecosystems: an examination of place, processes, people, and perspectives

In recent decades, there has been an increased interest in entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) from policymakers and academics. Policymakers are attracted to the promises of entrepreneurial growth and regional economic development that have become implicitly and explicitly attached to the phenomenon. However, it is not clear from the existing literature what the mechanisms are that ensure that some EEs thrive while others do not. Some of the foundational academic research in this field concerned itself with identifying the institutional elements of ‘successful’ EEs, i.e., ones which have produced outputs indicative of a significant presence of high growth entrepreneurship. More recently, there has been a move towards increasingly explanatory research, with an emphasis on clarifying the spatial dimensions of an EE and a focus on understanding the processes within and the mechanisms of EEs. It is within this niche of EE development where the present research project aims to contribute to the academic discourse. Bristol, UK, was selected as a case study for this project, and the fieldwork was conducted in 2019. Qualitative methods were employed to obtain a nuanced appreciation of how various entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneur stakeholders interact with, perceive, and understand the EE. A thematic analysis of the empirical data was undertaken to explore three key themes: spatial dimensions of EEs; the people and processes within an EE; and entrepreneurs’ experiences and perceptions of the EE. The findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of EEs. The contributions to knowledge are as follows: the geography and boundaries of an EE are determined by relational ties; the ongoing development of an EE relies on a particular set of processes and activities (termed ‘Ecosystem Development Work’) and is facilitated by key individuals (termed ‘ecosystem enablers’); and entrepreneurs’ experiences and perceptions of the EE are dependent on the stage of their business and their entrepreneurial background. This research has potential implications for policy and practice.