Title: A web of clues: can ecosystems be profiled similarly to criminals?

Authors: Ninni Ylönen; Matti Rissanen; Antti Ylä-Kujala; Tiina Sinkkonen; Salla Marttonen-Arola; David Baglee; Timo Kärri

Addresses: LUT University, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' LUT University, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' LUT University, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' LUT University, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' David Goldman Informatics Centre, Faculty of Technology, University of Sunderland, St. Peters Campus, Sunderland SR6-0DD, UK ' David Goldman Informatics Centre, Faculty of Technology, University of Sunderland, St. Peters Campus, Sunderland SR6-0DD, UK ' LUT University, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland

Abstract: The concept of an ecosystem has raised interest in many areas of research over the decades. There is a growing need to model and guide the operations, not just in single companies but also on ecosystem level. To be able to do this, new and better tools are needed. This paper explores the ecosystems of organisations and presents the process for building an ecosystem profile. To understand ecosystems better, managers can utilise ecosystem profiles like criminal investigators utilise criminal profiles. Design science research is used to create the process, and the process steps utilise methods from web farming and social network analysis. The created process is tested with an illustrative case. The process and the profiles created with it can be used by both researchers and managers. The ecosystem profile makes sense of the complex structure and gives data-based insights into the ecosystem under review.

Keywords: ecosystem profile; business ecosystem; profiling; design science research; DSR; web farming; social network analysis; SNA; visualisation; ecosystem map; ecosystem management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNVO.2021.116431

International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 2021 Vol.24 No.4, pp.347 - 373

Received: 20 May 2020
Accepted: 09 Nov 2020
Published online: 23 Jul 2021 *

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