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Do entrepreneurial ecosystems foster sustainable development?

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Abstract

Research and policy on sustainable development (SD) and entrepreneurial ecosystems (EE), the most prevalent policy to enhance entrepreneurship, has increased dramatically in the last 20 years; in particular. Yet, as this paper shows, their relationship is unknown to date. We aim to answer if and how entrepreneurial ecosystems foster sustainable development. To this purpose, we develop a framework linking EE and SD integrating existing models and suggestions for further research and policymaking. Theoretically, we draw on three different disciplines and four distinct theories to propose how and why EE impact SD. Methodologically, we suggest system dynamics as the most appropriate method for theoretical modeling and empirical analysis. Policywise, we suggest how and why policy needs a new approach to leverage EE to enhance SD.

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Notes

  1. Our final string is structured as (TI ("Entrepreneurial Ecosystem*") OR AB ("Entrepreneurial Ecosystem*" OR KW ("Entrepreneurial Ecosystem*")) AND (TI ("sustainab*" OR "development" OR "sustainable development" OR ""triple bottom line" OR "environmental performance" OR "social performance" OR "social respons*" OR "inequality" OR "value creation" OR "wellbeing") OR AB ("sustainab*" OR "development" OR "sustainable development" OR ""triple bottom line" OR "environmental performance" OR "social performance" OR "social respons*" OR "inequality" OR "value creation" OR "wellbeing") OR KW ("sustainab*" OR "development" OR "sustainable development" OR ""triple bottom line" OR "environmental performance" OR "social performance" OR "social respons*" OR "inequality" OR "value creation" OR "wellbeing")).

  2. “Priority actions on poverty eradication include: improving access to sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurial opportunities, and productive resources;…empowering people living in poverty and their organizations;”.

    (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/povertyeradication (accessed April 18, 2022).

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  1. O’Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA

    David B. Audretsch

  2. Department of Entrepreneurship & Innovaton Management, University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria

    David B. Audretsch

  3. IAE Business School, Austral University, Pilar, Argentina

    Hector Rocha, Sourabh Aggarwal & Agustin Bramanti

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Audretsch, D.B., Rocha, H., Aggarwal, S. et al. Do entrepreneurial ecosystems foster sustainable development?. Int Entrep Manag J 20, 1–37 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-023-00916-8

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