7. A Healthy
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem?
An entrepreneurial ecosystem is an interdependent set of actors
that is governed in such a way that it enables entrepreneurial action
15. NL: Entrepreneurship Paradox
• Amazing growth of entrepreneurship in the
Netherlands, 1987-2012
• Miracle: no country in which the TEA rate has
grown as much as in the Netherlands over the
period 2003-2012 (and precourse of rising new
firm formation and self-employment)
• Paradox: increasingly a matter of growing
number of solo self-employed, and low/mediocre
rates of growth-oriented entrepreneurship
16. Formal
institutions
Framework
conditions
Systemic
conditions
Culture
Networks Leadership Finance Talent
Physical
infrastructure
Demand
New
knowledge
Innovative
start-ups
High-growth
start-ups
Entrepreneurial
employee activity
Productivity Income Employment Well-being
Support services
/ intermediaries
Value creation
Outcomes
Outputs
Entrepreneurial activity
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Elements
NOT SELF-EMPLOYMENT & NEW FIRMS PER SE
23. Rise of solo-self employment
• more relevant as condition for entrepreneurial
ecosystem (“culture”), than as output
• But…, might be indicator of lack of ambitions,
and constrained labor mobility as well
24. (Eco)systemic Causes & Consequences
• Negative/no feedback
– No build up of system for high-growth start-ups (vicious
circle high-growth start-up scandals early 2000s: Baan, World Online)
a) Mobility of skilled labour: employment protection
legislation, non compete clauses
b) Capital market: VC, trade-sales, IPO
c) Lack of venturesome demand: innovative procurement
d) a)+b): Lack of serial entrepreneurs/informal investors
– No champion of intrapreneurship, like Nordic
countries (in spite of high levels of trust, knowledge
work, and decentralized decision making)
27. Formal
institutions
Framework
conditions
Systemic
conditions
Culture
Networks Leadership Finance Talent
Physical
infrastructure
Demand
New
knowledge
Innovative
start-ups
High-growth
start-ups
Entrepreneurial
employee activity
Productivity Income Employment Well-being
Support services
/ intermediaries
Value creation
Outcomes
Outputs
Entrepreneurial activity
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Elements
28. Framework conditions
• changing formal institutions to enable labor mobility
(development and circulation of talent);
• opening up public demand for entrepreneurs, to
provide finance for new knowledge creation and
application;
• stimulating a culture of ambitious entrepreneurship
and entrepreneurial leadership;
• adapting or creating physical infrastructure to
enhance knowledge circulation and networks.
33. Research agenda
• What is the effect of leadership, role models,
mentoring on entrepreneurial activity?
• Relevant context(s)?
– Region, country, corporation, …
• Relative weight, interdependence, and
evolution of entrepreneurial ecosytem
elements?
• Better measures
• …
34. Conclusions
• Entrepreneurial ecosystem approach provides
new insights for public policy and
entrepreneurial leadership (leaders & feeders)
• Entrepreneurial ecosystem analysis as starting
point for discussions about changing
framework conditions and systemic conditions