Making Sense of the Unknown: Using Change Attractors to Explain Innovation Ecosystem Emergence

Chipo Nancy Ngongoni, Sara (Saartjie) Grobbelaar () and Cornelius Stephanus Schutte
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Chipo Nancy Ngongoni: University of Stellenbosch
Sara (Saartjie) Grobbelaar: University of Stellenbosch
Cornelius Stephanus Schutte: University of Stellenbosch

Systemic Practice and Action Research, 2022, vol. 35, issue 2, No 5, 227-252

Abstract: Abstract Understanding how innovation ecosystems emerge and can be sustained is an important issue. However, the lack of sound relational analysis methods to explain such dynamics could constrain a deeper understanding of the emergence and evolution of ecosystems. This article aligns with the call for innovation ecosystems to utilize developed theoretical foundations through defining and analyzing an innovation ecosystem as a Complex Adaptive System. Of importance is the identification in the article of key functional activities that occur in the system, termed change attractors, informed by Technological Innovation Systems functions. The article takes a reflective look at a technological platform, the District Health Information System (DHIS2) Platform through a review of 73 publications comprising of postgraduate dissertations and reports from the creators and implementers of the DHIS2 Platform from the University of Oslo’s Global Health and Infrastructures group. We identify ten key change attractors as functional activities that can be used by managers and implementers of an innovation ecosystem in explaining the current behavior and dynamics in an innovation ecosystem. These attractors assist innovation ecosystem management on what aspects to look at with regard to the evolution and growth of a technology-centric innovation ecosystem.

Keywords: Innovation ecosystems; Complex adaptive systems; Change attractors; DHIS2; Emergence of ecosystems; Innovation ecosystem functions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1007/s11213-021-09564-x

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