Intermediaries between Knowledge and Business Ecosystems: A Typology

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Student on Management of Technology, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Professor, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, The Institute for Scientific Policy Research, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/jstp.2025.11822.1839

Abstract

‏ The interaction between knowledge flows and business flows in various linear, process-based, networked, and systemic approaches has always been a matter of interest. At the ecosystem level, the operational logic of manmade ecosystems, which have different core flows (in this case, the two core flows of knowledge and business), also differs. In other words, the focus of activities in the knowledge ecosystem is knowledge creation, while in the business ecosystem, it is value creation. This distinction poses a significant challenge to establishing effective communication between the two ecosystems. By considering intermediaries as the connecting mechanisms between the flows of these two ecosystems, this article aims to develop a typology of ecosystem intermediaries based on the structural or affiliated ecosystems of knowledge and business. Utilizing typology development through the analysis of ideal types, four types of ecosystem intermediaries have been identified: "Value Driver," "Complementary Asset Orchestrator," "Value Accelerator," and "Network Orchestrator." Each of these types performs four categories of intermediary functions—organizing networks and systems, facilitating access to complementary assets, creating a learning platform and accelerating, and facilitating market access—with distinct goals and methods. The qualitative data required for developing the typology were collected through a literature review and case studies of ideal types, and the typology was validated by expert confirmation. This typology provides a novel explanation of intermediaries at the ecosystem level

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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