OVERVIEW

Entrepreneurs form complex ecosystems which are challenging to understand, especially for those with limited capabilities. In pursuit of understanding ecosystems, this research explores manufacturing incubators in Botswana and UK makerspaces as local entrepreneurial ecosystems, comparing a developing and an industrialized context. This doctoral research uses a qualitative approach to evoke inductive means of constructing and interpreting ecosystem data. Semi-structured interviews and visualization techniques are used concurrently to engage entrepreneurs, exploring mechanisms that shape local ecosystems. From the analysis of the findings, the research proposes a ‘Jigsaw’ framework and evaluates these using co-design workshops with SMEs, policymakers, and researchers. The research outputs suggest that the ‘Jigsaw’ is effective in helping actors to convene, visualize, understand, and act upon opportunities for entrepreneurship.

概述

企业家形成了难以理解的复杂生态系统，尤其是对于那些能力有限的人。为了了解生态系统，本研究将博茨瓦纳和英国创客空间的制造业孵化器作为本地创业生态系统进行了探索，比较了发展中和工业化背景。这项博士研究使用定性方法来唤起构建和解释生态系统数据的归纳方法。同时使用半结构化访谈和可视化技术来吸引企业家，探索塑造当地生态系统的机制。根据对调查结果的分析，该研究提出了一个“拼图”框架，并通过与中小企业、政策制定者和研究人员的联合设计研讨会对这些框架进行了评估。