Gaining Strategic Insights by Mapping an Ecosystem
A system change often requires both innovation and environmental condition changes
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Source: Cultivating your ecosystem Paul Bloom & Gregory Dees
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/cultivate_your_ecosystem
Where to play is one of the first considerations for start ups. I enjoyed this article as it has a wider context than Porter’s five forces. It lets you map all the players that may affect your decisions. My summary notes on the article are below.
Why its useful
By mapping an ecosystem we can see critical points of influence and power.
What to do
Map the Environmental conditions, Players and Relationships.
STEP 1 Define our theory of change
Define intended ultimate impact
Define what steps will lead to that impact
Think: What and how?
Think: What’s the first step?
STEP 2 Identify the Players of the Ecosystem
Players ( individuals and orgs)
Environmental conditions ( norms, laws, markets)
Map relationships
Work with coalitions
Players
Resource providers ( Finance, human, knowledge, networking and tech )
Competitors - those that compete for resources and vs the company (eg competing on talent)
Complimentary orgs and allies - partners, channels, people (eg parents for teachers)
Beneficiaries and customers - eg clients customers - ultimate beneficiaries -may not be the Clients
Opponents and problem makers - eg political or groups with opposing interests
Affected or Influential Bystander - who is affected positively or negatively if we succeed
Note: Players can take more than one role. And can switch roles.
Environmental Conditions
Determine what type of orgs will live or die
Emergent properties also come from
Politics & Administrative Structures - rules and regulations
Economics & Markets - the economic health of the region in which entrepreneurs operate and seek resources
Geography & Infrastructure -
Culture & Social Fabric. - social networks and demographic trends-
Paths to Systemic Change
Changing one or more environmental conditions - this shapes the behaviors of players: Includes new public policy, market changes, changing how markets operate, establishing new cultural norms and social dynamics, building new infrastructure
Introducing an innovation that spreads well enough to establish new and stable behavior patterns
Introduce new practices, org structures, business models that others adopt
Summary
A system change often requires both innovation and environmental condition changes
Four C’s help Coalitions, Communications, Credibility, Contingencies
Mapping
Mapping can make the ecosystem aware and informing can cause change itself
Mapping resources reveals bottlenecks, underused sources, allowing us to come up with alternative resource strategies
Identify new operating partnerships - ‘weak links’
Determine minimum critical environmental conditions for success and act as an operating guide
Develop different operating models