business ecosystem

This research was conducted with the aim of modeling the drivers and consequences of digital transformation in the country's steel industry business ecosystem Iran. The present study is an applied-developmental research in terms of its purpose and a descriptive-survey research in terms of its data collection method. In line with the purpose, an exploratory mixed research design was used. The qualitative section's participant population includes management professors and managers of the country's steel industry. Theoretical saturation was achieved after 20 interviews using the theoretical sampling method. In the quantitative section, a sample of 140 managers and experts of the country's steel industry was selected using the Cohen power analysis method. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview and a researcher-made questionnaire. The validity of the qualitative section was examined based on reliability, transferability, confirmability, and reliability, and the Holst coefficient was estimated to be 0.707 and Cohen's kappa was 0.658, which is desirable. The questionnaire was validated by estimating the content validity ratio, convergent validity, and divergent validity. Also, Cronbach's alpha, coefficient of resiliency and composite reliability of all constructs were estimated above 0.7. Qualitative content analysis, structural-interpretive modeling and partial least squares methods were used to analyze the data. The research findings showed that business ecosystem factors, management factors, hardware and software platforms are driving factors that affect the digital transformation strategy. The digital transformation strategy also affects the digital transformation of the steel industry, and digital transformation in turn affects digital innovation and digital communications, and affects innovative performance, social performance and marketing performance, and ultimately enables the achievement of financial performance.

The present study was conducted with the aim of designing a digital transformation model in the steel industry business ecosystem. This study is a cross-sectional survey research in terms of the applied-developmental goal, in terms of the method and time frame of data collection, and in terms of the research design, it is a mixed research. The community of participants of the qualitative section includes management professors and managers of the country’s steel industry, 20 of whom were selected through theoretical sampling. The interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. The statistical population of the quantitative part includes the managers and experts of the country’s steel industry, the sample size was estimated to be 140 people using the Cohen’s power analysis method, and the sampling was done using a simple random method. The data collection tools were semi-structured interviews and researcher-made questionnaires. Data analysis was done in the qualitative part with thematic qualitative analysis method and in the quantitative part with the partial least squares method. The results of the research showed that business ecosystem factors, hardware platforms, software platforms and management factors affect the digital transformation strategy. The digital transformation strategy has an effect on the digital transformation of the steel industry, and the aforementioned component, by influencing digital innovation and digital communication with customers, leads to innovative performance, social performance, and marketing performance. Through the improvement of innovative performance, social performance and marketing performance, it is finally possible to achieve financial performance.

The present study aims to apply a scenario-writing approach to forecast the future of professional ethics within Iran’s business ecosystem by the horizon of 2031. This research is applied in nature and combines documentary and survey methods, drawing upon new analytical and exploratory methods in futures studies. The target population includes managers of business enterprises and academic experts specializing in professional ethics and business. Initially, through library studies and an expert panel, the study identifies trends impacting professional ethics within Iran's business ecosystem by 2031. Subsequently, these trends undergo refinement through a two-stage Delphi method, followed by the identification of ten key factors using structural analysis. Finally, scenarios were generated to outline possible futures for professional ethics in Iran’s business landscape. For data analysis, SPSS, MICMAC, and Scenario Wizard software were utilized. The analysis yielded 2,857 combined scenarios, of which 15 were categorized as strong or likely, 19 as plausible, and 23 as weak. Among the probable scenarios, the findings indicated that most influential indicators on the future of professional ethics in Iran’s business ecosystem by 2031 are in a critical state. This study outlines four primary scenarios for the future of professional ethics in Iranian business: "Justice in Flux," "Local Management, Global Market," "Survival in the Dark Ages," and "National Engagement, Global Resistance." The results highlight that key factors, such as legal transparency, government oversight, international relations, and strengthening of local values, play a vital role in either enhancing or weakening professional ethics and organizational commitment. Aligning with similar studies, these findings emphasize the importance of transparent policies, international interactions, and cultural identity reinforcement, and recommend a balanced approach for managers and policymakers to improve ethical standards and business sustainability.

One of the most significant reasons for the failure of startups is their inability to manage their human resources effectively. It seems that one of the main roots of this failure stems from the lack of a coherent and useful body of knowledge regarding an appropriate model of human resource management in these companies. This study aims to identify the characteristics and specific functions of human resource management in startups using a systematic literature review methodology, in an effort to fill this research gap.

In the present study, articles related to the research problem published between 2000 and 2023 were reviewed using a systematic literature review method. By adopting the six-step methodology of Kitchenham (2004), a total of 53 studies were eventually examined. The sources for this research were obtained from reputable scientific databases by searching for keywords that included combinations of the terms "Human Resource Management" and "Startups." To ensure the methodological quality of the sources, the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) approach was employed in the selection of the studies. Additionally, Cohen’s Kappa coefficient was used to enhance the reliability of the research.

The findings of this study indicate that the twenty characteristics of human resource management in startups can be categorized into two dimensions: behavioral characteristics (with an emphasis on soft HRM) and structural characteristics (with an emphasis on hard HRM). Additionally, the research findings suggest that in startups, human resource management can be conceptualized through ten specific functions, including: managing working conditions, individual strategic management, employee counseling and involvement, training and development, performance appraisal, performance-based rewards, recruitment, job design, employee retention, and maintaining employee records.

The theoretical contribution of this research is that it provides a coherent body of knowledge regarding the specifics of human resource management in startups and the functions of this critical system in such companies, thereby advancing the theoretical literature in this area. Startups face unique challenges due to limited resources and uncertainties, which makes human resource management in these companies significantly different from that in other types of companies. Human resource management in startups requires careful attention to the ten specific functions of HRM, tailored to the unique characteristics and context of these companies. Implementing the identified functions in startups can serve as a roadmap for improving the success rate of such companies in the startup business ecosystem.

The relationship between Industry and the University is one of the topics that has been given a lot of attention in Iranian society in the last few decades and many researches have been done in this regard. This paper uses a systematic literature review (SLR) with the aim of categorizing and summarizing the literature in the field of cooperation between industry and university. This research as a qualitative study, uses PRISMA method and theme analysis technique and Atlas TI software. It investigated a systematic review of the papers published in journals in the field of cooperation between industry and university in Iran business and knowledge ecosystems from 2011 to 2020. After going through the four steps proposed in the systematic review method, 97 papers from different journals remained, which were coded and analyzed. A thematic network of factors raised in the field of communication between business and knowledge ecosystems (industry and university) was presented. Based on the results, all the different factors mentioned in the studies carried out in a decade in Iran can be categorized into five general factors, which are "goals of cooperation", "obstacles to cooperation", "models of cooperation", "cooperation channels" and "cooperation enhancers".

The characteristics of today's businesses have led managers to pay attention to their business from ecosystem point of view and this attention is increasing. Considering businesses from the business ecosystem point of view will lead to significant differences in comparison to considering a specific business and will transform analyses and actions from the individual level to the collective level. However, the prerequisite for any analysis or action in the field of ecosystems is to identify the characteristics of ecosystems. In order to specify the characteristics of business ecosystems and using Metasynthesis, published articles in four databases and specifically four reputable journals are reviewed and after evaluating and screening the articles, 54 articles are selected and carefully studied and the information obtained are combined and interpreted. According to the Metasynthesis results, the characteristics of ecosystems can be classified into five main characteristics including Structural Characteristics, Interactive Characteristics, Evolutionary Characteristics, Social Characteristics and Governance Characteristics that every characteristic includes sub-characteristics and concepts and all together make the framework of business ecosystems’ characteristics. These characteristics affect all dimensions of an ecosystem and comprehensive knowledge about them is a valuable guide for any research or action in ecosystems.

The insurance industry has a great influence on the dynamics and progress of the economy in countries.  The penetration of technologies in the structure of insurance organizations has converted the nature of the insurance business. In this research,  by using of the business ecosystem, the effective factors of insurtech have been tried to be investigated on the blocks of the business landscape that make up the business model of insurance companies, as well as the influence and effectiveness of these factors. 

In this research, after revisal the literature, the effective agents of insurtech on the business ecosystem of the insurance industry were  gathered and provided to the experts in the form of a questionnaire. The statistical society of the research consists of information technology directores and insurance industry research and development managers and insurance industry experts who are related to insurance technology.  In this platform, the opinion questionnaire of experts was completed by 15 experts in this field. After examining the answers of the experts to the questionnaire, 26 sub-criteria affecting the business environment of the insurance industry were determined. Then, the Dematel questionnaire was completed by 8 experts in the insurance industry, and effective factors were identified and ranked by using the combination of network analysis and Dimtel methods.

Based on the results of Dematel analysis method, the criteria of key resources, effective activities, customer orientation, customer sections and channels affect the system. Also, income flow criteria, key partners, value proposition and cost structure are affected by the system. The results of the network analysis method have shown that at the level of the main criteria, the criterion of key partners by a weight of 0.206 ranks first, value proposition by a weight of 0.192 ranks second, cost structure by a weight of 0.185 ranks third, key resources by a weight of 0.125 ranks fourth, customer orientation by The weight of 0.099 ranks fifth, key activities by a weight of 0.097 ranks sixth, channels by a weight of 0.044 rank seventh, revenue stream by a weight of 0.037 ranks eighth, and customer segments by a weight of 0.015 ranks ninth.

Insurance companies should update their business environment to take advantage of Insurtech opportunities. The directors of insurance companies should pay most attention to the company's key partners first and then to the value proposition and cost structure.

This study aims to explore the application of blockchain technology in creating sustainable value for startups, focusing on its benefits, challenges, and the potential for innovation and collaboration within the business ecosystem. A qualitative research design was adopted, utilizing semi-structured interviews with founders and senior managers of startups that incorporate blockchain technology into their operations. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis to identify key themes and subthemes. Four main themes were identified: (1) Blockchain applications, highlighting data security, transparency, cost reduction, and financial facilitation; (2) Opportunities and challenges, including resistance to change, regulatory issues, initial investment needs, and resource access; (3) The impact of blockchain on innovation, outlining product and service development, business process improvements, and new market creation; (4) Collaboration and partnership in the ecosystem, focusing on business network development, resource and capital access, and the promotion of standards and protocols. Blockchain technology offers significant opportunities for startups to enhance transparency, efficiency, and security, contributing to the creation of sustainable value. However, to fully leverage these benefits, startups must navigate challenges related to adoption, regulation, and initial investment.

The use of ecosystem metaphor in different branches of management, business, innovation and entrepreneurship, are growing increasingly. The evolution property of ecosystems has highlighted. The aim of this study is to identify the stages of the evolution of business ecosystems. The major of previous studies about ecosystem’s evolution are based on case studies and affected by context. Then they are not generalizable. In this study we present a comprehensive model for evolution stages of industrial business ecosystems by qualitative Meta synthesis approach. 16 studies are identified by literature review that they were about evolution stages. Then 105 codes were extracted and translated in 19 conceptions and a 4 stages model was presented. This model, by highlighting the value chain and industrial platforms, is a good model for industrial business ecosystems. Also industrial researchers can use it to design a pattern for a special industrial ecosystem, or they can use it for studying and evaluating of the existent industrial ecosystems.

Today, the strategic focus of firms has shifted from the individual performance to the development of a business ecosystem-based strategy. A business ecosystem consists of interdependent systems that are connected by bases from different members of an ecosystem, such as customers, suppliers, partners, and other stakeholders. In other words, the entry and exit of each member affects the performance of other members. Among members of business ecosystems, this study focuses on customers and the impact of customer participation in creating economic and social value in the business ecosystem. One of growing industries in developing countries of the service economy is tourism industry, and its development has numerous economic, social and cultural benefits. Today, this area has currently proved to be of great importance to the economic, social and cultural developments in Iran, and there is a important role in the continuation of tourism and the future of this industry by the tourists. For this purpose, the role of all customers of tourism offices in the west of the country, as a statistical community in creating value in the business ecosystem was examined. This research is simultaneously descriptive research,. In this research our data was collected through a questionnaire. The results show that customer participation has significant positive impact on in creating economic and social value in the business ecosystem. Motivation and sociological factors are also known to be two influential drivers in customer engagement. Also, sub-variables such as gender, client province and the number of visits to travel agencies in a period of a year had the moderating effect on some of the main research relationships

Startup businesses are being considered in a new approach to the new economy. The proper ecosystem for the formation and development of start-up work consists of a set of edges and edges that depend on the growth and improvement of the nascent business conditions. the main purpose of this research is the design of the conceptual model of smart transportation businesses. accordingly, the methodology of this research is applicable in terms of purpose, practical, and in terms of a qualitative approach using content analysis. the method of data collection has been semi-structured.for extracting, analysis, and incorporation of concepts from the coding method. finally, the findings were analyzed and compared in three alternative dimensions, axial and Open source classification. the statistical population of this research is experts and specialists and policymakers of smart transportation and university professors and researchers. according to the results of interviews, seven alternatives and 52 pivotal were identified that alternative codes are: rules and policies of governance and leadership, creation of support and institutional platforms, development of human capital, financial strategies, and financing, market, cultural strategies, and developing smart technologies.

Emergence of the new concepts in business field of study beside of increasing environmental changes has made it more complex. The continuous changes, shows the importance of theoretical and practical readiness in relation to environmental issues. Two topics that have got attention of both academics and practitioners are “Business Network” and “Business Ecosystem”. This paper tries to scrutinize the concepts in order to delimitate them and considers outcomes of moving to and shaping business ecosystem. Therefore, Science direct, Emerald Insight and Google Scholar documents in period of 2000 to 2019 is extracted. 54 Documents are identified. In order to analyze, main concepts are extracted and verified by panel of experts. Coding is the method of analysis. Finally, findings are categorized in structural, mental and relative dimensions. Two concepts have many similarities in terms of structural and mental dimensions but from relative point of view there are significant differences. One of the most important outcomes of shaping business ecosystem is the change of innovation model from conservative and imitative to absorptive innovation.

The business ecosystem represents the collaborative and co-existence role of an organization in a larger network, whose recognition requires understanding the relationships among the members of the ecosystem. The aim of this study is to investigate the ecosystem of mobile communication in Iran using social network analysis technique. After a survey of mobile communications experts in Iran the boundaries of the mobile ecosystem is defined. Then, using snowball method, key actors of Iran's mobile communications ecosystem have been identified. After conducting interviews with the managers of the organizations, the data on the relationships among these actors were collected and using social network analysis (SNA) technique the network of actors was drawn up. Presentation of visual model of mobile ecosystem of Iran is one of the results of this research. The findings show that two mobile network operators in Iran have the highest centrality in the network and are considered as mobile ecosystem leaders in Iran. Analysis of the betweenness indicator shows that Communications Regulatory Authority after two network operators mentioned above has a more prominent role of betweenness in the network. Besides, among the main parts of the ecosystem, controlling and monitoring institutions have the strongest connections across the entire network and hence they are considered as the most powerful part.

Traditionally, organizations apply competitive strategy approach in formulating their strategies. But, in today's business environment in which organizations interact with one another and affect each other, strategic management requires a new mindset and interactive approach to replace the competitive-cooperative with competitive approach. The view of this approach appears in business ecosystem concept. Business ecosystem is a network of different players that their success and survival are linked together. This concept states that the organization not as an isolated players, but they should be considered as a part of an ecosystem and their strategies should be designed in the light of interaction of other players, both organizational and business ecosystem level strategy. This research focuses on the interaction with other organizations, to explain the strategic objectives of the banking industry has been in the business ecosystem. A mix method research methodology was adopted. Statistical population and sample are banking industry and Iranian banking experts. In the first phase, 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with banking domain experts and GT approach has been conducted for summarizing and grouping data. In the second phase, the collected strategic goals were corroborated by collecting 100 domain experts’ ideas through questionnaires. Finally, the business ecosystem strategic objectives were developed. The important results of this research are identifying and explaining five strategic objectives in business ecosystem level for banking industry of Iran that is an innovation of this research

Today، by shifting from traditional economy to innovation economy، strategic management requires a new mindset and interactive approach which appears in business ecosystem concept. Business ecosystem is a network of different players whose success and survival are linked together. This concept states that the organizations are not to be regarded as isolated players، but as a part of an ecosystem and their strategies should be designed in the light of interaction with other business ecosystem players. By adopting an interactive viewpoint the present research has attempted to define the strategic goals of balanced scorecard in Iranian banking system. The research methodology adopted here was of mixed type (qualitative and quantitative). The statistical population and sample are banking industry and Iranian banking experts respectively. Snowball tool has been applied for expert selection. In the first phase، 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with banking domain experts and GT approach has been conducted for summarizing and grouping data. In the second phase، the collected strategic goals were corroborated by collecting 100 domain experts’ ideas through questionnaires. Cronbach''s Alpha in SPSS has been used for reliability test. Finally، the business ecosystem-based balanced scorecard was developed. The important results of this research، which could be the innovative part، are identifying and explaining 22 strategic objectives including: 17 strategic objectives in organizational level and 5 strategic objectives in business ecosystem level for banking industry of Iran.