Framing entrepreneurial ecosystem complexity: beyond the myth

The entrepreneurial ecosystem concept has gained increasing popularity for its ability to capture the complex dynamics of entrepreneurial systems. While entrepreneurial ecosystems have been conceptualized as complex systems, existing research often oversimplifies their complexity, adopting the ‘complex system’ label metaphorically without fully engaging with its theoretical and analytical implications for entrepreneurial ecosystem research. This paper addresses these gaps by employing an integrative, theory-driven review approach that synthesizes prior entrepreneurial ecosystem studies engaging with key concepts from complex systems research through an abductive logic. Building on this synthesis, we develop conceptual and analytical frameworks that preserve the holistic and aggregate complexity of entrepreneurial ecosystems, encompassing micro-, meso-, and macro-level dynamics. Specifically, the proposed frameworks on ecosystem emergence, co-evolutionary dynamics, and resilience provide foundational models for theory building on entrepreneurial ecosystem complexity, while advancing the translation of core concepts from complex systems theory into actionable insights for policymakers.