An advanced network analysis of entrepreneurial ecosystem elements

Horvatinović, Tin (author), Mikić, Mihaela (author), Dabić, Marina (author)

Scholarly literature holds a limited understanding of one of the fundamental premises of the entrepreneurial ecosystem framework: the structural interdependence of its constituent elements. This study employs several network analysis tools to examine a sample of 272 NUTS 2 regions, focusing on the interconnections among entrepreneurial ecosystem elements. The results show that talent, demand, and physical infrastructure are the most central elements. Additionally, networks, leadership, and knowledge are elements most susceptible to change from exogenous factors. Lastly, the subsample analysis performed does not support element connectivity as a differentiator between munificent and sparse entrepreneurial ecosystems. Instead, the difference is found in their network structure.

• Language: English
• Keywords: entrepreneurship, business policy, regional economic development, Entrepreneurial ecosystem, ecosystem elements, regional entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship policy, network analysis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: In print
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-181229
• UDC: 658
• ISSN on article: 0047-2778
• DOI: 10.1080/00472778.2026.2634729
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271535875
• Publication date in RUL: 27.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of small business management
• Shortened title: J. small bus. manage.
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 0047-2778
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2218524

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: podjetništvo, poslovna politika, regionalni razvoj

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0441
• Name: Regeneracija ekonomije in posla