How to measure entrepreneurial ecosystems? Active discourse and challenges in the Brazilian case

Abstract

Objective: The paper reviews and systematizes the metrics proposed in the literature for measuring the different elements of entrepreneurial ecosystems and covers the challenges of measuring ecosystems at the regional level and the Brazilian case. Method: A literature review of the metrics proposed for Entrepreneurship Ecosystems and descriptive statistics to systematize the indicators found in the review. Results: There is still no uniformity in the proposal of metrics. Most of them have a national approach and are related to the dimensions of Public policy & Regulation, Culture, and Human capital. The effort to apply theory to the Brazilian case is still incipient, and it is necessary to create adequate metrics for the national context. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The article enriches the discourse on measuring entrepreneurial ecosystems by shedding light on a variety of methodologies, identifying gaps, highlighting the necessity for subnational indicators, and exploring their implications within the Brazilian context. Relevance/Originality: While the concept of EE and its measuring methods hold significant potential for orienting public policies, they remain underexplored in the Brazilian academic community. This article aims to bridge this gap and underscore the promising nature of this research area.

Keywords

• Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
• Metrics
• Regional Development
• Public Policies