Why Partnerships in Ecosystems Fail – Towards a Construct of Cultural Values in Ecosystems

Business Ecosystems are dynamic structures of interdependent actors who co-create value. Despite high interest, the networks remain poorly understood. Participants form partnerships to collaborate with each other, however, these partnerships are fragile. As a possible analytical lens for the success or failure of these partnerships, this study draws on cultural values. By combining value creation characteristics of business ecosystems with the available knowledge base of cultural values, the study develops an artifact which identifies ten crucial cultural values in business ecosystems. The construct functions as a compass of cultural values and helps organizations to anticipate potential issues and recalibrate accordingly. The artifact was developed in a consortium project following the design science research. The paper contributes to a better understanding of value creation and organizational culture in business ecosystems.