The causal relation between entrepreneurial ecosystem and productive entrepreneurship: a measurement framework

The paper proposes a framework for measuring and testing the causal effects of a set of entrepreneurial ecosystems factors (eco-factors) on productive entrepreneurship (eco-output). Existing research studies provide long lists of relevant eco-factors; however, the causal relations of eco-factors with productive entrepreneurship has not been sufficiently and holistically studied. As the research on entrepreneurial ecosystems continues to develop, there is a need for a measurement framework and subsequent empirical validation of these causal relations. Otherwise, research on entrepreneurial ecosystem risks engaging only in a simple description of successful territories without the possibility of generalizing findings. Therefore, our paper’s contribution is a critical review of the set of eco-factors proposed by the extant literature and propose indicators and related data sources that could be used to measure the indicators more holistically. In an analogous way, with respect to eco-output, our contribution is to trace which indicators are the appropriate proxies for productive entrepreneurship and to explore the data sources for these indicators.