Business ecosystem theorization : towards a complex adaptative framework applying a co-evolutionairy metaphor

Since the first empirical definition of business ecosystems (BEs), its central orchestration dynamic has been defined as co-evolutive. If the nature of the associated mechanisms is still debated, the co-evolutionary nature of inter-organizational innovation processes has been largely demonstrated. BEs also have been characterized as Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS). However, none of the available theorization of BEs as CAS really integrates co-evolutionary mechanisms (CMs) and their associated feedback loops.Moreover, the distinction between evolutionary and CMs remains blurry and does not allow the distinction between collaborative and co-evolutive relationships within BEs.BEs are characterized by a flexible and scalable architecture designed to leverage collective intelligence. In such a context, platforms serve as a backbone for inter-organizational relationships to facilitate interactions. But for a platform-based (PBE) ecosystem to flourish, inter-organizational co-evolutionary processes have to be triggered. To better understand how BEs achieve such a goal, empirical and theoretical characterization of the associated CMsis of utmost importance. However, current analogical transpositions of CMs from biology to strategic management (SM) are still disparate and partial. To leverage our understanding of CMs involved in biological CAS, and to go beyond the methodological limits of analog borrowings, the application of a metaphorical transposition is necessary. Following the Domains-Interaction Modelprotocol, metaphorization first implies the exploration of the CMs in the source domain. In Biology, CMs transcends paradigms and connects all the available frameworks in Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics. The establishment of a generic structure connecting the components involved in co-evolution in the source domain allows the needed semantic and structural alignments to occur with the target domain at the conceptual and theoretical levels. Metaphorical elaboration of the meaning of each partially and non-transposed concept is achieved using information blending from both the target and source domains. The meaning emerging from the blend constitutes a new perspective which makes sense in the metaphorical structure combining the concepts associated with the CMs. This metaphorical transposition of the evolutionary and CMsin organizational sciences enables the distinction between several mechanisms: mimicry, co-adaptation, and 3 different forms of co-evolutive mutualisms. Moreover, it reveals how dynamic capabilities are involved in the feedback loops associated with evolutionary and CMs in BEs. This distinction opens the way for a better understanding of BEs coordination processes and, for the empirical identification of specific generative mechanisms and their related triggering factors. Ultimately it allows the integration ofthe CMs in a CAS framework.