IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/sbusec/v64y2025i4d10.1007_s11187-024-00953-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A meta-analysis of entrepreneurial ecosystem elements and entrepreneurial activity

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Queissner

    (Ruhr-University Bochum
    Zeppelin University)

  • Lennard Stolz

    (Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Economic and Cultural Geography)

  • Matthias Weiss

    (Zeppelin University)

Abstract

This meta-analysis examines the relationship between entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) elements and regional entrepreneurial activity (EA). An extensive literature search is performed to identify quantitative studies covering EE elements and EA at the regional level (257 studies) and to extract relevant data (2,241,813 observations). To synthesize the findings, we group the potential antecedent variables based on Stam’s (European Planning Studies, 23(9):1759-1769, 2015) EE framework. The results show large differences in the effect sizes and relevance of EE elements. Based on the empirical results, three relevant elements underlying all EEs are identified: demand, talent, and finance. Our results remain robust after using different methods for variable grouping, applying meta-analytic regression, and controlling for country, publication specifics, and grouping errors. Propositions for building an EE theory are derived, and future research opportunities are discussed, as well as policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Queissner & Lennard Stolz & Matthias Weiss, 2025. "A meta-analysis of entrepreneurial ecosystem elements and entrepreneurial activity," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 64(4), pages 1817-1847, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:64:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s11187-024-00953-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-024-00953-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11187-024-00953-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11187-024-00953-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurial ecosystem; Meta-analysis; Entrepreneurial activity; Context; Environment; Regional entrepreneurship;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • R1 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:64:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s11187-024-00953-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.