Managing social capital networks in digital international innovation ecosystems

This study operationalizes the concepts of social capital theory through social network analysis. By using this methodology, this research aims to deepen the understanding of how the dynamics of social capital networks are related to the consolidation and sustainability of innovation ecosystems, particularly in the context of digital entrepreneurship platforms. This case study focuses on the International Entrepreneurship Lab Smart Money (IELSM), a digital platform comprising more than 100 organizations from various sectors and countries, mostly in Latin America. Three network subsets around business models were constructed through in-depth interviews with key actors in the IELSM platform. Subsequently, five structural characteristics of the networks were studied via quantitative analysis: ecosystem connectivity, reciprocity, resistance to linkages across sectors, stakeholder diversity, and resource flow difficulty. Based on correlational analysis, a composite index that reflects the maturity of the social capital network is proposed. When applied in similar contexts, this index can provide a comprehensive understanding of social capital dynamics and guide the development of effective strategies for network management. Our findings revealed a strong correlation between reciprocity and ecosystem connectivity. This suggests that a network with greater social cohesion generates more links in which organizations share resources bidirectionally, representing significant potential for mutual value creation. Negative correlations between reciprocity and stakeholder diversity, as well as between ecosystem connectivity and stakeholder diversity, highlight intersectoral cooperation challenges. Social capital networks exhibit complex, nonlinear growth linked to variations in behavior and structure, highlighting the practical implications for managing innovation ecosystems.