Ecosystems across Profit and Non-Profit Sectors: Shared Features and Distinctions
Keywords:
Ecosistema di business , Ecosistema non profit , analisi comparativa, salute ecosistemica, tassonomia europeaAbstract
Purpose – This study aims to analyze the application of the business ecosystem paradigm, originally developed in the for-profit context, to the non-profit sector, highlighting commonalities, differences, and methodological gaps between the two domains. The focus is to understand how the biological metaphor of the ecosystem can be effectively transposed to interpret the collaborative dynamics of the Third Sector, where social impact replaces profit as the primary objective.
Methodology – The study adopts a qualitative comparative conceptual approach. The literature review was conducted on Scopus and Google Scholar, covering the period from 1993 to 2024, yielding approximately forty selected contributions. The extracted information was organised through a comparative matrix structured around four analytical dimensions — objectives, actors, measurement tools, and time horizon — using deductive coding and an iterative internal validation process among the authors.Findings – The analysis reveals that, although both models share the principles of co-evolution and interdependence, substantial differences emerge. In for-profit ecosystems, the objective is to enhance competitiveness through the collective health of the network; in non-profit ecosystems, the generation of collective social impact prevails. Actors differ by role: in business ecosystems, market-oriented keystones, dominators, and niche players predominate; in non-profit ecosystems, operational cores, foundations, the public sector, and social enterprises emerge, united by a shared mission.
Originality – This work addresses a gap in the literature by proposing a uniform comparative framework between for-profit and non-profit ecosystems, which have thus far been treated separately. It also identifies unexplored critical areas, such as the transposition of the dominator role in non-profit settings and the need for integrated frameworks that harmonize economic efficiency and social impact. Finally, it emphasizes the urgency of strategic regulatory responses at the European level to standardize the measurement of sustainable social impact.
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NextGenerationEU
Grant numbers GRINS PE00000018 - CUP H73C22000930001
