مجلة المنهل الاقتصادي

Digital Ecosystems And Sme Competitiveness: A Conceptual Framework For Value Creation, Governance, And Institutional Support

Auteurs : Mohamed Mohamed . Touitou Mohamed .

Résumé

This paper develops a conceptual framework explaining how digital ecosystems shape the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Existing research on digital transformation, platform participation, and SME performance remains fragmented. To address this gap, the study integrates insights from digital innovation, platform economics, entrepreneurship, and institutional theory. It identifies four interdependent dimensions: digital infrastructure, firm-level digital capabilities, platform governance, and institutional support. Using an interpretive synthesis approach, the paper constructs a unified model linking these dimensions to SME access, participation, and value appropriation. The findings show that competitiveness depends not only on technology adoption but on alignment between internal capabilities and external ecosystem conditions. The framework also highlights the influence of governance structures and institutional contexts. The study contributes by integrating diverse research streams and offers policy-relevant insights for building inclusive and resilient digital ecosystems.

Mots clés

Digital ecosystems ; SME competitiveness ; digital transformation ; platform governance ; digital capabilities ; institutional support