Business ecosystem research agenda: more dynamic, more embedded, and more internationalized

We explore the emerging body of research focusing on business ecosystems (BEs). The study of inter-organizational relationships has evolved from a focus at the level of firm, to the supply chain, the platform, and now towards the BE. The co-evolution of inter-related organizations is an essential element of BE research, rather than static structure. The success of leading internet companies in Asia, such as Alibaba in China, Naver in South Korea, Baharti Airtel in India, and Rakuten in Japan, reflects their strategies and practices of leveraging BEs within a fast-changing age. In order to better understand the mechanisms of BEs, in particular within the Asian context, we propose three key research directions within BEs, including dynamics, embeddedness, and internationalization.