Visualising dynamics in innovation ecosystems: A new method and demonstration in the commercial aircraft MRO ecosystem

A review and evaluation of 34 visual methods for ecosystem research revealed that there was no method to visually capture the dynamics of innovation ecosystems. To fill this gap, we develop and demonstrate a new visual method, the ecosystem dynamics mapping (EDM) language, for capturing and analysing (i) structural elements, (ii) structural changes and (iii) dynamic forces in evolving innovation ecosystems over time. To develop the EDM language we applied the design science research methodology (DSRM), conducting a demonstration case in the commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector. The sector's innovation ecosystem is currently experiencing profound dynamics, with a focus in this paper specifically on dynamics that result from servitizing manufacturers. For the demonstration case, we conducted 18 in-depth semistructured interviews with 10 decision-makers at a large incumbent service provider, producing a total of 13 ecosystem dynamics maps. This study attempts to make three contributions. First, it identifies, summarises and evaluates the existing ecosystem visualisation methods. Second, we introduce the new EDM language for visualising the dynamics of innovation ecosystems. Third, we present an EDM demonstration case validating its applicability. The EDM language can be used by researchers, practitioners and policy-makers to better understand how innovation ecosystems are changing, thereby supporting strategic decision-making or policy interventions.