Synergy manifestation in the ecosystem

Abstract

Introduction. The analysis of specific aspects of unification of economic entities on the principles of the ecosystem approach causes the need to study the characteristics and features of manifestation of such a property of systems as emergence, the implementation of which underlies the law of synergy. The task of creating conditions for the interaction of the uniting participants of the ecosystem is associated with taking into account the most significant factors of the external and internal environment of the formed ecosystem, as well as with the desire of stakeholders of this process to agree on the goals of creating an ecosystem and build connections between private individuals so as to ensure the receipt of the maximum possible positive synergistic effects. The relevance of the study determines the need to develop the provisions of the ecosystem approach, which is at the stage of formation. Such a combination of characteristics of the ecosystem itself, in which additional synergy is possible, is of particular interest and the combination of such additional synergistic effects will allow us to identify strategically significant areas for increasing the efficiency of the ecosystem.

Methodology. The purpose of this article is to develop tools for identifying additional synergistic effects that occur during the formation of ecosystems. The methodological basis of the study was a systems approach and content analysis of scientific publications, comparison and generalization of research materials, a method of paired comparisons, methods of verbal and graphical modeling, a method for constructing morphological matrices and a hierarchy of decisions, as well as individual procedures for strategic management of the development of socio-economic systems.

It is shown that the integration of individual functions allows us to obtain a synergistic effect, and the combination of collective and individual activities ensures the synergy of the ecosystem management team.

A classification of synergistic effects has been formed that is based on features that reflect both structural and managerial synergy, as well as in relation to resource, functional, tangible and intangible characteristics of human capital, together with the mechanisms for the manifestation of synergy itself. It is shown how synergy can manifest itself in the ecosystem approach.

Results and conclusions. It has been established that the formation of an ecosystem based on the coordination of stakeholders' goals further ensures their co-development, and the agreed upon strategically significant categories such as vision, mission and the formulations of strategic development goals themselves at the first stage reduce the likelihood of errors by participants in the designed ecosystem in terms of identifying sources of synergy that are hidden in the barriers created by potential ecosystem participants themselves. The definition of possible synergistic effects in the ecosystem's activities can be implemented by combining the characteristics of the ecosystem itself in general, for which it is advisable to perform procedures for combining pairs of these characteristics by constructing a morphological matrix. As a result, a tool is proposed based on the identification of specific characteristics of the ecosystem, on the basis of which descriptions of possible positive results of the ecosystem functioning are formed by constructing a morphological matrix of solutions. It is shown that structuring the obtained solutions determines the direction of the manifestation of synergistic effects, allowing us to formulate a vision of the prospects of the uniting participants of the ecosystem.

Discussion. The constructed symmetrical morphological matrix as a combination of ecosystem characteristics made it possible to formulate options for the possible manifestation of synergy of the second kind, the formulations of which are structured by the method of paired comparisons, which determined four groups of ecosystem development directions in which synergistic effects are possible. The environment of such groups includes both system solutions and effective communications, as well as the joint development of ecosystem participants and the growth of its potential. The obtained structure of synergistic effects allows ranking the noted directions, which is necessary for the distribution of available resources, and also allows formulating a slogan that defines the strategic prospects for the development of the ecosystem.

Synthesis of ecosystem characteristics allows getting an idea of the possible options for the manifestation of synergistic effects, the structure of which determines the main directions of the ecosystem development, providing it with competitive advantages in terms of increasing the efficiency of its activities, and also makes it possible to form an image of the ideal state of the ecosystem, which is possible with the maximization of ecosystem synergy.

The obtained results can be used both in the decision-making process on the construction of an ecosystem by potential participants, and at the stage of developing projects aimed at increasing the efficiency of the functioning of created ecosystems.