Factors of Innovation Management Transformation in Digital Innovation Ecosystems of Russian Companies

Introduction

Both traditional and digital innovations are often created not in the structures of one firm but through collective cooperation within the framework of digital innovation ecosystems, which allows levelling the limited resources of one firm (Adner and Kapoor, 2010). Thus, research on the problems of innovation development in modern conditions should focus on the formation of management mechanisms at the digital innovation ecosystem level, which provides a technological base for combining the resources of various business entities and helps increase the potential of such cooperation (Lindgren et al., 2008). World and Russian practices convincingly demonstrate that developing digital innovation ecosystems help accelerate the pace of creation and improve the functions of startups and other types of companies that prioritise the creation and implementation of digital innovations. Innovation centres such as Silicon Valley in the United States or Skolkovo and Innopolis in Russia are becoming key players in the formation of digital innovation ecosystems. Examples of other centres that successfully formed traditional and digital infrastructure to develop innovation activities include those in London, Berlin, Paris, Tel Aviv in Israel, and Singapore (Herrmann et al., 2015; Roth et al., 2015; Yip, 2015).

At present, the development of digital innovation ecosystems, both at the country and individual industry and sector levels, is becoming increasingly significant in the development of both national and global economic systems. However, many Russian and international studies on digital innovations mainly focus on the analysis of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of innovation activities and their management mechanisms at the individual organisation level (Bharadwaj et al., 2013; Sambamurthy et al., 2003; Yu et al., 2010). Studies on the challenges in the formation of digital innovation ecosystems as a key factor in the development of the innovative potential of both the organisation and the national and global economy are limited. The term “ecosystem” is widely used in global and Russian management science to explain the features of the formation of entrepreneurship; although, the digital innovation ecosystem as an independent theoretical concept remains poorly studied (Spigel, 2015; Brunetti et al., 2020).

In this regard, a digital innovation ecosystem that provides participants access to sources of this information is more effective than an open market. Some Western scientists consider ecosystems as new organisational forms (Gulati et al., 2012; Benitez et al., 2020; Benitez et al., 2021). However, unlike traditional organisations, the ecosystem lacks formal powers and mechanisms to build coordination between participants.

This study aims to examine how the division of labour and integration of efforts between participants to achieve a common goal is ensured within the framework of the digital innovation ecosystems of Russian companies. In this context, it is advisable to use the statements of Western researchers that the division of labour and integration of efforts between the participants of the digital innovation ecosystem are organising mechanisms that determine the characteristics and functionality of the ecosystem participants' interactions (Puranam et al., 2014; Cimini et al., 2020). Thus, we propose that a stable and productive digital innovation ecosystem has a relatively stable organisational form, in which participants can effectively carry out the division of labour and integration of efforts without a core organisation or central manager.