Beyond the digital ecosystems view: insights from smart communities

Aim: The paper aims to analyse the challenges of emerging Digital Ecosystems. The principal goal of this work is to enrich previous studies on the topic of Digital Ecosystem with possible contributions derived from the studies on Smart Communities. Findings: The reflections herein support the overcoming of traditional managerial perspective no more longer able to support decision makers in defining effective and sustainable managerial models. The adopted lens build on the interpretative contributions offered by studies on Digital Ecosystems and on Smart Communities in attempt to define a possible multi- and trans-disciplinary framework for the management of networked systems in the light of value co-creation perspective. The main finding is the identification of possible advancements in the management of Digital Ecosystems using the evidence offered by the evolution of Smart Communities. Methodology: The work proposes an analysis of the domain of Smart Communities with the aim to identify possible advancements in the ways to face the challenges of Digital Ecosystems in the emerging knowledge and digital society. The proposed ideas support the emergence of a stronger conceptual framework direct to enrich previous contributions both in the domain of Digital Ecosystems and Smart Communities. Research implications/limitations: Reflections, ideas and observations herein represent a first step along the pathways to define a more holistic approach in the management of networked systems. In this directions, the proposed suggestions should be verified through a wider empirical study. Originality/Value: The paper offers a multidisciplinary approach useful to support decision makers in better understanding the opportunities offered by Digital Ecosystems thanks to the interpretative lens offered by Smart Communities logic.