Digital
ecosystems
CEO Teemu Arina, Dicole Ltd.
January 2009

The digital ecosystem is defined as an open, loosely coupled
self-organising agents’ environment, where each species is
proactive and responsive for its own benefit or profit (IEEE
2009). Digital technologies catalyze ecosystemic processes.

Multidisciplinary term
Digital Ecosystem =
■ Evolution
Natural ■ Development
■ Autocatalytic cycles
sciences ■ Symbiosis
■ Algorithms ■ Games
Social
Computer
■ Turing Machines ■ Agents
■ Networking ■ Actors
sciences
sciences
■ Interaction ■ Systems

Related terms
cluster
peer production
social computing crowdsourcing
ecology social network social media
information ecosystem value network
business ecology web 2.0 complex systems
semantic web media ecology
collective intelligence
open innovation

Megatrends
Digita
l
ecos
ystem
Globalization 2.0
Mobility
Real-time economy
Population growth Distributed knowledge
Digital lifestyle Net generation
Open innovation Social media
Networked learning
Resource scarcity
Energy crisis Mass customization
Climate change Knowledge work
Ubiquitous Network Digital Cultural
technology society convergence diversity

DE players according to WEF
Media
com
le
Te
En
te
r
tai
Digital
IT
nm
ecosystem
en
t
Users Companies Government
Ref:

DE scenarios 2015
Open
Middle
Youniverse
environment
Kingdoms
Industry Organic &
Social & economic value creation
controlled & led community led
Digital business
Safe
Havens
Ref:
Closed

Business ecology
Trade associations
Unions
Extended enterprise
Customers Customer’s
Core customers
business Other
stakeholders
Investors
Supply chain
Subcontractors
providers
Cooperative
partners
Competitors
Government regulators
Ref: James F. Moore

Roles in the ecosystem
Increases chances of survival by
Catalysator supporting the growth of a living
and functioning ecosystem.
Aims to own and control a large
portion of the ecosystem.
Dictator
Extracts more value from the
ecosystem rather than
Milker
contributing back.
Builds specialized services &
niche skills, which help the actor
Niche player
to differentiate from others.

Ref: Yukika Awazu (2004)
Informal Network Roles Intelligence Activities
■Connectors ■Aggregation
■Boundary Spanners ■Transfer
■Experts ■Sensemaking
■Bridges
■Gatekeepers

Collaborative Innovation Network (COIN)
COIN
Connectivity
Sharing
Interactivity Ref: Peter A. Gloor (2004)

Digitalization of business operations
Opportunities & sophistication
Distributed
Digital
E-business &
Email Website working
commenrce ecosystems
environments
Busi
coop
Visibility
Comm
V
Crowdso
irtuality
ness inte
eration
unication
urcing &
gration

From gadget to ecosystem
Gadget Ecosystem
(1) Let’s make a plan (1) Creating fruitful conditions
(2) Let’s build the machine (2) Nurture like a garden

Diversity of content

Diversity of combination
symbiosis

Diversity of (content+combination)
Diversity of organisms

Autopoiesis as a target
Self-organizing
Reproducing
Self-organizing
Autopoiesis
(Varela, Maturana)
Ref: Paolo Dini (2007)

Thanks! Email teemu@dicole.com
Teemu Arina
Blog tarina.blogging.fi
CEO, Dicole Oy
Company www.dicole.com
“Imagination is more important than knowledge”
– Albert Einstein