This study seeks to answer the central question: What is the governance approach of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Heilbronn? While entrepreneurial ecosystems have garnered increasing attention, there is a persistent gap in the literature regarding the governance mechanisms that regulate these systems, particularly the interaction of formal and informal institutions. To address this gap, this research employs the Institutional Grammar (IG) method as a novel tool for analyzing governance in entrepreneurial ecosystems. The IG method offers a systematic approach to decoding institutional statements, allowing for a more precise understanding of the institutional environment in which entrepreneurship occurs. Unlike traditional governance frameworks, the IG method provides a fine-grained analysis of how institutions, both formal and informal, shape actor behavior and collaboration within an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Through a detailed analysis of institutional statements from key ecosystem actors, the research illuminates the specific institutional arrangements that govern entrepreneurial activity. The findings provide insights into how governance structures either facilitate or constrain entrepreneurial behaviors and interactions, offering practical recommendations for enhancing governance mechanisms within similar ecosystems. This research extends the methodological toolkit for studying entrepreneurial ecosystems and contributes to a deeper understanding of how institutional governance can support the development and sustainability of entrepreneurial ecosystems.
