The Design of Local Ecosystems within a Global Technology Entrepreneurship Challenge

Global organizations, often part of a business ecosystem, are continuously striving to expand their reach in local communities, but they face significant adoption challenges. These multilevel systems have a natural hierarchy, which can be analyzed from a design perspective. Leveraging constructs from design science, glocalization, and business ecosystems, this research examines Technovation, the world's largest technology entrepreneurship program for girls. Through an embedded multiple-case study, Technovation is described using ecosystem frameworks, then a cross-case analysis of six chapters from Canada and Mexico identifies similarities and differences, and global ecosystem requirements are specified as design rules. There are three key findings. First, local ecosystems have a different architecture than the global ecosystem. Second, chapters are influenced by passive and active forces. Third, design rules create boundaries for local adaptation of global components. These insights will assist managers, ecosystem designers, and Technovation practitioners navigate the complex, global context in which they operate.