SOLOPRENEUR DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS: GENESIS, LINEAGE AND PRELIMINARY CATEGORIZATION

Abstract

This paper traces the genesis and lineage of solopreneur digital ecosystems. These ecosystems, fostered by a digital environment that is infrastructural, combinatorial and servitized, are enabling the rise to prominence of the solopreneur. We theorize solopreneur digital ecosystems as the latest incarnation of systems beyond firm control, with digital platforms and digital marketplaces as their principal enablers. In an effort to compare them from the perspective of the solopreneur, we categorize solopreneur digital ecosystems on three dimensions: algorithmic control, commoditization, and lock-in. Our work contributes a framework that solopreneurs can use to identify ecosystems in which they can optimally invest their talents and scarce resources. We discuss the findings of this mapping and draw implications for research and practice.