Progettazione e gestione degli ecosistemi dell'innovazione nel settore sanitario: un quadro concettuale

The thesis develops and validates a conceptual framework for the design and management of innovation ecosystems in healthcare, addressing three gaps: the absence of guidelines and operational tools, the scarcity of in-depth applications, and the lack of studies that adopt a longitudinal approach. The conceptual framework is developed based on a systematic literature review on ecosystems in healthcare, complemented with the literature on ecosystems within the management field. It is organized on a hierarchical structure made of five macro-dimensions (strategy, organisation, value creation, value capture, value delivery); the temporal aspect is incorporated, to consider the initial evolution phases of an ecosystem within healthcare. Empirical validation of the conceptual framework is carried out through two longitudinal cases relating to innovation ecosystems for advanced diagnostics in different national contexts, with data collection based on semi-structured interviews, participant observation, document analysis and field notes; the results of the empirical validation are discussed with key informants and an external expert. The evidence indicates that the framework is parsimonious, comprehensive and consistent across the evolution phases and is useful for clarifying the objectives of the ecosystem, defining value and governance mechanisms, and guiding critical decisions, especially in the initial and development stages. The results of the thesis make substantial contributions to the scholarly discussion on innovation ecosystems in healthcare by filling several gaps identified in existing research. In addition, the conceptual framework serves as a comprehensive roadmap, providing ecosystem orchestrators with a structured guide for both designing and managing these complex systems across their initial various evolution phases.