In light of the increasing importance of ecosystem-based business models, business ecosystem leadership capabilities are not only becoming a major source of competitive advantage; they will also become indispensable for the long-term survival of organizations. 

The challenges of engaging in this new universe are substantial and can be daunting for organizations. Despite the current hype around this topic, we still have a limited understanding of the inter-organizational dynamics between the participants of an ecosystem and the capabilities required to successfully leverage its potential. Building upon his recent IRC4HR-funded research on Organizing for Business Ecosystem Leadership, Roland Deiser has developed a capability framework to help organizations close this gap.

In the attached paper, you will find nine critical capabilities organizations need to actively shape business ecosystems and leverage their potential. Structured along the three dimensions of Ecosystem Strategy, Organization, and Relationships, they form a powerful combination of elements that enable business ecosystem leadership, providing a guideline to any organization that wants to be successful in this new business model.

We are excited to share the results of this important research and confident that you will find the content of the report insightful and practical. You can download it below. To stay informed about this and other studies funded by IRC4HR, please share your name and email address.


Roland is a Senior Drucker Fellow and the Founder of the Center for the Future of Organization (CFFO), an independent think tank at the Drucker School of Management, Claremont University. The CFFO serves as a global hub for applied research and practical discourse on new paradigms of leadership and organization with a special focus on the role of digital technologies as drivers of competitive advantage.

Roland is also the author of Designing the Smart Organization – How Breakthrough Corporate Learning Initiatives Drive Strategic Change and Innovation and Transformers: Executive Conversations About Creating Agile Organizations.

White Paper

How to Succeed in Business Ecosystems: A Capability Framework for Business Ecosystem Leadership

We’re planning a future webinar series to share the results and insights from this study; dates to be announced.