Abstracts
Résumé
Cette recherche explore la dynamique de la gouvernance au sein des sous-écosystèmes entrepreneuriaux, un niveau encore peu étudié dans la littérature. Elle vise à comprendre comment émergent et évoluent les modes de gouvernance – hiérarchique, relationnel ou hybride – dans un contexte spécifique : le sous-écosystème entrepreneurial du droit (SEED). Ce dernier regroupe des acteurs publics et privés impliqués dans le soutien à l’activité entrepreneuriale sur le marché du droit. Les legaltech (start-up) y jouent un rôle structurant, en participant activement à la coordination et à la régulation du sous-écosystème. Fondée sur une étude qualitative quasi-longitudinale, mobilisant 34 entretiens et des données secondaires, cette recherche met en lumière la trajectoire du SEED, l’évolution de ses formes de gouvernance et les mécanismes concrets mobilisés par les acteurs. Elle contribue ainsi à enrichir les travaux sur la gouvernance des EE en proposant une lecture dynamique, au niveau des sous-écosystèmes.
Mots-clés :
- Sous-écosystème entrepreneurial,
- Gouvernance,
- Droit,
- Legaltech,
- Étude qualitative
Abstract
This research explores governance dynamics within entrepreneurial sub-ecosystems, a level still underexplored in the literature. It aims to understand how governance modes-hierarchical, relational, or hybrid-emerge and evolve within a specific context: the entrepreneurial sub-ecosystem of law (SEED). This sub-ecosystem brings together public and private actors involved in supporting entrepreneurial activity in the legal market. Legaltechs play a structuring role, actively contributing to the coordination and regulation of the sub-ecosystem. Based on a quasi-longitudinal qualitative study combining 34 interviews and secondary data, this research sheds light on the SEED’s trajectory, the evolution of its governance forms, and the concrete mechanisms mobilized by the actors. It contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature by offering a dynamic and situated analysis of governance at the sub-ecosystem level.
Keywords:
- Entrepreneurial sub-ecosystem,
- Governance,
- Law,
- Legaltech,
- Qualitative approach
Appendices
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