Work

Orchestrating Power: The Cultural–Institutional Nexus and the Rise of Digital Innovation Ecosystems in Great Power Rivalry

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article examines how digital innovation ecosystems have emerged as strategic institutions of power in contemporary world politics. It argues that, unlike Cold War technological rivalries driven by centralized, state-led control, today’s digital competition depends on states’ capacity to orchestrate scalable, multistakeholder ecosystems. Using a cultural–institutional framework, we explain how differences in strategic culture and institutional governance impact the ecosystem’s vitality and performance. A qualitative comparative analysis of the United States, China, and Russia reveals that constructive orchestration, aligning state institutions with generative, commercial-to-national innovation flows, enhances digital leadership, whereas rigid, obstructive governance limits it. This highlights ecosystem governance as a critical dimension of statecraft in the digital age. The findings underscore that the positions of great powers in the global technological hierarchy depend not only on resources or capabilities but also on the effectiveness of ecosystem governance as an evolving instrument of geopolitical power.

Source: Systems

DOI: 10.3390/systems13080643

Authors: Deganit Paikowsky, Dmitry Payson, Yaacov Falkov

Institution: Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Language: English

Topic: COVID-19, Geopolitics, Technology, Migration

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896