The Determinants of Sustainable Corporate Ecosystems: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Sustainability challenges increasingly require ecosystem-based responses because economic, environmental, and social value is created across networks of interdependent organizations and stakeholders. Research on the determinants of sustainable corporate ecosystems (SCEs), however, remains fragmented across the governance, innovation, digital, circular economy, human resource, and communication literature. This systematic review identifies, synthesizes, and analyzes determinants that support the development and continuity of SCEs and is reported in alignment with PRISMA 2020. Eligibility was restricted to English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2021 through 2025. Preserved search records identify Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Emerald Insight, and an archived group labeled “other sources/databases”; the exact identities of the latter group, database-specific Boolean search strings, and the final search date were not preserved and are not reconstructed. Of 1255 records identified, 279 duplicates were removed, 976 records were screened, 265 reports were sought for retrieval, 231 full-text reports were assessed, and 59 studies were included. All 59 included studies contributed to an inductive thematic synthesis. No statistical meta-analysis, standardized risk-of-bias scoring instrument, formal reporting-bias assessment, or certainty-of-evidence framework was documented in the archived review process; therefore, no retrospective ratings are introduced in this review. Thirteen determinants were identified. The core determinants were ecosystem governance and leadership, ecosystem orchestration and dynamic capabilities, stakeholder engagement and multi-stakeholder collaboration, sustainable business model innovation, and value co-creation. Supporting determinants were digital capabilities and platform infrastructure, ESG disclosure and accountability, circular economy practices, and ecosystem strategy and design. Research-priority determinants were sustainable ecosystem performance measurement, ecosystem resilience, strategic human resource management, and public relations. Scholarly attention counts indicate representation within the reviewed sample rather than causal importance, and the findings should be interpreted as a thematic architecture rather than comparative causal effect evidence. No registration record or separate protocol is available in the archived review materials.