THE EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT OF «ECOSYSTEM» AND APPROACHES TO ITS INTERPRETATION

Abstract

The article analyzes the definition of the concept of «ecosystem». It is noted that, unlike the system of biology, where the term «ecosystem» has a clear definition, an active process of forming approaches to its interpretation is still ongoing in economic scientific communities. Different ways of understanding this concept are determined, first of all, by the context of the study, including the goal, purpose of the analysis, the type of enterprise, the features of its interaction with other subjects. It is substantiated that after the term «ecosystem» took a leading position in biology and ecology, its application began to spread to other fields of knowledge and spheres of life, and even to the economy and the world of people. The growth in the number of publications using the keyword «ecosystem» was investigated. The countries with the largest volume of publications using the keyword «ecosystem» were analyzed. The types of data that were most actively used for the concept of «ecosystem» were identified. It is noted that, scientists believe that ecosystems are traditionally viewed from the following perspectives: as a set of participants who interact and participate in a «value chain»; as a platform for goods and services, where various products are offered to ensure the widest possible range of needs for a similar purpose; as an organization that develops independently. It is noted that an ecosystem is a platform of interconnected network connections that create added value for consumers and increase the efficiency of the enterprise's functioning through the introduction of innovations, interaction with personnel, customers, suppliers, competitors, financial institutions, and interaction regulators. It is noted that an ecosystem is an economic community of interacting entities that consider all participants outside of a single industry that can contribute to expanding the productivity of an enterprise. Thus, the analyzed data indicate that the concept of «ecosystem» is increasingly used in a wide range of economic sectors. At the same time, a study of the scientific literature on the definition of «ecosystem» within the framework of economic science reveals significant variability in interpretations.