Abstract
This thesis is at the intersection of entrepreneurship and strategic management. It contributes to the emergence of a new theoretical steam inspired by the ecosystem approach and which aims to better understand the role of the context on the entrepreneurial dynamics. Its objective is more precisely a better understanding of incubator strategies in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. This research also addresses the relationship between these strategies and the incubators performance. The thesis by publication is structured around four articles and is based on a mixed sequential methodology combining qualitative and quantitative methods. A qualitative study was carried out among 48 actors in the entrepreneurial support ecosystem in the South of France. This research was extended by a quantitative survey conducted at the national level, collecting 156 questionnaires from incubator managers. The major conceptual contribution carries on a theorization of the entrepreneurial ecosystem based on multilevel approach and social capital theory. In addition, it provides a holistic view of incubator strategies by focusing on a co-opetition approach. Finally, it allows to test the link between the ecosystem, the strategy and the performance. Our results show positive effects of the co-opetition strategy on performance. Implementation of this strategy appears to be one of the conditions for building a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem. Implications and recommendations are formulated, leading in particular to the elaboration of a strategic action plan for the actors of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.