Understanding data ecosystems: Conceptual foundations of the phenomenon

Data ecosystems are increasingly recognized as critical to digital supply chains as they enable firms to access, exchange, govern, and mobilize data for coordinated action. These complex sociotechnical networks enable diverse stakeholders to engage in generating, sharing, and processing data, thereby fostering value creation across various industries. Yet despite growing interest, literature still lacks a consolidated understanding of what constitutes a data ecosystem and how its core elements interrelate. To address these issues, the present study employs a multimethod research design comprising a systematic literature review and a case study involving eight data ecosystem actors. The findings identify four constitutive subsystems of the data ecosystem: stakeholders, infrastructure, data, and governance, along with their underlying components. The study identifies six interrelations among these components, showing that data ecosystems depend not only on the presence of core elements but also on the relationships among them. By integrating insights from prior literature with empirical evidence, the study develops a foundation for understanding data ecosystems. The paper contributes to information systems (IS) research by clarifying the sociotechnical structure of data ecosystems and by providing a basis for future theorizing on interorganizational data sharing, governance, and responsive digital supply chains.