Abstract:

Manufacturing ecosystems are increasingly recognized as critical frameworks for understanding how diverse actors contribute to industrial innovation. While existing studies often emphasize structural mapping and actor typologies, less attention has been paid to functional contributions across different stages of the innovation process. This paper addresses this gap by applying a quantified Actor × Function Matrix to assess the roles of six institutional types (manufacturing SMEs, lead firms, industrial clusters, universities, incubators, and technology transfer offices) across five innovation functions: applied R&D, process innovation, manufacturing scale-up, technology deployment, and industrial demand. Two complementary perspectives are presented. The institutional analysis develops extended actor profiles that evaluate functionality, versatility, and systemic role, while the functional analysis aggregates contributions to reveal strengths, weaknesses, and systemic risks. The results indicate strong reliance on lead firms, concentration of R&D in academic and intermediary institutions, weak involvement of SMEs in upstream innovation, and insufficient articulation of industrial demand. These findings highlight structural asymmetries that limit the resilience and inclusiveness of manufacturing ecosystems.