**6. Conclusions**

This study explored the emergence and evolution of IEs in emerging economies. Following the suggestions of recent studies [14, 15], SoS literature was combined with ecosystem literature to strengthen the research. More specifically, the study adopted the types of authority proposed in the SoS literature (virtual, collaborative, acknowledged, and directed) to analyze actor interactions in IEs. Three ecosystems from the Brazilian armored vehicle sector were studied to elaborate on the topic.

The study found that the organizational environment can antagonistically impact innovation ecosystems. For example, geopolitical and economic factors can either open windows of opportunity and promote the emergence and evolution of ecosystems or even lead to their deaths. In addition, the research identified that the type of authority between ecosystem members might also contribute to the success or failure of these ecosystems. Therefore, this study suggests that knowing the current type of authority between ecosystems' actors and managing to reach the optimal one can be a valuable tool to orchestrate the ecosystem evolution.

Finally, as this research is limited to the Brazilian defense industry, further studies on other sectors and countries may help clarify its tentative contribution to the IE literature.
