Abstract
The concept of the sustainable digital entrepreneurial ecosystem (SDEE) has emerged from the intersection of two previously recognised concepts: the digital entrepreneurial ecosystem and digital economic sustainability. The SDEE is the integration of social, political, economic and cultural factors within a region, aiming to foster economic growth by minimising the negative impact and maximising the positive impact of digital firms. While the SDEE has gained attention in business and technology research, existing studies have primarily focussed on understanding its organisation at the regional level. Limited research has explored digital economic sustainability within the SDEE, considering both firm and regional levels. This paper investigates the SDEE from a multilevel perspective by employing an embedded single-case study design. The main unit is Saudi Arabia as a whole, and the subunits are entrepreneurs at the firm level and entrepreneurship experts who represent policymakers’ perspectives at the regional level. This paper intends to show how the subunits’ (entrepreneurs and experts) perspectives on the main unit (Saudi Arabia) can improve our understanding of the key characteristics of SDEEs. The preliminary analysis reveals five key characteristics that highlight a paradox between the firm and regional levels, as summarised in Table 1.