سعید رحیمی

In recent years, ecological metaphors have gained popularity in the field of innovation. Such excessive preoccupation of researchers with common ecological metaphors, such as ecosystems, and a lack of due attention to the development of other ecological principles, challenges the systematic conceptual framework of the field. This raises the metaphorical concept of a "boundary object," which could hinder the connection between theoretical discussions on innovation ecosystems and their practical applications and policy development. Therefore, there is a need for an evidence-based approach to define and map the innovation ecosystem metaphorically. The concepts deployed would form a part of the conceptual network of the innovation ecosystem. As part of an effort to implement evidence-based practice in the field of innovation ecosystems, this study employs Scaringella's and Radziwon's (2019) systematic review framework and the comparative-qualitative content analysis method. The analysis is based on a structured matrix that is rooted in metaphor mapping. Upon analyzing the content of the selected articles, the ecological metaphors grounded in innovation ecosystems can be classified into two general categories: metaphors related to actors (species, population, and community) and metaphors related to the environment (landscape, biome, and ecotone). The developed framework serves as a tool for innovation policymakers, enabling them to make informed decisions by gaining a comprehensive understanding of the seven hierarchical metaphorical layers within innovation ecosystems. Consequently, policymakers should not restrict their governance to the suggestions offered by the prevailing literature on ecosystems. Instead, they should also give equal attention to the various dimensions of innovation ecosystems, including actors, the environment, and the relationships between them, from an ecological perspective.

There have been few representative studies investigating Iranian senior high school students’ L2 selves shaped by the ELT reform. Thus, the current study was an attempt to ponder on the ideal-self, ought-to self, and L2 experience orientations of Iranian EFL high school students. Moreover, it intended to seek whether there was any relationship between three L2 motivational variables of Iranian EFL high school students across gender and residential background. To this end, 200 males and 184 females from Iranian senior high schools in South part of Iran were selected through purposive sampling. Based on a mixed methods design, the study was conducted to gain the breadth and depth of the issue under investigation. The results showed that there was no substantial gap between male and female learners in L2 motivational preference of English learning. In addition, there was a significant difference between female and male students’ views on ought-to self. Moreover, it was observed that there was no marked difference between the L2 experience of female and male L2 learners. Regarding residential background, there was a significant difference among the mean ranks of the urban residential participants at three L2 motivational orientations but, there was not a significant difference among the mean ranks of the rural residential participants. The findings of the study recommend the incorporation of L2 motivation in teaching methods to improve the learning environment and learner investment in language learning.