Trustworthy ecosystems formalize a relationship with all participants through contracts. If you've ever clicked the box "I agree to the terms and conditions," you signed an ecosystem contract.

Not forced control, but more like a gentle guidance, like an invisible hand nudging you in the right direction. Successful ecosystems shape the behavior of participants so the kind of cooperation required will emerge in the platform. Uber does control well, and it dictates to the driver the best ...

Many of the successful ecosystems define very well who is allowed in and who can be kicked out of the platform for bad behavior. 

HopSkipDrive does access well. It takes the drivers through a strict background check before they are hired into the platform. They also have a ...

How does the platform handle mishaps or prevent them from happening in the first place? Did you know that LiveAuctioneers, an auctions platform for art, collectibles and antiques, has a broad protection program that guarantees payments on the platform? That's an example of mitigation.

• Trust does play a meaningful role between success and failure of business ecosystems.
• It wasn't always the final nail in the coffin, but it was relevant [enough] to send more than half to the graveyard.
• Many of the failed ecosystems made the mistake of nai...

You don't need all the tools to be successful.  

So how do you pick? It depends on the kind of ecosystem you design. If interactions among the participants are key, like in most social-media ecosystems, you will require a combination of access, transparency and control in order to be succes...