Abstract
This paper introduces a dynamic, ecological, hierarchy-based approach to illustrate an understanding of the embeddedness of agents in the institutional context of the Chilean mining industry (Jack, 2002). We draw on Moores (1993) ecological perspective to advance the conceptualization of the process of ecological emergence and change, emphasizing the importance of governance structure and its influence on the entrepreneurial process. We hypothesize that despite the interdependence between ecological actors, hierarchy reproduces itself in the form of unequal relations between central and peripheral ecological actors. In investigating the uneven distribution of mineral and mineral-related resources through an analysis of four different time periods, we clarify the structure of hierarchical governance in public-private cooperation among actors in the Chilean mining ecosystem.