Entrepreneurs' social networks and opportunity identification: Entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness as moderators

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cuiping Ma ◽  
Jin Yang ◽  
Ling Chen ◽  
Xialei You ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Opportunity Identification ◽  
Entrepreneurial Alertness ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Entrepreneurial Passion ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties

We examined the relationship between entrepreneurs' social networks and opportunity identification, and the moderating roles of entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness in this relationship. Results from 142 entrepreneurs supported the hypothesis that both their business ties and their political ties would be positively related to opportunity identification, and these relationships would be moderated by entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness. Entrepreneurial passion weakened the relationship between business ties and opportunity identification, but amplified the relationship between political ties and opportunity identification. Further, entrepreneurial alertness strengthened the relationship between business ties and opportunity identification. The results suggest that the effect of entrepreneurs' social ties on opportunity identification depends on the level of the individual's entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness.

Network activities as critical sources of creating capability and competitive advantage

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 544-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Hsing Liu ◽  
Angela Ya-Ping Chang ◽  
Yen-Po Fang
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Innovation Capability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a new integrated model that combines the concepts of network ties (e.g. political ties and business ties), the organization of internal critical attributes (such as social capital, human capital and innovation capability) and analyses of how those critical attributes influence organization performance and competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach A structural equation model and three-way interactions in moderated multiple regressions was used to test the hypotheses on a sample of 621 cultural and creative industry (CCI) managers in Taiwan. Findings The results indicate that human capital mediates the relationship between social capital and innovation capability. Furthermore, innovation capability also plays a mediating role in connecting the relationships between human capital, competitive advantage and organizational performance. The findings indicate that business ties strengthen the relationship between social and human capital. The level of human capital is at its peak when social capital, business ties, and political ties considerably interact with one another. Research limitations/implications The present study conceptualized the topic and systematized the questionnaire design and data collection, statistical analysis, and report writing. This study performs a systematic analysis to present the research but does not employ in-depth qualitative interviews to analyse the essential attributes of the different entrepreneurial styles. In-depth interviews enable the interviewees to completely depict their feelings, experiences, motivations, emotions and attitudes. Thus, this method can provide an in-depth analysis. Studies can be conducted to analyse the complexity of the processes involved. Practical implications This study determines and emphasizes that networking with various factors to create innovation is the key to enhancing competitive advantage and organizational performance. Innovation is a unique characteristic and a basic kinetic energy that affects various strategic organizational behaviours that positively influence competitive advantage and facilitate organizational performance. Hence, CCI firms need to consider market orientation and innovation in this highly competitive environment. Originality/value To the best of the knowledge, how CCI firms use networking sources to create competitive advantage and organizational performance, thereby promoting the development of the CCIs of Taiwan, has not been analysed in the tourism-related literature. Thus, the present study provides a significant contribution to the human capital literature, in which empirical research analyses the three-way interaction and demonstrates the empirical insights that may be used to study human capital. The findings reported in this study will encourage future researchers to employ multilevel human capital perspectives.

scholarly journals Influences of social ties on firms’ performance - A study in Vietnam on corporate social responsibility practices

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Le Thi Thanh Xuan ◽  
Tran Tien Khoa
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Professional Associations ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Business Ties

Social ties and their influences on firm’s performance are still issues of many debates. The reason is that previous studies gave different findings about the effects of social ties on firm’s performance. This study, therefore, focuses on finding what managers in construction firms perceive of social ties in their business and how these ties affect corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices – an aspect of firm’s performance. To address these research objectives, qualitative approach is employed and in-depth interview with managers in construction firms is conducted to collect the data. Furthermore, the study also explores how managers think of CSR changes in the near future. The research findings show that interviewees strongly believe in CSR changes including both internal and external changes. In terms of social ties, the research also identifies government authorities and professional associations; and business partners as political and business ties, respectively. The findings show that managers easily realize business ties and their effects on CSR practices. Meanwhile, only some managers with years of seniority can perceive of political ties and their effects. The research findings also suggest some noteworthy issues for the authorities of the industry to consider including lack of information among managers about firm’s aspects and relationships, and the significance of professional associations (a type of political ties) although these ties currently have no influences on CSR practices of construction businesses.

How do a buyer’s political ties affect the market-based selection of suppliers?

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1270-1280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zebin Yan ◽  
Jiangyong Lu
Keyword(s):  
Social Control ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Technological Uncertainty ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Hybrid Governance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose Although the differential roles of political and business ties are recognized in the literature, the interplay between political and business ties remains unclear. This study aims to explore how political ties affect the formation of business ties with unfamiliar partners by analyzing how a buyer’s political ties affect the market-based selection of suppliers, an important channel through which the buyer forms business ties with unfamiliar suppliers. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 204 Chinese manufacturing firms was conducted to elucidate the relationship between political ties and the market-based selection of suppliers. Findings The findings suggest that buyers with strong political ties are more likely to engage in the market-based selection of suppliers; this positive relationship is diminished when social control is preferred over contractual control in the buyer’s supplier governance and is enhanced when technological uncertainty is high. Originality/value First, this study sheds light on the interplay between political and business ties by revealing how the buyer’s political ties affect the formation of business ties with unfamiliar suppliers, as represented by the market-based selection of suppliers. Second, it uncovers the boundary conditions of the effect of political ties by revealing the moderating effect of social control preference and technological uncertainty. Third, it extends the interorganizational governance structure literature from its focus on the complement-substitute debate on social control and contractual control to examine the contingent effect of a hybrid governance structure.

Moderating role of entrepreneurial alertness on the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and strategic change

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Héctor Montiel-Campos
Keyword(s):  
Small Firms ◽  
Strategic Change ◽  
Motor Vehicles ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Alertness ◽  
Entrepreneurial Passion ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

PurposeThis purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial passion for developing and strategic change as well as the moderating role of entrepreneurial alertness dimensions in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 157 small firms within the sector of manufacturing parts for motor vehicles in Mexico. A hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe study's results show that entrepreneurs' passion for developing is related to strategic change. Furthermore, this relationship is enhanced at higher levels of the scanning and search dimension as well as the evaluation and judgment dimension, both of which relate to entrepreneurial alertness. Contrary to expectation, the results suggest that the association and connection dimension negatively moderate the relationship between entrepreneurs' passion for developing and strategic change.Originality/valueThis study not only provides a better understanding of the drivers of strategic change, but also offers insights into its temporal component by integrating emotive and cognitive perspectives into a unified theoretical framework.

The effect of political and business ties on firm performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 778-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parinaz Sami ◽  
Farajollah Rahnavard ◽  
Alireza Alavi Tabar
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Managerial Ties ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediator role of product innovation in the relationship between political and business ties (independent variables) and firm performance (dependent variable). Design/methodology/approach In this study, research hypotheses were tested using the structural equation modeling method. Findings The findings from 267 manufacturing companies in Iran show that business ties have an effect on firm performance through product innovation, while the role of innovation is not proved as a mediating variable in the relationships between political ties and firm performance. In addition, business ties have an effect on product innovation and firm performance, whereas political ties have no such effect. Practical implications These results provide useful points for developing economies, theoretically and practically. Originality/value Despite the increasing attention to the role of managerial ties (political and business ties) in improving product innovation and firm performance, there is no study conducted on the mediating role of product innovation in the relationship between managerial ties and firm performance.

scholarly journals The Functionality of Dissimilarity: Pro-Environmental Behavior through Heterogenous Networks

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 221
Author(s):  
Robbe Geerts ◽  
Frédéric Vandermoere ◽  
Stijn Oosterlynck
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Heterogeneous Network ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Environmental Behavior ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Social Expectations ◽  
Strength Of Weak Ties ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship

This study explores whether social interaction with dissimilar others can lead to pro-environmental behavior. Dissimilar others are people who differ from the person in question (e.g., in terms of lifestyle or culture). While most research focuses on homogenous social networks (e.g., spatial communities), we explore the potential of network heterophily. Specifically, using data (n = 1370) from the Flemish Survey on Sociocultural Shifts, we examine the relationship between network heterophily and pro-environmental behavior (i.e., shopping decisions and curtailment behavior). Building on Granovetter’s study on ‘the strength of weak ties’, we emphasize the importance of social ties that provide novel information and social expectations. Through interaction with dissimilar others, people may create a heterogeneous network in which a diversity of information and social expectations with regard to pro-environmental behavior circulates. We expect that network heterophily may foster pro-environmental behavior. Our findings indicate that pro-environmental behavior may indeed be positively related to interaction with dissimilar others, partly because people with many dissimilar ties know more about environmental problems and are more concerned about them. This study therefore shows that network heterophily promotes pro-environmental behavior. The paper concludes with a discussion of the functionality of dissimilarity and some avenues for future research.

The role of the organization in the entrepreneur–opportunity nexus

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 1537-1562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianluca Zanella ◽  
Dante B. Castro Solano ◽  
Cory R.A. Hallam ◽  
Teja Guda
Keyword(s):  
Theory Building ◽  
Wealth Creation ◽  
Opportunity Identification ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Identification Process ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Entrepreneurial Alertness ◽  
Strategic Posture ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Entrepreneurial and strategic actions are crucial for wealth creation, and the business opportunity is a critical factor in this process. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of the firm’s strategic posture in the relationship between individual alertness and opportunity identification within an existing firm. This approach contributes to entrepreneurship theory building through a multilevel study. Design/methodology/approach The quantitative research focuses on understanding the mediating role of an organization’s strategic posture in the opportunity identification process. Using a sample of 276 firms, this study tests a two-level model to explain opportunity identification. Findings The findings provide empirical evidence that a firm’s strategic posture mediates the relationship between individual alertness and opportunity identification. Furthermore, this study finds differences in the mediating role of a firm’s strategic posture through which entrepreneurs and managers affect opportunity identification. Years after the creation of startup, the entrepreneurs still exhibit entrepreneurial characteristics that affect opportunity identification. The findings provide evidence that entrepreneurs foster an internal culture and set of values that are more favorable to radical innovation, compared to managers who favor incremental and less risky projects. Practical implications The findings suggest the possibility for new theory building that can improve the fields of entrepreneurship and management research. Moreover, the proposed model constitutes a new approach to analyze the mediating role of an organization’s strategic posture in the opportunity identification process. Originality/value This paper provides an original approach to literature in exploring the relationship between entrepreneurial alertness and firm’s strategic posture in explaining the opportunity identification process. This work will help expand the theory building that explores differences between managers and entrepreneurs in organizations.

scholarly journals Entrepreneur's Passion and Entrepreneurial Opportunity Identification: A Moderated Mediation Effect Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendi Cai ◽  
Zongfa Wu ◽  
Yingli Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Contextual Knowledge ◽  
Opportunity Identification ◽  
Environmental Complexity ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Entrepreneurial Passion ◽  
Effect Model ◽  
Entrepreneurial Cognition ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Based on the theory of entrepreneurial cognition, we examined the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and opportunity identification, and the moderating roles of environmental complexity and mediating role of entrepreneurial contextual knowledge in this relationship. Results from 246 entrepreneurs supported the hypothesis that both their entrepreneurial passion and their entrepreneurial contextual knowledge would be positively related to opportunity identification, and these relationships would be moderated by environmental complexity. Further, environmental complexity enhanced the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and opportunity identification, and also amplified the relationship between contextual knowledge and opportunity identification. The results suggest that the effect of entrepreneurs’ passion on opportunity identification depends on the level of the individual's contextual knowledge and environmental complexity.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Slack Resources, Resource Bricolage, and Entrepreneurial Opportunity Identification—Based on Resource Opportunity Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1199
Author(s):  
Yongbo Sun ◽  
Shuang Du ◽  
Yixin Ding
Keyword(s):  
Opportunity Identification ◽  
Network Ties ◽  
Entrepreneurial Opportunity ◽  
Slack Resources ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Resource Bricolage ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Absorbed Slack ◽  
Unabsorbed Slack ◽  
Business Ties

There are a lot of slack resources in a company. It is vitally important for an enterprise to use slack resources to identify entrepreneurial opportunities to establish company sustainable development. On the basis of the resource orchestration theory and from resource-opportunity perspective, this paper constructs a framework of slack resources and entrepreneurial opportunity identification, exploring the mediating of resource bricolage, the moderating of network ties, and the moderated mediation of network ties. In our analyses, we used data from companies in eastern China, and statistical hypotheses were validated through a structural equation model with data using the statistical software Amos version 20, SPSS version 22. The research results show that: (1) Absorbed slack resources and unabsorbed slack resources have a positive impact on entrepreneurial opportunity identification. (2) Slack resources indirectly affect the opportunity identification through the mediating role of resource bricolage. Among them, resource bricolage has a fully mediating role between absorbed slack resources and entrepreneurial opportunity identification, and it has a partial mediating role between unabsorbed slack resources and entrepreneurial opportunity identification. (3) Business ties positively moderate the relationship between two types of slack resources and entrepreneurial opportunity identification, and business ties moderate the mediation effect of resource bricolage. The resource-opportunity perspective answers how decisions are made, and the entire model process answers how to create sustainable value (entrepreneurship opportunities). The study guides managers on how to integrate and use external and internal resources, coordinate resource elements, and identify profitable business opportunities.

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