Knowledge Sharing Enablers in Small Business Networks

In an increasingly knowledge-based global economy, social capital and knowledge sharing, particularly amongst small business, have become critical sources of competitive advantage, but how can such knowledge sharing be enabled? The objective of this research was to explore the effect of knowledge sharing enablers on knowledge sharing in female small business networks. This research addresses the call for research into the antecedents of social capital. Specifically, Trust, Social Identity, Social Media Usage and Shared Goals were included in the conceptual model for the study. Together these social capital enablers were found to be significant predictors of knowledge sharing behaviour although unique contributions varied. The research contributes to the growing body of literature on the dimensions of social capital and how they affect knowledge management, and is of use to practitioners involved in supporting female entrepreneurial networks.

Designing and management of entrepreneurial networks: Evaluation of the population’s network potential in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation territories

In development of the methodology proposed in previous publications for assessing the network entrepreneurial potential of territories for the design and management of business networks, which are an effective form of innovation in the information paradigm of productivity, the article developed a methodology for assessing the network entrepreneurial potential of the population of territorial socio-economic systems. The variety of potential stakeholders in the innovative development of the territory, formally or informally participating in the formation of network interactions, suggests that for effective design and management of business networks, it is advisable to form approaches to assessing the network potential of as many types of stakeholder groups as possible. The degree of adherence of the population of the territories to the ideas of the knowledge economy, the ability to support and implement these ideas in everyday life, are the sources of increasing the entrepreneurial potential of the territories and their usefulness for networked entrepreneurial projects. Therefore, for designing effective entrepreneurial networks,along with assessing the potential of business, civil society institutions, government bodies, corporations and other network actors, the task of assessing the entrepreneurial potential of the population of the territories is relevant. To achieve the research objective the approaches to defining and assessing the entrepreneurial potential of the population of the territories are considered; the definition of the entrepreneurial potential of the population for the purposes of this study has been clarified; an assessment methodology has been developed and this methodology has been applied on the example of territories representing the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. The conclusion was made about the high degree of influence of the entrepreneurial potential of the population on the complex network potential of the territories.

Assessment of the Network Interaction Synergistic Effect According to the Organization Life Cycle

The article's purpose was to econometric substantiate the peculiarities of achieving a synergistic effect and sources of economies of scale for participants in entrepreneurial networks, for example, industrial enterprises in Ukraine. The regression analysis method has been used to identify sources of economies of scale of production, which change affects the efficiency of enterprises. With the elasticity coefficient, the features of the manifestation of the effect of economies of scale for 106 network and non-network enterprises were determined, taking into account the organizational life cycle of the development. It was revealed that, despite the ephemeral nature of the economies of scale, network enterprises are characterized by longer nature as a component of the synergistic effect of production activities and a decrease in costs, regardless of the development cycle of the organization. The results obtained can be useful as a basis for strategic planning in business integration.

Pengaruh Modal Usaha, Kualitas Produk, Jaringan Wirausaha Terhadap Kelangsungan Usaha UMKM Madu Sari Lanceng

Usaha Mikro Kecil dan Menengah (UMKM) memiliki kontribusi atas Pendapatan Domestik Bruto (PDB) rata-rata sebesar 60% sehingga kelangsungan usahanya perlu dipertahankan dengan mengenali faktor-faktornya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh modal usaha, kualitas produk, dan jaringan wirausaha terhadap kelangsungan usaha UMKM Madu Sari Lanceng. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah pendekatan kuantitatif, dan menggunakan analisis statistik. Pengumpulan data berupa kuesioner kepada 22 pelaku UMKM Madu Sari Lanceng di Nglipar, Gunungkidul. Hasil analisis memberikan gambaran: a) Modal Usaha dan Jaringan Wirausaha tidak berpengaruh terhadap Kelangsungan Usaha; b). Kualitas Produk berpengaruh positif terhadap kelangsungan usaha. Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have a contribution to the average Gross Domestic Income (GDP) of 60% so that their business continuity needs to be maintained by recognizing the factors. This research aims to analyze the influence of business capital, product quality, and entrepreneurial networks on the business continuity of Madu Sari Lanceng MSMEs. The approach used in this research is a quantitative approach, and uses statistical analysis. Data collection in the form of questionnaires to 22 MSME madu sari lanceng actors in Nglipar, Gunungkidul. The results of the analysis provide an overview: a) Business Capital and Entrepreneurial Network have no effect on Business Continuity; b). Product Quality has a positive effect on business continuity

Networks open the door to the success of technological entrepreneurship: a perspective on political skills

PurposeBased on social influence theory (SIT) and social capital theory, this paper aims to explore the mediating role of entrepreneurial networks between technological entrepreneurs' political skills and entrepreneurial performance and whether market dynamics positively moderates this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThis study collected data from 454 technological entrepreneurs in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Zhengzhou in China and examined four hypotheses by hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping analysis in an empirical design.FindingsResults reveal that technological entrepreneurs' political skills not only have a direct positive impact on entrepreneurial performance (β = 0.544, t = 12.632, p < 0.001), but also have an indirect positive impact on entrepreneurial performance through entrepreneurial networks (β = 0.473, t = 10.636, p < 0.001). Entrepreneurial networks play a mediating role between entrepreneurs' political skills and entrepreneurial performance with 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals [0.034, 0.015]. Market dynamics plays a moderating role in the relationship among technological entrepreneurs' political skills, entrepreneurial networks and entrepreneurial performance (entrepreneurial performance: β = 0.190, t = 4.275, p < 0.001; entrepreneurial networks: β = 0.135, t = 4.455, p < 0.001). When market dynamics is high, technological entrepreneurs' political skills have a significant positive effect on entrepreneurial networks (simple slope = 0.309, t = 7.656, p < 0.001); but when market dynamics is low, there is no significant correlation between political skills and entrepreneurial networks (simple slope = 0.039, t = 0.966, p > 0.05).Research limitations/implicationsThe study relies on self-reported data from single informants. Although the severity of common method bias is tested through two methods, future research designs should avoid the influence of common method bias. Future research should adopt a vertical tracking design, collect data from multiple sources and use subjective assessment and objective indicators to measure variables. In addition, the applicability of the results outside China is worth further empirical exploration. Therefore, the authors hope that future studies can replicate the research to different countries, different cultural backgrounds and different organizational sections to explore the generalizability of the results.Practical implicationsThe findings provide useful suggestions for entrepreneurs, who can use political skills to build a strong entrepreneurial network to improve their entrepreneurial performance. The results also suggest that entrepreneurs should pay more attention to cultivating and developing their political skills through methods such as training and practice. In addition, the conclusion is of great implications to enrich the content of entrepreneurship education and guide entrepreneurship practice.Originality/valueThese findings enrich SIT and social capital theory by providing the empirical evidence of the effect of entrepreneurs' political skills on entrepreneurial performance through entrepreneurial network. They also provide deeper insights into market dynamics research by uncovering the moderating role of market dynamics in the relationship between entrepreneurs' political skills, entrepreneurial networks and entrepreneurial performance.

Standing on the shoulders of giantesses: how women technology founders use single and mixed gender networks for success and change

PurposeBuilding on research about entrepreneurship and social capital, the purpose of this paper is to explore how women founders of technology-based ventures in Canada access and use formal external entrepreneurial networks to build their companies.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on 25 semi-structured interviews with women founders of technology firms and leaders of formal networks.FindingsThe authors demonstrate the positive impact of women only networks (WON) for founders including increasing entrepreneurial diversity, access to financing, and founder credibility and sponsorship. The authors show how women founders use mixed gender and WON to build their businesses and conclude that membership in WON can be a vital step.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample size is small and most participants reside in highly urban areas, which may limit generalizability. Findings may not generalize beyond Canada due to cultural and structural differences.Practical implicationsThe research suggests that external WON should be encouraged as important resources for founder identity work which may enable positive change.Social implicationsThis research can assist in designing initiatives that support women entrepreneurs and promote gender parity.Originality/valueThe authors draw on research in women's leadership development to explain how WONs for entrepreneurs help founders create overlapping strategic networks – a unique form of social capital – and serve as identity workspaces for the identity work women founders must complete. The authors argue that the identity work in WONs can be a mechanism by which gender structures are challenged and eventually changed.

Entrepreneurial networks, entrepreneurial orientation, and performance of small and medium enterprises: are dynamic capabilities the missing link?

Performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has been addressed widely in the literature. Both developed and developing countries are highly concerned about the growth and performance of SMEs. The literature exploring performance is abundant, however, has certain controversies. To identify the reasons behind those controversies, this study was conducted with the aim being to identify the mediating role of dynamic capabilities which are developed by entrepreneurial networks and entrepreneurial orientation. The study collected the data from a sample of SMEs based in Jordan which were connected through a closed network and were the part of groups. The data was collected via an electronic questionnaire, and100 SMEs were contacted and invited to participate in the survey on a purposive sampling basis. Structural equation modelling was applied to identify the direct impacts and the mediating impact. The findings identified that amongst the chosen firms, entrepreneurial networking has an insignificant impact; however, entrepreneurial orientation has shown a significant positive impact. Furthermore, the mediating role of dynamic capabilities was significant in both the relationships. The findings suggested that the sector should develop strong networks and should consider strategic alliances to gain competitive edge. Future researchers are guided to implement the same framework along with the dimensions of the variable.

How Do Different Types of Entrepreneurial Networks and Decision-Making Influence the Identification of Entrepreneurial Opportunities?

Entrepreneurial networks are important for the identification of entrepreneurial opportunities and development in the context of social media. This exploratory research investigates the relationships in entrepreneurial networks, by considering decision-making, and entrepreneurial opportunities, and focusing on the role of decision-making in the relationship between entrepreneurial networks and entrepreneurial opportunities. Using data from 512 Chinese entrepreneurial firms, hierarchical regression analyses and structural equation modeling are employed to create a mediation model that links entrepreneurial networks to entrepreneurial opportunities through decision-making. Our findings are as follows: (1) heterogeneous networks are positively related to innovative opportunities, and homogeneous networks are positively related to imitative opportunities; (2) heterogeneous networks positively affect non-linear decision-making (non-linear DM) while homogeneous networks positively influence linear decision-making (linear DM); (3) positive relationships exist between non-linear DM and innovative opportunities and between linear DM and imitative opportunities; and (4) non-linear DM fully mediates between heterogeneous networks and innovative opportunities, and linear DM partially mediates between homogeneous networks and imitative opportunities. This paper contributes to literature on entrepreneurship by broadening understanding of the mechanisms of entrepreneurial opportunity formation in emerging markets and provides important insights for entrepreneurs and policymakers.

Women Entrepreneurial Networks and Small Business Development: A Study Based on Tourism Industry in Sri Lanka: Ongoing Research Project

This study aims to explore the role and impact of women entrepreneurs’ networks on small business performance and examine the importance of factors that are perceived by women entrepreneurs to influence the process of networking. The focus of the study is in the field of networking of entrepreneurs and it is concerned with the main theoretical and practical perspectives of entrepreneurial networking. While women's entrepreneurship is a central aspect of economic development and public policy concern in most countries, scholarly research about their entrepreneurial activities is comparatively scarce. This study specifically focuses on women entrepreneurs who engage in tourism industry within the small business sector in Sri Lanka. This study adds to the extant literature through its two-dimensional focus on entrepreneurial networking. The structural dimension which investigates who are parts of the entrepreneurial networks; the relational side which explores the contributions each tie brings to the entrepreneurial venture. Having established that a qualitative methodology is most suitable for this study, the in-depth interview and observation are deemed a particularly suitable research tools. Narrative approaches are suggested in order to “tap” the voice – and thus the stories – of the acting entrepreneurs.