Can I Survive or Will I Survive: Mechanisms Linking Network Structures of Managers & Store Survival

Abstract

In the existing survival literature, a fundamental and important question is why some firms survive but others fail. By integrating a motivation-ability perspective and social network theory, we develop a novel model to examine the process mechanisms of the job satisfaction and creativity of store managers in linking relationships between their network advantages, namely, centrality and brokerage, and store survival. Our findings suggest that the centrality of store managers exerts a positive effect on their job satisfaction; brokerage, their creativity. The job satisfaction and creativity of store managers are important mediators. Job satisfaction mediates the relationship between the centrality of store managers and store survival, and creativity mediates that between the brokerage of store managers and store survival. Our study provides meaningful theoretical contributions and managerial implications.