Networks and entrepreneurship — an analysis of social relations, occupational background, and use of contacts during the establishment process

Abstract

A network perspective of entrepreneurship focuses on social processes influencing founding rates and social structures facilitating entrepreneurship through mobilization of complementary assets. This study analyzes network structures and activities during different stages of entrepreneurship. Data of ego-centered networks and network activities show that people in early stages of entrepreneurship have smaller networks and use less time networking than people in later stages. Measures of network density did not differentiate entrepreneurial stages, but the size of the network did, including potential size through access to indirect contacts in independent clusters. Comparing the different phases of entrepreneurship that are differences in the occupational background of network persons. This concludes with a discussion of change or stability of networks during the founding process for successful entrepreneurship.