The Social Network and Entrepreneurial Process: A Sociotechnical Approach

Abstract

Most new studies of entrepreneurial networks focus either on the characteristics of the social links at a given point in time during the new venture creation process or on the network's overall contribution. Few examine how a network evolves over time. Entrepreneurial networks are made up of human and nonhuman entities and are two‐dimensional, with both social and material dimensions. These two elements are often analyzed individually, particularly in the area of entrepreneurship, where social and technical aspects are separated. In this study, we contribute to filling this research gap using actor‐network theory (ANT). We show how this conceptual framework can contribute to improving our understanding of the entrepreneur's social network dynamics. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.