Entrepreneurial Networks Research Articles

Rural Art Festivals and Creative Social Entrepreneurship

This article examines how creativity-based social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial networks in the context of small-scale rural art festivals can advance social and regional revitalization goals in peripheral island communities. This qualitative- and action-based research explores the effects of artistic activities on rural revitalization through the analysis of four small-scale rural events: a traditional matsuri (festival), and three contemporary art, music, and film festivals. The adaptability and diversity of the festivals’ entrepreneurial networks are investigated in greater depth by combining the literatures on rural revitalization, social entrepreneurship, bricolage, and resourcefulness with the embedded and relational aspects of creative entrepreneurial networks. The study also analyzes the complex relationship between the individual actions of creative festival entrepreneurs and the socially engaged creative networks that facilitate population retention and resource exchanges in a community, and therefore rural revitalization.

Importance of Entrepreneurial Networks on Business Performance in Developing Countries: A case study of India

Importance of Entrepreneurial Networks on Business Performance in Developing Countries: A case study of India

Supporting Social Entrepreneurship Among Vietnamese Youth

Abstract: Social entrepreneurship is gaining increased prominence internationally as a vehicle for addressing a range of socioeconomic issues, including access to decent and inclusive work. In Vietnam, such enterprises have become a key component of the country’s sustainable development strategy, with national competitions awarding start-up prizes for a few of the many young would-be social entrepreneurs. Competitions like this risk a sense of broken promise, in which unsuccessful and thereby disappointed applicants quit the sector prematurely. Recent research in Vietnam highlights a pivotal retentive support role for mentoring these promising social entrepreneurs, based on traditional village values of cooperation. Research shows these values to be central to social entrepreneurial resilience and success in Vietnam. It further suggests an extant network of successful social entrepreneurs who could mentor young runners-up, so that their ideas, energy, and career pathways are not lost. A national network of social entrepreneurs has been formed; and its mentors have indicated their willingness to support young people. This brief thereby proposes a next step: creation of a pro bono nationwide academy, dispersed in location but united in purpose, to support social entrepreneurship among Vietnamese youth.

How to orchestrate participants of ecosystem to foster innovation: an exploratory analysis on the network level

PurposeSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), typically with limited resources, strive hard to obtain the trust of ecosystem participants as an orchestrator. Accordingly, the firms do not have sufficient legitimacy to persuade other parties to join their networks. This study aims to investigate how an SME operating in the publishing industry orchestrates ecosystem participants. In particular, the study analyzes how the orchestrating firm stimulates interactions among ecosystem participants.Design/methodology/approachCase study research with a qualitative approach has been documented as a well-accepted method for investigating complex phenomena and for theory building. Collected data from various informants and different collection techniques are triangulated to ensure validity. Cross-case analysis to identify common patterns is undertaken as the basis for developing a sound conclusion.FindingsThe study demonstrated what orchestrating firms should do to foster innovations and how they benefit from other participants in the ecosystem. The analysis identified the orchestrator's four roles: entrepreneurship networks, knowledge activation, innovation intermediary and network leadership. Among the four roles, there are interrelationships, and to some degree, these overlap. The orchestrating firm must emerge into the ecosystem and work together with all members of the ecosystem. Managers of the orchestrating firm and network members should collaborate to find the most beneficial configuration for all ecosystem participants.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited to the knowledge-intensive publishing industry. The use of specific industries closely related to innovation provides an advantage in the way that enables researchers to conduct depth analysis, but at the expense of generalizability, and therefore, future research can analyze different industries.Originality/valueThis study focuses on networks as the unit of analysis. Previous studies assumed individual firms as the unit of analysis and ignored the fact that companies interact with other companies when pursuing open innovation. The study focuses on the interactions between actors as the unit of analysis and on the role of orchestrators undertaken by an SME.

Sazonalidade da comercialização do crisântemo na região oeste de São Paulo: o caso do criador

Abstract The Flowers and Ornamental Plant sector supports an extensive network of entrepreneurs, in all stages related to cultivation, transport and commercialization. In this aspect, there is a great demand for skilled labor, making this sector a source of employment and income generation in the regions covered. However, there is great interference on the commercialization of flowers and ornamental plants by the seasonality of demand, which is often related to festive dates, weather, among other factors. Thus, knowledge about seasonal demands allows the sector to develop a plan, directing efforts to offer products with greater demand in a given period. This study aimed to generate information, through a case study based on the analysis of commercialization data, and verify the seasonal demand on the commercialization of ornamental species in western São Paulo. There was an increase in the demand for chrysanthemum cuttings, both for the domestic and export markets, during the years 2019 and 2020, in addition to fluctuations in the demand for some cultivars of cuttings of chrysanthemum in one year compared to the other. Through the analysis, it is concluded that the seasonality of commercialization of ornamental plants in the West Region of São Paulo really occurs, especially between the 26th and 34th week of the year, with the purpose of serving the domestic market of chrysanthemums. This result allows planning the planting and harvesting time, as well as the definition of the best varieties to be cultivated in these periods.

The Role of the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy in Encouraging Innovation and Entrepreneurial Networks in the Creative Economy Sector in Indonesia

The Role of the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy in Encouraging Innovation and Entrepreneurial Networks in the Creative Economy Sector in Indonesia

The role of networks for women’s empowerment. The case of Industrie Femminili Italiane at the beginning of 20th century

PurposeThis paper aims to analyse the role of a network in the development of female business experiences through the study of the Industrie Femminili Italiane (I.F.I.) (Italian Women’s Cooperative Enterprise), founded in 1903 in Rome to promote women’s work and their economic conditions.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies the embeddedness theory for women’s empowerment that provides a valuable lens to explore the interactions between female entrepreneurs and their social, cultural and economic contexts.FindingsWith this study, the authors found that the network structure was used at the beginning of the past century in Italy as a useful instrument for female emancipation and empowerment, extending to common/not exceptional women entrepreneurial opportunities otherwise reserved for rich and noble women. In the interplay among the different “contexts” (political, social, cultural and cognitive), it seems to emerge the incidence of female social relationships in facing an unfavourable political and cultural context, breaking out the norms and allowing the business to exist and influencing, with the activity of the high social standing women, the cognitive structure of the other female workers, make them active participants in this entrepreneurial activity.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a single case study that has shed light on a specific female network, and the authors’ findings and considerations are influenced by the shortage of data and sources available. Demonstrating that I.F.I. is the result of the collaboration of women from different social classes involved at different organisational levels, this work shows, from a historical perspective, the importance of female mutual support for their emancipation and the role played by the network structure as an amplifier of possibilities otherwise limited to rich women, the emancipation of women and minorities in countries characterised by important barriers to entrepreneurship.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper analysing a female entrepreneurial network from a historical point of view and its role in overcoming gender barriers within the analysis of the interplaying contexts.

A Tale of Two: How Network Agency Influences Network Creation for Start-ups

There is an existing consensus that networks positively impact start-ups. New ventures gain access to market information, funding, emotional support and improved legitimacy from networking. However, existing efforts at articulating network creation and impact on new ventures are skewed due to a strong focus on structural properties. Although these properties contribute to understanding network creation and impact, they often ignore the individual who is either a network beneficiary or broker. This study examines the role of the network actor’s agency in entrepreneurial network creation. Understanding agency is critical for explaining how individuals make sense of network opportunities available within their context. Network agency reveals how entrepreneurial networks are created, what influences actor motives and behaviour, and the brokerage methods adopted to meet these motives. This study explores network agency in two contexts: the interventionist incubator context and the location-induced cluster context. The Lagos Technology Ecosystem comprised of different incubator models and cluster is examined. 31 semi-structured interviews with start-ups from both contexts were conducted to get a nuanced view of how the context influences entrepreneurs' network agency. This paper reveals that network motives like personality, reciprocity, and legitimacy as the main motives for tenant firms to engage in network activities. Conversely, cluster firms listed trust, and the need to access knowledge, information and opportunity as key reasons for engaging in network action. In both contexts, direct and indirect brokerage is utilised to meet the motives triggered. However, the dynamics and nature of these brokerage methods are different across the two contexts. Tenant firms demonstrate a tertius Iugnes behaviour, while cluster firms demonstrate separation behaviour.

The Role of Social Networks in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship

This research paper aims to explore and analyze the significant role of social networks in driving economic development and fostering entrepreneurship. Social networks, both online and offline, have gained immense prominence in recent years due to their potential to connect individuals, facilitate information sharing, and create conducive environments for entrepreneurial activities. By examining theoretical frameworks, empirical studies, and case examples, this paper highlights how social networks influence various stages of economic development and entrepreneurship, including idea generation, resource mobilization, market access, knowledge dissemination, and innovation. The paper also discusses potential challenges and implications associated with social network-driven economic development and suggests policy considerations to harness the positive effects of social networks for sustainable economic growth.

Entrepreneurial Migrants: Educommunication Model for Socioeconomic Inclusion in Northern Ecuador

The number of people in a condition of human mobility that use Ecuador as a destination has increased rapidly from 2017 to the present. The populations of the provinces of Imbabura and Carchi in the north of the country perceive this increase immediately because they are border provinces with Colombia and the main entry of Venezuelan, Colombian and other nationalities migrants and refugees. This research aims to explore the entrepreneurial characteristics of migrants in the cities of Tulcán and Ibarra in order to propose an educommunication model for the training of migrants based on the model proposed by Ruiz (2021). For this purpose, surveys show a young migrant population with families who have developed enterprises to improve living conditions according to competencies developed mainly in the service sector. The proposed model to train entrepreneurs allows the incorporation of these characteristics of migrants and opens the possibility of improving entrepreneurial networks in the north of Ecuador and favoring the integration process of the population in conditions of human mobility with the receiving population.

Exploring the roles of cognitive style and guanxi networks in creativity, leadership, and entrepreneurship

Cognitive style and guanxi networks are two essential indicators determining the success of entrepreneurship. However, it is still unknown why the two elements influence an individual's entrepreneurship. The relationships among cognitive style, guanxi networks, creativity, leadership, and entrepreneurship may explain the roles of cognitive style and guanxi networks in entrepreneurship. To reveal the roles of cognitive style and guanxi networks in entrepreneurship, we conducted an online questionnaire survey among 178 students. The data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results indicate that cognitive style is a key factor influencing creativity and leadership. Guanxi networks are the primary influencing factor of entrepreneurship. In addition, creativity has a positive effect on entrepreneurship. The findings illuminated the roles of cognitive style and guanxi networks in entrepreneurship which can also provide implications for entrepreneurship education.

Using Data Envelope Analysis for Measurement of Entrepreneurial Network Performance in Manufacturing Firms

Abstract The aim of the paper is the analysis of the possibilities of measurement of entrepreneurial network performance in manufacturing firms, using Data Envelope Analysis (DEA) method – a non-parametric approach, allowing for the assessment of the effectiveness of the entrepreneur’s social networks in the context of generating information effects. The research uses data obtained from 30 randomly selected Polish enterprises to explore the levels of entrepreneurial networks and their information effects (as performance indicator). The research limitations are the following: the research is limited exclusively to Polish randomly selected entities, and the results cannot be generalized. The originality/value of this paper consists in the fact that this study constitutes both the contribution to the development of the discipline of management and practical guidelines for managers-entrepreneurs since it should be pinpointed that the recognition of the efficiency of gathering information from social networks can be the basis for the conscious creation of the effectiveness of acquiring information from social networks, and thus the conscious use of social networks in economic activity. The novelty of the results presented consists in filling the gap while conducting the research taking into account the assessment of entrepreneurial networks performance using DEA method.

Overconfidence, misjudgment, and entry in experimental entrepreneurial markets: evidence from Panama

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the influence of overconfidence and misjudgement of merit on the decision to enter a winner-take-all market. Through a lab-in-the-field experiment conducted in Panama’s dynamic and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem, the study addresses a research gap by exploring the interplay between overconfidence, institutional factors, and entrepreneurial activities. The findings confirm the role of overconfidence as a determinant of market entry and reveal that overconfidence primarily empowers individuals already embedded in entrepreneurial net- works, regardless of their destructiveness. These results suggest that in the presence of weak institutions, overconfidence does not promote entrepreneurship but rather motivates those with pre-existing entrepreneurial networks to open new ventures. However, this situation has the potential to exacerbate inequalities, especially if these ventures make only marginal contributions to overall social output.

Entrepreneurial Networking Relations and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya

Entrepreneurial Networking Relations and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya

Social Capital and Innovative Performance in Networks: The Journey of Romanian SaaS Entrepreneurs

Abstract Entrepreneurship is increasingly acknowledged as a critical economic and growth driver. As a result, practitioners’ and scholars’ inquiry into the link between the entrepreneurial social network and its pursuit of innovation have gained momentum in developed economies. However, it remains scarce in the context of emergent economies. Drawing upon social network theory, this qualitative study explores this knowledge gap by examining how Romanian software as a service (SaaS) entrepreneurs enable innovative performance by using social capital in national and international entrepreneurial networks. This qualitative interpretative study relies on the experiences and practices shared by 24 Romanian SaaS entrepreneurs interviewed to expand our understanding of how these entrepreneurs use social capital-driven networks to achieve innovative performance in international markets. Feeling unsupported by a weak institutional entrepreneurial context, Romanian SaaS entrepreneurs build their international entrepreneurial journeys and achieve innovative performance extensively by relying on social capital-driven networks. This paper contributes to the emergent economies stream on entrepreneurship literature and regional entrepreneurship policies. These findings show that motivated to overcome the challenges of a weak institutional context and pursue their entrepreneurial path, these Romanian SaaS entrepreneurs’ international presence and innovative performance are relational manifestations of bonding and bridging social capital-based networks.

In the context of mass entrepreneurship network embeddedness and entrepreneurial innovation performance of high-tech enterprises in Guangdong province

PurposeThe study aimed to analyze the influence of network embeddedness on the innovation performance of high-tech enterprises in Guangdong Province.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model of the influence of network embeddedness on the innovation performance of high-tech enterprises in Guangdong province is established, which takes the business model as the mediating variable and political association as the moderating variable. Multivariate statistical analysis and the MacKinnon confidence interval method were used to analyze 418 questionnaires.FindingsThe results show that both relational embeddedness and structural embeddedness have significant positive effects on the innovation performance of high-tech enterprises in Guangdong Province. The business model has a partial mediating effect between relationship embeddedness, structure embeddedness, and innovation performance of high-tech enterprises in Guangdong Province, respectively. Political relevance has a significant negative moderating effect on the relationship between the relationship embeddedness and innovation performance of high-tech enterprises in Guangdong Province, but the moderating effect on structural embeddedness and innovation performance of high-tech enterprises in Guangdong province has not been verified.Research limitations/implicationsThe study of this paper also has some shortcomings: very few data research samples exist; the external factors affecting the performance of high-tech enterprises in Guangdong Province need to be further refined. The research scale needs further improvement.Practical implicationsIn this paper, embedding theory, transaction cost theory, resource dependence theory, rent-seeking theory, new institution theory and uncertainty management theory were integrated by system attempt to reveal the mediating and moderating roles of business model and political relevance, respectively, between network embeddedness behavior and entrepreneurial innovation performance of high-tech enterprises. The research conclusions expand the relevant research in the field of entrepreneurial innovation. At the same time, the research results provide theoretical support and reference for the innovative growth of high-tech enterprises and government behavior decision-making in Guangdong province.Originality/valueNetwork embeddedness will have a profound impact on the entrepreneurial innovation performance of high-tech enterprises. Existing research has overlooked discussing this issue from the perspective of internal and external influencing factors within the enterprise. Therefore, this study addresses this issue by (1) introducing the business model as the mediating variable from an internal perspective of the enterprise, (2) introducing political association as the moderating variable from an external perspective of the enterprise and (3) 418 original questionnaires of high-tech enterprises in Guangdong Province were used to test the effect of the study variables.

Methodology of the narrative analysis in economics: The case of the entrepreneurial networks

The purpose of the article is to provide theoretical and empirical evidence that narrative analysis in economics is not an integral part of qualitative research and is quite compatible with the methodology of quantitative research. The development of methods for collecting and processing data is one of the significant directions in the development of both empirical and theoretical research in economics. Of particular importance to this direction is the consistent expansion of the consideration of social factors in the study of decision-making processes, both at the micro and macro levels. Narrative economics, which has emerged and developed in the last decade, is an integral part of this trend. The article proposes and substantiates a methodology for empirical analysis of narratives considered as sources of quantitative information used in decision making. This distinguishes it from the methods of narrative analysis used in qualitative research in the social sciences, although they are not always distinguished in the literature. The technique combines the search for the frequency of occurrence of various phrases on the Internet with interview analysis, which significantly reduces the time and effort required to search and analyze the necessary information about social factors. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is tested on the example of the analysis of narratives that characterize personal entrepreneurial networks, no statistical information about which is collected, although the networks themselves play an important role in the formation of new small businesses. The presented results of the analysis show that the technique makes it possible to obtain useful quantitative data on such objects of economic research.

The role of entrepreneurial networks in overcoming export barriers of small and medium-sized enterprises from developing economies

The role of entrepreneurial networks in overcoming export barriers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) varies depending on the development level of the domestic institutional environment. So far relevant literature has been dominantly focused on the effects of participation of SMEs from developed economies in different forms of domestic and international entrepreneurial networks. However, in the last two decades, the SMEs from post-transition economies (PTE), namely developing economies, have become more involved in international business which is an important challenge for them because of resource scarcity and a long period of international isolation. Starting from the entrepreneurial perspective of internationalization based on accelerated internationalization models, the paper considers modes, motives, benefits, and obstacles of establishing alternative management structures - SME entrepreneurial networks in institutional discontinuity conditions. The research aim is to indicate the importance of establishing network connections as a modus for overcoming resource and institutional export barriers of SMEs from PTE. The research is based on the analysis and synthesis of relevant literature in the field of international entrepreneurship and network approach to the internationalization of SMEs in the context of PTE. Based on conceptual analysis and the results based on previous research, pragmatic recommendations for export SMEs from PTE regarding the choice of appropriate participation modality in entrepreneurial networks are stated.

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI PENDAPATAN BADAN USAHA MILIK DESA DI KABUPATEN BADUNG

BUMDes is a social enterprise, which is a business entity with a social mission in the existence of goals and generating profits to address the needs of social missions. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that affect the income of Village-Owned Enterprises in Badung Regency. Quantitative research that is associative. Research uses primary data. The sample in this study were 46 Directors of BUMDes in Badung Regency. Data collection was carried out by means of structured interviews. Data analysis using Partial Least Square. The results of the analysis stated that Capital had a positive and significant effect on Bumdes income. Financial management has a positive and significant effect on Bumdes income. entrepreneurial networking has a positive and significant effect on Bumdes income. The variable that has the dominant influence on BUMDes revenue in Badung Regency is entrepreneurial networking. The advice given to BUMDes managers is that in using capital it is expected to carry out coordination to coordinate well with the village administration, village assistants and the Community and Village Empowerment Service so that they comply with applicable regulations. Adjust financial reports in accordance with PERMENDESA 3 of 2021 and Indonesian Government Regulation Number 11 concerning Village-Owned Enterprises. For the Regency Government and the Badung Regency Community and Village Development Service to provide assistance and technical guidance related to the management of BUMDes for business continuity

Impact of Social Media in Women Entrepreneurship – Unlocking Potentials for Business Success

Today’s era is the digital era and information is disseminated speedily through online social networks. Social media platforms are high in demand for business promotion and marketing as mass audience use this platform for their highly interactive feature. Social media is also becoming an influential tool for entrepreneurs. People are indulging in new business and in this information era, the entrepreneurs should extract the benefits from social media platforms to connect the audience to promote their goods, services or ideas. Social media is advantageous to consumers as it allows access to diversified markets and allows entrepreneurs in building a proper relationship with their client. It is a boon to business as it can elevate one’s business by attracting customers, getting their reviews and thus building a customer loyalty. Acknowledging the active growth of the social media usage, it is required to study the importance of social networks in women entrepreneurship. Consequently, the purpose of this research is to examine how online social networks affect women’s entrepreneurship, their perception of the factors that will influence entrepreneurship in social media along with its effect on the entrepreneurial activities led by women in food business and handloom business. Additionally, this study tries to comprehend how effective social media is as a tool for marketing and promotion as well as how it aids customers in making decisions about what to buy. The results revealed that social media influences women entrepreneurship and discusses their scopes and challenges while using the social media platforms for entrepreneurial activities. The study concludes that Facebook is the most opted platform for women indulging in business. Moreover, the authors have observed that there are challenges faced by women entrepreneurs such as negative comments using slangs, cyber bullying in the used online social media platforms.