The question to be addressed in this study is how social networks and entrepreneurial resources relate to and impact on entrepreneurship. This question has been answered through an empirical investigation carried out in Norway. The explanatory variables applied in the study capture up to 45.6% of the variability of start-up success. The results show that social networks are important as channels for resources. The introduction of resources as an intervening variable considerably increases the explanatory power of the network approach. The study also indicates that it is useful to distinguish between the network developed before the entrepreneurial process and the network developed through the process.
AldrichH.FiolC. M. (1994), ‘Fools rush in? The institutional context of industry creation’, Academy of Management Review, Vol 19, No 4, pp 645–670.
2.
AldrichH.RosenB.WoodwardW. (1986), ‘A social role perspective of entrepreneurship: Preliminary findings from an empirical study’, unpublished paper, Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
3.
AldrichH.ZimmerC. (1986), ‘Entrepreneurship through social networks’, in SmilorR.SextonD., eds, The Art and Science of Entrepreneurship, Ballinger, New York.
4.
AnsoffH. I. (1979), ‘The changing shape of strategic problem’, in SchendelD.HoferC., eds, Strategic Management: A New View of Business Policy and Planning, Little and Brown, Boston, MA.
5.
BoissevainJ. (1974), Friends of Friends, Networks, Manipulators and Coalitions, Basil Blackwell, Oxford.
6.
BurtR. (1992), Structural Holes. The Social Structure of Competition, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, and London.
7.
BurtR. (1997), ‘The contingent value of social capital’, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol 42, pp 339–365.
8.
ColemanJ. S. (1988), ‘Social capital in the creation of human capital’, American Journal of Sociology, Vol 94, Supplement, pp 5–120.
9.
CooperA.C.FoltaT.B.WooC. (1995), ‘Entrepreneurial information search’, Journal of Business Research, Vol 10, pp 107–120.
10.
DiMaggioP. J. (1992), ‘Nadel's paradox revisited: Relational and cultural aspects of organizational structure’, in NohriaN.EcclesR. G., Networks and Organizations. Structure, Form, and Action, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA, pp 118–142.
11.
DubiniP.AldrichH. (1991), ‘Personal and extended networks are central to the entrepreneurial process’, Journal of Business Venturing, No 6, pp 305–313.
12.
FossL. (1989), Nettverk og entreprenørskap: Teoretiske perspektiv og empirisk tilnærming, Working Paper No 24, Norges Handelshøyskole, Bergen, Norway.
13.
FossL. (1994), ‘The impact of human capital, social network and business resources on start-up’, thesis submitted for the degree of Dr Oecon, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Bergen, Norway.
14.
GranovetterM. (1973), ‘The strength of weak ties’, American Journal of Sociology, Vol 78, No 6, pp 1360–1380.
GreveA. (1995b), ‘Networks and entrepreneurship — an analysis of social relations, occupational background, and the use of contacts during the establishment process’, Scandinavian Journal of Management, Vol 11, pp 1–24.
17.
GreveA.FossL. (1990), Nettverk og entreprenørskap. En empirisk undersøkelse av sosiale nettverk og etablering av bedrifter, Rapport No 17, Senter for anvendt forskning, Norges Handelshøyskole og Sosialøkonomisk institutt ved Universitetet i Oslo, Norway.
18.
GreveA.GattikerU. E. (1994), ‘Entrepreneurs: Becoming a member or being a member of business networks’, unpublished paper, University of Lethbridge, Canada and The Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Bergen, Norway.
19.
JarilloJ. C. (1989), ‘Entrepreneurship and growth: The strategic use of external resources’, Journal of Business Venturing, Vol 4, pp 133–147.
20.
JenssenJ. I. (1999), ‘Entrepreneurial networks. A study of the impact of social networks and resource access on the start-up of new organizations’, thesis submitted for the degree of Dr Oecon, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Bergen, Norway.
21.
JohannissonB. (1986), ‘Network strategies: Management technology for entrepreneurship and change’, International Small Business Journal, Vol 5, No 1.
22.
JohannissonB. (1988), ‘Business formation — a network approach’, Scandinavian Journal of Management, Vol 4, No 3/4.
23.
KrackhardtD. (1992), ‘The strength of strong ties: The importance of philos in organizations’, in NohriaN.EcclesR. G. (1992), Networks and Organizations. Structure, Form, and Action, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA, pp 216–239.
24.
NohriaN.EcclesR. G. (1992), Networks and Organizations. Structure, Form, and Action, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA.
25.
OstgaardT. A.BirleyS. (1996), ‘New venture growth and personal networks’, Journal of Business Research, Vol 36, No 1, pp 37–50.
26.
PfefferJ.SalancikG. R. (1978), The External Control of Organizations, Harper and Row, New York.
27.
ReeseP. R. (1992), ‘Entrepreneurial networks and resource acquisition: Does gender make a difference?’ PhD thesis, Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
28.
ScottJ. (1991), Social Network Analysis, a Handbook, Sage Publications, London.
29.
TeeceD. J. (1986), ‘Profiting from technological innovation: Implications for integration, collaboration, licensing, and public policy’, Research Policy, Vol 15, No 6, pp 285–305.
30.
ThompsonJ. D. (1967), Organizations in Action, McGraw-Hill, New York.
31.
ZhaoL.AramJ. D. (1995), ‘Networking and growth of young technology-intensive ventures in China’, Journal of Business Venturing, Vol 10, No 5, pp 349–370.
32.
ZimmermanM. A. (1997), New Venture Legitimacy — A Review, paper presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Entrepreneurship Division, Boston, MA.
