AbstractsBusiness Management & Administration

Enterpreneurial network

by Valdone Kupsyte




Institution: Roskilde University
Department:
Year: 2014
Keywords: Entrepreneurs; startup; entrepreneurship; network; success
Record ID: 1119525
Full text PDF: http://rudar.ruc.dk/handle/1800/13192


Abstract

Network has become more and more indispensable in the entrepreneurial world. Especially in startup businesses, network is crucial for new entrepreneurs. This project looks at how entrepreneurs in different sectors use network to become successful. We chose to work with three entrepreneurs from three companies that have been operational for a few years and conducted face to face interviews with them. Through the data from the interviews, we analyzed firstly what type of entrepreneurs they are, secondly what kind of network activities, what kind of relations from network that have influenced them most and thirdly how they get access to resources, identify opportunities and gain legitimacy to their businesses through the use of network. Applying the interpretivism philosophy of science, we interpreted the level of weak and strong relations of the real entrepereneurial network, the way entrepreneurs benefit from network and how success is achieved. The cases we have constructed in this project are exemplary cases of real successful entrepreneurs whom we want to learn from. Our findings show that there is no difference in the way entrepreneurs benefit from network no matter what type of entrepreneurs they are and no matter how they use network. They all have gained lots of benefits for their business and could not become as successful as they are today without the use of network.