Entrepreneurship Networks: Trust and Efficacy - A Model of Network Evolution

There is a vast body of research that demonstrates how entrepreneurs mobilize different networks (business, professional, family and friends) as sources of knowledge, new ideas, financing and support. Both network relationships and network structure will influence the likelihood of entrepreneur’s success during the establishment and growth stages of the new enterprise. The entrepreneur’s ability to acquire resources needed is influenced by network characteristics such as network size, diversity, density, cohesiveness, and the position of the entrepreneur within the social network. This paper proposes a mixed-method approach, combining survey research and network data analysis, to gain a deeper understanding of entrepreneurial networks.