The network success hypothesis assumes a positive relation between the networking activities of founders and their start-up's success. The rationale behind this hypothesis is the theory of socially embedded ties that allow entrepreneurs to get resources cheaper than they could be obtained on markets and to secure resources that would not be available on markets at all, e.g. reputation, customer contacts, etc.This paper clarifies how entrepreneurial network activities can be measured and which indicators exist to quantify start-up success. It then reviews empirical studies on the network success hypothesis. The studies have rarely come up with significant results. This surprising evidence can be explained by large differences in the way that the dependent and the independent variables were defined and by effects of unobserved variables such as the networking expertise of the founders and the entrepreneurs' level of existing know-how in the areas of co-operation and networking ('absorptive capacity'). The major shortcomings of existing network studies are found to be the neglect of different starting conditions, the focus on individual founders' networks instead of multiple networks in start-ups with an entrepreneurial team, and the assumption of a linear causal relation between networking and start-up success. Accordingly, the paper develops a new, extended model for the relation between entrepreneurial networks and start-up success. Finally, we make some suggestions for the further development of entrepreneurial network theory.

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The impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of youth with this chronic illness suggests the need for additional support as youth develop. Summer camp can serve as a therapeutic intervention for youth with HIV/AIDS. Using a case study employing observations, focus groups, and interviews, we examined outcomes associated with participation in a camp for youth with HIV/AIDS, and program processes that influenced outcomes. Findings showed that camp played a major developmental role for youth. Three outcomes of camp emerged: (a) forming caring connections (awareness of commonalities, lack of isolation); (b) feeling reprieve and recreation (fun activities, anticipation of and reflection on camp, sense of freedom); and (c) increasing knowledge, attitudes, and skills (conflict management, disclosure, skill learning and education, medication adherence). Processes included formal and informal education, staff-camper interactions, long-term relationships, outside-of-camp support, activities, planning for camper needs, accessibility, and freedom from worry. We discuss implications for youth programs.

The three research questions addressed by this study were (1) What were the major constraints that inhibited museum-goers from visiting museum attractions in Galveston, Texas? (2) What benefits did museum-goers seek from their visits? and (3) Can these constraints and benefits be meaningfully interpreted to identify target groups that are likely to be either more or less responsive to marketing efforts directed at them? A systematic sample of 1,083 museum-goers responded to an instrument containing six constraint domains and five benefit domains. Their domain scores were used to group respondents into five constraint clusters and four benefit clusters. The benefit and constraint clusters were cross-tabulated to form a 20-cell matrix. Interpretation of the matrix led to the selection of four target markets likely to yield the greatest return on marketing effort.

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By creating corporate venture capital (CVC) units, large corporations predominantly pursue strategic objectives, especially the realisation of external innovations. Theoretical and preliminary empirical results on corporate venturing suggest how to manage CVC in order to achieve strategic objectives. We analyse for a sample of 21 corporate venture units in Germany, if the respective CVC programmes pursue the strategic objective to leverage external innovation and if these programmes are managed accordingly. We find that the majority of German corporate venture programmes follow mixed objectives and are not organised and managed as suggested in the literature. We come to the conclusion that a shortterm focus on financial objectives of these CVC programmes prohibits the achievement of longterm strategic benefits from external innovation.Corporate venture capital as a strategy for external innovation r Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2005 R&D Management 35, 3, 2005 235 Corporate venture capital as a strategy for external innovation r Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2005 R&D Management 35, 3, 2005 241

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