Historicizing entrepreneurial networks

Abstract

Research summary In recent years, there has been increased interest in the role of context in different entrepreneurial processes. This article builds on this line of research by deploying a microhistorical‐informed approach to contextualize and make sense of the ways in which the correspondence network of the nineteenth‐century British entrepreneur, Isaac Holden, changed over time. In the process, it contributes to our understanding of entrepreneurial networks by illustrating: (a) how networking activities take place through specific communication platforms with their own socio‐technical qualities; (b) how entrepreneurs have the capacity to actively shape and co‐create the context within which their networking activity takes place; and (c) how entrepreneurial networking activity can take place in conjunction with—or as a result of—networking activity in other social movements. Managerial Abstract For entrepreneurs, having an effective network of trusted contacts can be the difference between success and failure. But what happens to these relationships when (or if) the entrepreneur achieves commercial success? Do they change? This article advances our understanding in this respect by providing an in‐depth analysis of how, and why, the personal network of Isaac Holden—a British wool manufacturing entrepreneur from the Victorian era—changed over time. In the process, it provides interesting insights into how political, social, cultural, and technological factors have the capacity to shape the way that entrepreneurial networks change and evolve over time.

An Investigation on the Factors Influencing the Success and Failure of Co-Operatives in the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM), Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

“…This approach overlooked the principle of voluntary participation which not only inculcates a sense of ownership and commitment in the members but also shields the Co-operative against negative external influences and manipulation. 63 Most Co-operatives started as poverty-alleviation initiatives. Some started because members shared a common interest, and others were misled by political parties, especially during the time of election campaigns saying that starting a Co-operative would address almost all the issues they are faced with as communities.…”

Defining networks in entrepreneurial ecosystems: the openness of ecosystems

“…The formation of a firm is importantly related to the entrepreneur's network characteristics (Greve, 1995), which dynamically change across the foundation process (Greve & Salaff, 2003). Networks of ventures show non-linear dynamism (Hollow, 2020;Rasmussen et al, 2015) and are most intensive at the early development stages (Huggins et al, 2015). The actors an entrepreneur has access to provide the sounding board for the initial business ideas (Greve & Salaff, 2003), and later enable the entrepreneur to access the resources essential for founding and building the firm (Elfring & Hulsink, 2003), such as finance or knowledge.…”

Editorial: Social innovation and entrepreneurship in a sharing economy

“…For example, in the field of social entrepreneurship, a theory that originated from the empathy-altruism hypothesis and the theory of positive emotions has become the main interpretation of the mechanism for the generation of social entrepreneurial intention (Staub and Vollhardt, 2010), which argues that social entrepreneurs are more demanding on non-rational factors, such as emotion, and mainly examines the motivation, emotions, values, behaviour orientation and ability of social entrepreneurs (Saebi et al, 2019). In recent years, the contextual factors of social value creation have attracted attention (Hollow, 2020;Roundy, 2019), and related studies examine how contextual factors stimulate entrepreneurs' deep-seated unconscious impulse and energy, analyse various team behaviours, such as interpersonal interactions and person-situation interactions, explore the effect of the promotion of entrepreneurial ecosystems, such as social and moral responsibility in the community, on entrepreneurs' social entrepreneurial action (Pret and Carter, 2017), and show that community public works and the rural entrepreneurship ecosystem, with mutual support and cooperation, also contribute to entrepreneurship (Schad et al, 2016). A sharing economy has provided an effective community context and platform mechanism for stimulating individuals' altruistic motives.…”