The Influence of Entrepreneurs’ Credentials and Impression Management Behaviors on Perceptions of New Venture Legitimacy

Abstract

We examine how entrepreneurs’ behaviors related to credentials and impression management (IM) impact perceptions of new venture (NV) legitimacy. Results from this experiment, as hypothesized, show that entrepreneurs’ credentials and IM behaviors are positively related to legitimacy perceptions. Contrary to expectations, however, findings do not support either interaction hypothesis when credentials are high or low. We discuss how these findings illustrate the importance of entrepreneurs’ behaviors during the NV creation process and outline multiple directions for future research.

Impacts of Geographical Locations and Sociocultural Traits on the Vietnamese Entrepreneurship

“…A long-standing learning process that awaits every entrepreneur tends to stress the importance of these factors (Brown 1993;Wagner 2007). As for entrepreneurs, family and relatives, friends and social network peers serve to be their resources in a broad sense (Chang et al 2009;Zahra et al 2008); any new venture would need the legitimacy that those social relationships can potentially offer (Meyer and Rowan 1977;Hannan and Freeman 1984;Nagy et al 2012) or the financial resources, whether traditional (Brown 1993;Weerawardena and Mort 2006) or unconventional (Mollick 2014;Huang and Knight 2015).…”

Resources, Experience and Perseverance in Entrepreneurs' Perceived Likelihood of Success in an Emerging Economy

“…Family and relatives, friends and social networks' peers are an integral part of the game (Chang, Memili, Chrisman, Kellermanns, & Chua, 2009;Zahra, Hayton, Neubaum, Dibrell & Craig, 2008) as the social relationship offers further legitimacy to new venture (Meyer & Rowan, 1977;Hannan & Freeman, 1984;Nagy, Pollack, Rutherford, & Lohrke, 2012). The emerging trend of crowdfunding further emphasizes of the traditional factors (Brown, 1993;Mollick, 2014) most probably due the fact that entrepreneurs and new ventures will likely in need of presenting their credentials to gradually gain credibility (Hannan & Freeman, 1984).…”

“…The emerging trend of crowdfunding further emphasizes of the traditional factors (Brown, 1993;Mollick, 2014) most probably due the fact that entrepreneurs and new ventures will likely in need of presenting their credentials to gradually gain credibility (Hannan & Freeman, 1984). Credentials play very important roles in the process of granting resources in the early stages of the entrepreneurship (Hallen & Eisenhardt, 2012;Nagy et al, 2012;Vuong & Napier, 2014). In addition, the acquiring of resources for entrepreneurial endeavors has become even more complex because for entrepreneurs relationship development and resource exchange are a bidirectional process (Weerawardena & Mort, 2006;Huang & Knight, 2015).…”

Balancing “what matters to me” with “what matters to them”: Exploring the legitimation process of environmental entrepreneurs

“…Nagy et al, 2012;Martens et al, 2007;Zott and Huy, 2007) to demonstrate congruence between the new venture and the audience's expectations. While these tactics might be usefully deployed by the entrepreneur to garner support from audiences it is suggested that entrepreneurs' dreams to make a difference often turn into illusions as entrepreneurs "find themselves trapped in the same conventional structures of authority" (Rindova et al, 2009: 479).…”