Antecedents of entrepreneurial networking behavior and its impact on business performance - a systematic literature review

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the existing research on the antecedents of entrepreneurial networking behavior namely motivational factors and personality factors and its impact on business performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a systematic review methodology, adhering to PRISMA guidelines.. Using the SCOPUS database, the search involved Boolean operators to narrow down relevant articles published in English between 2000 and 2024. Following a meticulous screening process, 32 articles were selected for review after removing duplicates and excluding non-English articles. Methodological quality assessment ensuring focused research questions, precise subject selection methods, representative samples, and reliable measurement instruments was carried out.

Findings

The results demonstrate that entrepreneurs who are self-reliant and extroverted have fewer partners, however, these traits positively impact networking activities. The Big Five personality traits predict business creation and success of ventures. Desire for financial gain, risk-taking propensity, self-confidence, and the need for achievement influences networking behavior.

Implications

The insights given in this paper can be used for establishing valuable connections, investing in resources, and preparing effective strategies for businesses. Policymakers who aim to promote entrepreneurial behavior among experienced individuals must emphasize the motivations for starting a business and the role of personalities in harnessing and leveraging individual entrepreneurial expertise.

Originality

The existing literature on antecedents of entrepreneurial networking Behavior and the relationship of these antecedents together with business performance is limited. Further, this review article also offers avenues for future researchers.

The Importance of Context-Relevance: Entrepreneurial Personality Relates to Entrepreneurial Outcomes Beyond the HEXACO and Dark Triad

Entrepreneurial Personality (EP) is a collection of traits that causes someone to be entrepreneurial, including both an attraction to and success in entrepreneurial activities. Although EP and its inclusion criteria is defined by its relevance to entrepreneurship, research has yet to support that it relates to entrepreneurial outcomes more strongly than extant frameworks of personality, causing uncertainty regarding its theoretical rationale and conceptual foundation. Applying the bandwidth-fidelity dilemma as our theoretical lens, the current article reports two studies to test whether EP relates to entrepreneurial outcomes beyond the HEXACO and Dark Triad dimensions. Using a sample of non-business owners, Study 1 supports that EP explains both more variance than and variance beyond the HEXACO and Dark Triad in outcomes associated with the earlier phases of the entrepreneurial process, such as entrepreneurial goal setting, goal striving, and goal achievement. Using a sample of business owners, Study 2 supports that EP explains both more variance than and variance beyond the HEXACO and Dark Triad in outcomes associated with the later phases of the entrepreneurial process, including entrepreneurial performance and well-being. These results encourage future research on EP by supporting the validity of the personality framework, and we suggest several directions for future research, such as broader applications of the bandwidth-fidelity dilemma.

The impact of intellectual capital and related party transactions on contractual costs

Purpose

The present study aims to assess the potential effects of intellectual capital (IC) and disclosure of firms' affiliate transactions on contractual costs (CC).

Design/methodology/approach

The statistical population of the study includes 768 firm-year observations listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during 2012–2017. According to Pulic's model, the authors divide IC into three components, such as human capital (HC), relational capital and structural capital (SC). CC is also measured by utilising two variables of board cash compensation and unexpected reward of managers.

Findings

The results show that there is a negative and significant relationship between HC and CC. In contrast, the authors find that relational capital and SC have a positive impact on CC. The authors’ further analyses also demonstrate that disclosure of transactions with affiliates has a negative effect on unexpected rewards of managers.

Originality/value

Since there is no conducted study, which discusses the relationship between IC and contractual cost, this paper might be considered the primary studies conducted in this line of literature, specifically in emerging markets. Moreover, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study investigating the potential impact of disclosure of selling and purchasing transactions, separately, on the director's unexpected reward.

Effects of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Passion for Work on Performance Variables in Sports Clubs

Entrepreneurial orientation and passion for work have been widely studied due to their effects on the behaviour and attitude of management teams in the short- and long-term. However, despite the influences of these variables on the sustainability and survival of an entity, there is a gap when considering the effects of these two performance variables in sports organisations. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to understand the influences of entrepreneurial orientation and passion for work on service quality and sporting performance. To this end, 199 Spanish non-profit sports clubs were analysed using instruments with good psychometric properties. Data analysis was carried out using two complementary methodologies: hierarchical regression models and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. The findings show that innovation and risk-taking influence performance variables and that the inclusion of passion for work significantly increases the explanatory capacity of the model. On the other hand, it was also observed that entrepreneurial orientation dimensions and passion for work are part of the combination that allows the expected result to be explored to a greater extent. Theoretical and practical implications were drawn from these findings, which can be used to improve the economic and social sustainability of sport organisations. The study also provides useful information for managers and directors of sport organisations.

The Impact of Self-Management Practices on Entrepreneurial Psychological States

It is well-known that entrepreneurs lead extremely busy lives. While research literature reports the stressors of entrepreneurial careers, few empirical studies have examined the actual management of the demands that entrepreneurs face in their daily lives. In this paper, we conducted a study of 472 small business owners and tested hypotheses on the roles of three self-management practices—exercise, work overload, and attention to detail—on stress, security, and job satisfaction. Exercise, work overload, and attention to detail serve as three important self-management practices that are largely under the decision-making of the individual entrepreneur.

Intrapreneurial behavior, big five personality and individual performance

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend the prevailing literature on the relationship between personality and individual performance (IP) through the mediation of intrapreneurial behavior (IB). This study, therefore, integrated the traits theory and the psychological entrepreneurship theory to improve the IP of medium enterprise (ME) managers by examining the mediating role of IB on the relationship between big five personality traits five factor model (FFM) and IP.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper used the survey method of data collection, through self-administered questionnaire. Partial least square structural equation modeling method was used to analyze the result of the sample of 355 production/operations managers.

Findings

The result study shows that three big five personality traits (conscientiousness, disagreeableness and emotional stability) have a direct relationship with IB. However, IB positively mediates the relationship between conscientiousness, disagreeableness and emotional stability on IP of production/operation managers.

Practical implications

The result implies that positive relationship between personality traits (conscientiousness, disagreeableness and emotional stability) and work performance will manifest better, only when the IB is encouraged among managers.

Originality/value

To the best knowledge of the authors, this paper is the first to examine the mediating effect of individual IB on FFM – IP relationship. Studies on IB were also limited especially in developing countries, Africa and specifically Nigeria. As such, individual IB requires the attention of researchers and managers in MEs against the assumption that entrepreneurial orientation is a firm-level activity only.

Social Entrepreneurship and Sport in Romania: How Can Former Athletes Contribute to Sustainable Social Change?

Social entrepreneurship is an underrated subject in the field of sports. For Romanian society, the fall of communism opened up new opportunities in the entrepreneurial domain. At the same time, entrepreneurship began to intersect with sports, and the results were often productive. Sport is seen as a domain that could inspire entrepreneurship through its principles. The similarities between these two fields have created the perspective of common action in sport and entrepreneurship, and this coexistence has improved during times of social change. After 1989, Romania was confronted with many challenges at the societal level, and sport offered a way to address and to tackle social problems. Through sport, some athletes decided to contribute to issues of individuals or communities. They assumed the status of a social entrepreneur, and developed activities that could inspire others. This paper intends to gather examples of such social entrepreneurship from Romania, and to identify the elements that lead to success. The research takes into consideration case studies from various domains, and this diversity helps us to better understand the challenges of Romanian sport when it interacts with social entrepreneurship.

Psychological Ownership, Job Satisfaction, and Middle Manager Entrepreneurial Behavior

Despite the importance of middle managers’ entrepreneurial behavior for corporate entrepreneurship, there is still a lack of knowledge about its determinants. Knowledge of the role of individual psychological states and work attitudes remains particularly thin. Through an empirical investigation into 136 middle managers in a large Singapore telecommunications firm, this study finds that psychological ownership is positively related to entrepreneurial behavior and job satisfaction within these middle managers. The study further finds that job satisfaction is positively related to entrepreneurial behavior and mediates the relationship between psychological ownership and entrepreneurial behavior. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the relationship between psychological ownership and pro-organizational behavior, extending psychological ownership research into the field of corporate entrepreneurship via middle managers’ entrepreneurial behavior.

The effect of entrepreneurial context on the performance of new ventures

Purpose

– This empirical study aims to test the impact of four types of entrepreneurial context on the growth and success rates of new ventures in China and related the findings to the theory and practice of entrepreneurship dating back 2,500 years to ancient China.

Design/methodology/approach

– After describing the business guidelines given by Fan Li, an entrepreneurial merchant selling Chinese medicines in ancient times, a conceptual framework was extracted as the basis for a discussion of the relationship between entrepreneurial context and entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurial context was conceptualized as being composed of family, social, business and institutional components. Five hypotheses about the influence of these different context variables on entrepreneurial activities were developed. From data compiled from the sampling of 239 business entrepreneurs in Beijing, a hierarchical regression was formed and the hypotheses tested.

Findings

– The impact of entrepreneurial context on entrepreneurial activity can be divided into two layers, internal factors (e.g. family context) which are similar to “yin” (?) in the traditional Chinese philosophy while external factors (e.g. business, social and institutional contexts) were like “yang” (?). The two factors play different roles in entrepreneurial activities, while different contexts mediate and moderate each other in complex ways.

Research limitations/implications

– Research limitations pertain to the size and locale of the sample. A larger sample that involved subjects from different regions would facilitate a wider understanding of the effects of entrepreneurial context upon the entrepreneurial process.

Originality/value

– The theory of entrepreneurial context is in its beginning stages, and the paper completed a systematic study of entrepreneurial context through theoretical model building using large-sample empirical research. In addition, the paper is the first ever to relate the theory and practice of entrepreneurship back 2,500 years. Through a multi-research methodology, the study clearly shows the critical importance of integrating Chinese history into the development of management theory.

Developing a theory of sport-based entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is an integral part of sport but less is known about how different types of entrepreneurship facilitate innovation. The aim of this paper is to develop a theory of sports-based entrepreneurship that incorporates different sub-categories of entrepreneurship such as social, technological and international. Specifically, the article connects the entrepreneurship and sport management literatures by proposing a theory of sport-based entrepreneurship, which can be used as a theoretical framework for future research. In addition, the paper provides a unique insight for sports practitioners and public policy planners wanting to focus on entrepreneurial ways to manage sport-based organizations.

Developing a theory of sport-based entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is an integral part of sport but less is known about how different types of entrepreneurship facilitate innovation. The aim of this paper is to develop a theory of sports-based entrepreneurship that incorporates different sub-categories of entrepreneurship such as social, technological and international. Specifically, the article connects the entrepreneurship and sport management literatures by proposing a theory of sport-based entrepreneurship, which can be used as a theoretical framework for future research. In addition, the paper provides a unique insight for sports practitioners and public policy planners wanting to focus on entrepreneurial ways to manage sport-based organizations.

Corporate entrepreneurship in the face of changing competition

Purpose

The paper sought to extend previous research on factors associated with corporate entrepreneurship (CE) by surveying operating managers and top executives in Thai manufacturing firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper used an expanded case method that combined face‐to‐face interviews with the top executives and results of responses to the corporate entrepreneurship assessment instrument (CEAI) by middle managers in three large and three medium Thai manufacturing firms.

Findings

The results of this paper suggest that management support for CE, their use of rewards and recognition, and their allowing workers discretion in their jobs all are significantly related to improving competitiveness, as indicated by internal performance improvement and firm financial improvement. Unlike previous studies, time allocated to idea generation/innovation activities and cross‐boundary communication are not found to be significantly associated with CE in Thai manufacturing firms. These quantitative results are augmented by the interview results, which suggest that CE in Thai manufacturing firms is affected by global competitiveness, technology, and government policies.

Research limitations/implications

The generalizability of the findings are limited by the size of the sample and the use of a single industry.

Practical implications

The results suggest that Thai firms can affect change in their CE activities and that these changes will impact the bottom line. CE activities are influenced by competition and government policy.

Originality/value

The paper combined the insights of personal interviews with top managers and the feedback from top managers in their firms to gain an overview of CE activity.

Entrepreneurial Drive in the Top Management Team: Effects on Strategic Choice and Firm Performance

Based on upper echelons theory and the logic embodied in the entrepreneurship, strategic choice, and resource-based view literatures, a theoretical model was developed showing the relationships between top management teams’ (TMT) entrepreneurial drive, TMT strategic choices, and superior industry performance, from which testable hypotheses were formed. The authors used a strategic management simulation model to gather the requisite data to perform their empirical testing. The results strongly support the hypotheses that TMT entrepreneurial drive is positively associated with superior industry performance and that the entrepreneurial orientation of the TMT’s strategic choices is positively associated with superior industry performance.This study also found evidence that the relationship between TMT entrepreneurial drive and superior industry performance is moderated by TMT’s strategic choices. These results have important implications in terms of how TMT’s entrepreneurial drive and their strategy choices can affect firm performance in today’s hypercompetitive environment.