Universität zu Köln

Semrau, Thorsten (2010). Networks in New Venture Creation and Development. PhD thesis, Universität zu Köln.

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Abstract

In the 1980s, researchers began arguing that every entrepreneur is embedded in a network that plays a critical role in new venture formation and development. The rationale given for the importance of networks is a rather simple one: network relationships are seen as providing resources to favorable conditions. Thus, they are considered especially important for entrepreneurs who are typically resource-poor. Based on this basic understanding, the thesis at hand addresses open questions related to the role of networks in new venture creation and development. It comprises five chapters, in which four studies are presented. The first two studies shed further light on the relationship between the costs and benefits that come with developing and maintaining network contacts in the stage of new venture creation. In contrast, studies three and four address two research questions in the field of already-established ventures. Specifically, the third study shows how entrepreneurs� personal networking abilities affect new ventures� networks and performance and the fourth demonstrates that entrepreneurs may foster network change as well as their network management capacity by applying the basic means of organization design to their relationship management.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Semrau, Thorsten semrau@wiso.uni-koeln.de UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-31737
Date:	2010
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Management, Economy and Social Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences > Business Administration > Corporate Development > Professorship for Business Administration, Corporate Development and Organization
Subjects:	Management and auxiliary services
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language Networks, New Ventures, Entrepreneurship English
Date of oral exam:	20 June 2010
Referee:	Name Academic Title Ebers, Mark Prof. Dr.
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/3173