IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbvent/v35y2020i5s088390261830781x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Should business angels diversify their investment portfolios to achieve higher performance? The role of knowledge access through co-investment networks

Author

Listed:
  • Antretter, Torben
  • Sirén, Charlotta
  • Grichnik, Dietmar
  • Wincent, Joakim

Abstract

This paper investigates the performance effects of business angel portfolio industry diversification. Using a unique bi-annual panel dataset of 142 members of a professional angel investment platform and their portfolio returns between 2013 and 2017, we consider the costs and benefits of diversifying investments into various industries. Drawing upon theoretical arguments about distant search, we theorize and find a nonlinear (S-shaped) relationship between portfolio industry diversification and performance. Further, we pay specific attention to a proposed overdiversification effect that takes place at high levels of portfolio industry diversification and show that this effect is moderated by individuals' access to industry knowledge through their co-investment networks. For business angels who have a central position within a diverse network of industry specialists, the overdiversification effect is less pronounced.

Suggested Citation

  • Antretter, Torben & Sirén, Charlotta & Grichnik, Dietmar & Wincent, Joakim, 2020. "Should business angels diversify their investment portfolios to achieve higher performance? The role of knowledge access through co-investment networks," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(5).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbvent:v:35:y:2020:i:5:s088390261830781x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2020.106043
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088390261830781X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2020.106043?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yi Yang & Vadake K. Narayanan & Donna M. De Carolis, 2014. "The relationship between portfolio diversification and firm value: The evidence from corporate venture capital activity," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(13), pages 1993-2011, December.
    2. James A. Brander & Raphael Amit & Werner Antweiler, 2002. "Venture‐Capital Syndication: Improved Venture Selection vs. The Value‐Added Hypothesis," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(3), pages 423-452, September.
    3. Steven N. Kaplan & Antoinette Schoar, 2005. "Private Equity Performance: Returns, Persistence, and Capital Flows," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(4), pages 1791-1823, August.
    4. Mike, Ken Wright Robbie, 1998. "Venture Capital and Private Equity: A Review and Synthesis," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(5‐6), pages 521-570, June.
    5. Alice Lam, 2007. "Knowledge Networks and Careers: Academic Scientists in Industry–University Links," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 993-1016, September.
    6. Simon Rodan & Charles Galunic, 2004. "More than network structure: how knowledge heterogeneity influences managerial performance and innovativeness," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(6), pages 541-562, June.
    7. Gompers, Paul & Kovner, Anna & Lerner, Josh & Scharfstein, David, 2008. "Venture capital investment cycles: The impact of public markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 1-23, January.
    8. Thomas J. Allen, 1984. "Managing the Flow of Technology: Technology Transfer and the Dissemination of Technological Information Within the R&D Organization," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262510278, April.
    9. Sarah Kaplan & Keyvan Vakili, 2015. "The double-edged sword of recombination in breakthrough innovation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(10), pages 1435-1457, October.
    10. Constance E. Helfat & Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, 2004. "Inter‐temporal economies of scope, organizational modularity, and the dynamics of diversification," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(13), pages 1217-1232, December.
    11. Bonini, Stefano & Capizzi, Vincenzo & Valletta, Mario & Zocchi, Paola, 2018. "Angel network affiliation and business angels' investment practices," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 592-608.
    12. Jeffrey E. Sohl & Laura Hill, 2007. "Women business angels: Insights from angel groups," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 207-222, March.
    13. Herbert A. Simon, 1955. "A Behavioral Model of Rational Choice," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 69(1), pages 99-118.
    14. Yael V. Hochberg & Alexander Ljungqvist & Yang Lu, 2007. "Whom You Know Matters: Venture Capital Networks and Investment Performance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 62(1), pages 251-301, February.
    15. Daniel A. Levinthal & Brian Wu, 2010. "Opportunity costs and non‐scale free capabilities: profit maximization, corporate scope, and profit margins," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 780-801, July.
    16. Robert Wiltbank, 2005. "Investment practices and outcomesof informal venture investors," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(4), pages 343-357, August.
    17. Carpentier, Cécile & Suret, Jean-Marc, 2015. "Angel group members' decision process and rejection criteria: A longitudinal analysis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 808-821.
    18. Mason, Colin M. & Harrison, Richard T., 2002. "Is it worth it? The rates of return from informal venture capital investments," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 211-236, May.
    19. Margarida Fontes, 2005. "Distant networking: The knowledge acquisition strategies of 'out-cluster' biotechnology firms," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(6), pages 899-920, September.
    20. Gautam Ahuja & Riitta Katila, 2001. "Technological acquisitions and the innovation performance of acquiring firms: a longitudinal study," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 197-220, March.
    21. Cheryl R. Mitteness & Rich DeJordy & Manju K. Ahuja & Richard Sudek, 2016. "Extending the Role of Similarity Attraction in Friendship and Advice Networks in Angel Groups," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(3), pages 627-655, May.
    22. Simon J. D. Schillebeeckx & Yimin Lin & Gerard George, 2019. "When Do Expert Teams Fail to Create Impactful Inventions?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(6), pages 1073-1104, September.
    23. April Knill, 2009. "Should Venture Capitalists Put All Their Eggs in One Basket? Diversification versus Pure‐Play Strategies in Venture Capital," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 38(3), pages 441-486, September.
    24. Colin Mason, 2016. "Researching business angels: definitional and data challenges," Chapters, in: Hans Landström & Colin Mason (ed.), Handbook of Research on Business Angels, chapter 2, pages 25-52, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    25. Massimo Baù & Philipp Sieger & Kimberly A. Eddleston & Francesco Chirico, 2017. "Fail but Try Again? The Effects of Age, Gender, and Multiple–Owner Experience on Failed Entrepreneurs’ Reentry," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(6), pages 909-941, November.
    26. Niron Hashai, 2015. "Within-industry diversification and firm performance—an S-shaped hypothesis," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9), pages 1378-1400, September.
    27. Wadhwa, Anu & Phelps, Corey & Kotha, Suresh, 2016. "Corporate venture capital portfolios and firm innovation," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 95-112.
    28. Greenwood, Robin & Nagel, Stefan, 2009. "Inexperienced investors and bubbles," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 239-258, August.
    29. Harbir Singh & Cynthia A. Montgomery, 1987. "Corporate acquisition strategies and economic performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(4), pages 377-386, July.
    30. Richard T. Harrison & Colin M. Mason, 2007. "Does Gender Matter? Women Business Angels and the Supply of Entrepreneurial Finance," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 31(3), pages 445-472, May.
    31. Ranjay Gulati, 1999. "Network location and learning: the influence of network resources and firm capabilities on alliance formation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(5), pages 397-420, May.
    32. James G. March, 1991. "Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 71-87, February.
    33. Williamson, Oliver, 2009. "The Theory of the Firm as Governance Structure: From Choice to Contract," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 6, pages 111-134, December.
    34. Farok J Contractor & Sumit K Kundu & Chin-Chun Hsu, 2003. "A three-stage theory of international expansion: the link between multinationality and performance in the service sector," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(1), pages 5-18, January.
    35. Allan L. Riding, 2008. "Business angels and love money investors: segments of the informal market for risk capital," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(4), pages 355-369, June.
    36. Jackson, William E. & Bates, Timothy & Bradford, William D., 2012. "Does venture capitalist activism improve investment performance?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 342-354.
    37. Paul Gompers & Anna Kovner & Josh Lerner, 2009. "Specialization and Success: Evidence from Venture Capital," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(3), pages 817-844, September.
    38. Mike Wright, 1998. "Venture Capital and Private Equity: A Review and Synthesis," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(5&6), pages 521-570.
    39. Linus Dahlander & Siobhan O'Mahony & David M. Gann, 2016. "One foot in, one foot out: how does individuals' external search breadth affect innovation outcomes?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 280-302, February.
    40. Buchner, Axel & Mohamed, Abdulkadir & Schwienbacher, Armin, 2017. "Diversification, risk, and returns in venture capital," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 519-535.
    41. Dimo Dimov & Dirk De Clercq, 2006. "Venture Capital Investment Strategy and Portfolio Failure Rate: A Longitudinal Study," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(2), pages 207-223, March.
    42. Sharon F. Matusik & Markus A. Fitza, 2012. "Diversification in the venture capital industry: leveraging knowledge under uncertainty," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 407-426, April.
    43. Norton, Edgar & Tenenbaum, Bernard H., 1993. "Specialization versus diversification as a venture capital investment strategy," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 8(5), pages 431-442, September.
    44. Maxwell, Andrew L. & Jeffrey, Scott A. & Lévesque, Moren, 2011. "Business angel early stage decision making," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 212-225, March.
    45. Cheryl R. Mitteness & Melissa S. Baucus & Richard Sudek, 2012. "Horse vs. Jockey? How stage of funding process and industry experience affect the evaluations of angel investors," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(4), pages 241-267, October.
    46. William Ocasio, 1997. "Towards An Attention‐Based View Of The Firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(S1), pages 187-206, July.
    47. Veroniek Collewaert, 2012. "Angel Investors’ and Entrepreneurs’ Intentions to Exit Their Ventures: A Conflict Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(4), pages 753-779, July.
    48. Lori Rosenkopf & Paul Almeida, 2003. "Overcoming Local Search Through Alliances and Mobility," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(6), pages 751-766, June.
    49. Haar, Nancy E. & Starr, Jennifer & MacMillan, Ian C., 1988. "Informal risk capital investors: Investment patterns on the East Coast of the U.S.A," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 3(1), pages 11-29.
    50. Chang, Sea Jin, 2004. "Venture capital financing, strategic alliances, and the initial public offerings of Internet startups," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 721-741, September.
    51. Lori Rosenkopf & Atul Nerkar, 2001. "Beyond local search: boundary‐spanning, exploration, and impact in the optical disk industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 287-306, April.
    52. Jeffrey Sohl, 2012. "The changing nature of the angel market," Chapters, in: Hans Landström & Colin Mason (ed.), Handbook of Research on Venture Capital: Volume 2, chapter 2, pages iii-iii, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    53. Rudy Aernoudt, 1999. "Business Angels: Should they fly on their own wings?," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(2), pages 187-195, April.
    54. Herbert A. Simon, 1991. "Bounded Rationality and Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 125-134, February.
    55. Dirk De Clercq & Dimo Dimov, 2008. "Internal Knowledge Development and External Knowledge Access in Venture Capital Investment Performance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(3), pages 585-612, May.
    56. Geoff Gregson & Sacha Mann & Richard Harrison, 2013. "Business Angel Syndication and the Evolution of Risk Capital in a Small Market Economy: Evidence from Scotland," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 95-107, March.
    57. Jochen Christian Werth & Patrick Boeert, 2013. "Co-investment networks of business angels and the performance of their start-up investments," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(3), pages 240-256.
    58. Joshua Lerner, 1994. "The Syndication of Venture Capital Investments," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 23(3), Fall.
    59. Vincenzo Capizzi, 2015. "The returns of business angel investments and their major determinants," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(4), pages 271-298, October.
    60. Marc Gruber & Ian C. MacMillan & James D. Thompson, 2013. "Escaping the Prior Knowledge Corridor: What Shapes the Number and Variety of Market Opportunities Identified Before Market Entry of Technology Start-ups?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(1), pages 280-300, February.
    61. Colin Mason & Tiago Botelho & Richard Harrison, 2016. "The transformation of the business angel market: empirical evidence and research implications," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(4), pages 321-344, October.
    62. Ruhnka, John C. & Young, John E., 1987. "A venture capital model of the development process for new ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 2(2), pages 167-184.
    63. Giovanni Dosi & Luigi Marengo, 2007. "Perspective---On the Evolutionary and Behavioral Theories of Organizations: A Tentative Roadmap," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(3), pages 491-502, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Alim, Wajid & Ali, Amjad & Farid, Maryiam, 2021. "The Impact of Islamic Portfolio on Risk and Return," MPRA Paper 111211, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Alvaro Pina Stranger & German Varas & Valentin Gerard, 2023. "Where Do Social Support and Epistemic Centrality Come From? The Case of Innovators in the French Biotech Industry," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-29, August.
    3. Xie, Zaiyang & Wang, Jie & Miao, Ling, 2021. "Big data and emerging market firms’ innovation in an open economy: The diversification strategy perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    4. Christoph Maus & Andrea Greven & Niklas Kurth & Malte Brettel, 2024. "How do investor characteristics of business angels and venture capitalists predict the occurrence of co-investments?," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 94(5), pages 763-811, July.
    5. Wesemann, Henrik & Antretter, Torben, 2023. "Why don’t you like me? Exploring the social venture funding gap in angel investing," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 20(C).
    6. Jianhong Chen & Jeffrey E. Sohl & Wan-Chien Lien, 2023. "Angel Investors’ Political Ideology and Investments in Women-Owned Ventures," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 188(2), pages 379-396, November.
    7. Alvaro Pina Stranger & Germán Varas & Valentin Gerard, 2023. "Where Do Social Support and Epistemic Centrality Come From? The Case of Innovators in the French Biotech Industry," Post-Print hal-04223156, HAL.
    8. Harrison, Richard T., 2022. "“Pennies from heaven”? Market failure, circuits of capital and policy support for business angels: The case of cross-border angel investment," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    9. Lien, Wan-Chien & Chen, Jianhong & Sohl, Jeffrey, 2022. "Do I have a big ego? Angel investors' narcissism and investment behaviors," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(5).
    10. Maran, Raluca, 2022. "Improving MSMEs’ access to start-up financing in ASEAN countries," MPRA Paper 114501, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bonini, Stefano & Capizzi, Vincenzo & Zocchi, Paola, 2019. "The performance of angel-backed companies," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 328-345.
    2. Johannes Wallmeroth & Peter Wirtz & Alexander Peter Groh, 2017. "Institutional Seed Financing, Angel Financing, and Crowdfunding of Entrepreneurial Ventures: A Literature Review," Working Papers hal-01527999, HAL.
    3. Lien, Wan-Chien & Chen, Jianhong & Sohl, Jeffrey, 2022. "Do I have a big ego? Angel investors' narcissism and investment behaviors," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(5).
    4. Bonnet, Christophe & Capizzi, Vincenzo & Cohen, Laurence & Petit, Aurelien & Wirtz, Peter, 2022. "What drives the active involvement in business angel groups? The role of angels' decision-making style, investment-specific human capital and motivations," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    5. Butticè, Vincenzo & Croce, Annalisa & Ughetto, Elisa, 2021. "Network dynamics in business angel group investment decisions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    6. Isin Guler, 2018. "Pulling the Plug: The Capability to Terminate Unsuccessful Projects and Firm Performance," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(3), pages 481-497, September.
    7. Munari, Federico & Toschi, Laura, 2015. "Assessing the impact of public venture capital programmes in the United Kingdom: Do regional characteristics matter?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 205-226.
    8. Carolin Bock & Maximilian Schmidt, 2015. "Should I stay, or should I go? – How fund dynamics influence venture capital exit decisions," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1), pages 68-82, November.
    9. Cipollone, Angela & Giordani, Paolo E., 2019. "Entrepreneurs meet financiers: Evidence from the business angel market," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 1-1.
    10. Xiao Hu & Jiayi Wang & Banggang Wu & Taiyang Zhao, 2022. "Specialist or new entrant: Who is the ideal investor for a new venture?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(6), pages 2055-2065, September.
    11. Li, Yong & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2011. "When are venture capital projects initiated?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 239-254, March.
    12. Vikas A. Aggarwal, 2020. "Resource congestion in alliance networks: How a firm's partners’ partners influence the benefits of collaboration," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 627-655, April.
    13. Lefebvre, Vincent & Certhoux, Gilles & Radu-Lefebvre, Miruna, 2022. "Sustaining trust to cross the Valley of Death: A retrospective study of business angels’ investment and reinvestment decisions," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    14. Zhang, Yuejia & Mayes, David Geoffrey, 2018. "The performance of governmental venture capital firms: A life cycle perspective and evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 162-185.
    15. Lohwasser, Todor S., 2020. "Meta-analyzing the relative performance of venture capital-backed firms," Discussion Papers of the Institute for Organisational Economics 4/2020, University of Münster, Institute for Organisational Economics.
    16. Cox, Kevin C. & Lortie, Jason & Stewart, Steven A., 2017. "When to pray to the angels for funding: The seasonality of angel investing in new ventures," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 7(C), pages 68-76.
    17. Rajat Khanna & Isin Guler, 2022. "Degree assortativity in collaboration networks and invention performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(7), pages 1402-1430, July.
    18. Das, Sanjiv R. & Jo, Hoje & Kim, Yongtae, 2011. "Polishing diamonds in the rough: The sources of syndicated venture performance," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 199-230, April.
    19. Buchner, Axel & Mohamed, Abdulkadir & Schwienbacher, Armin, 2017. "Diversification, risk, and returns in venture capital," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 519-535.
    20. Carpentier, Cécile & Suret, Jean-Marc, 2015. "Angel group members' decision process and rejection criteria: A longitudinal analysis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 808-821.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbvent:v:35:y:2020:i:5:s088390261830781x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusvent .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.