IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/entreg/v22y2010i7-8p675-705.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Business owners’ network size and business growth in China: The role of comprehensive social competency

Author

Listed:
  • Xiang-yang Zhao
  • Michael Frese
  • Angelo Giardini

Abstract

The authors present a model that explains how comprehensive social competency (made up of three components -- social skills, proactive and elaborate social strategies, and relational perseverance) is related to business people's network development, and how social networks in turn are related to business growth. We conducted two studies with Chinese small business owners, -- one in the capital city Beijing ( N = 133) and a second one in the less developed rural region of Xunyi ( N = 78). Comprehensive social competency was consistently related to network size and business growth. In addition, government network size was related to the business growth since start-up in both studies (employee growth in Study 1 and personal asset growth in Study 2), but business network size was not related to business growth. Government network size also functions as a partial mediator between comprehensive social competency and business growth since start-up. Some differences are found between the rural area and the urban centre.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiang-yang Zhao & Michael Frese & Angelo Giardini, 2010. "Business owners’ network size and business growth in China: The role of comprehensive social competency," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(7-8), pages 675-705, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:22:y:2010:i:7-8:p:675-705
    DOI: 10.1080/08985620903171376
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/08985620903171376
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/08985620903171376?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. Douglass C. North, 2005. "Introduction to Understanding the Process of Economic Change," Introductory Chapters, in: Understanding the Process of Economic Change, Princeton University Press.
    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. Lingyu Hu & Jianlin Wu & Jibao Gu, 2019. "The Impacts of Task- and Relationship-oriented Personal Initiative on Entrepreneurial Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Pi-Shen Seet & Janice Jones & Lloyd Oppelaar & Graciela Corral de Zubielqui, 2018. "Beyond ‘know-what’ and ‘know-how’ to ‘know-who’: enhancing human capital with social capital in an Australian start-up accelerator," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 233-260, March.
    3. Mayer-Haug, Katrin & Read, Stuart & Brinckmann, Jan & Dew, Nicholas & Grichnik, Dietmar, 2013. "Entrepreneurial talent and venture performance: A meta-analytic investigation of SMEs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(6), pages 1251-1273.
    4. Zhu, Chen & Shen, Jim Huangnan & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Liu, Shouying, 2022. "Does religion belief matter to self-employment of rural elderly? Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    5. Tehreem Fatima, Ahmad Raza Bilal, 2019. "Action Characteristics as a Bridge in Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation and SME Success Pathway," Journal of Management Sciences, Geist Science, Iqra University, Faculty of Business Administration, vol. 6(2), pages 1-17, October.
    6. Ahlin, Branka & Drnovšek, Mateja & Hisrich, Robert D., 2014. "Exploring the moderating effects of absorptive capacity on the relationship between social networks and innovation," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 19(2), pages 213-235.
    7. Lin, Tao & Guan, Xiaodong & Wang, Donggen, 2024. "How does social network mediate/moderate the effects of the built environment on travel behavior?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    8. Jarle Aarstad, 2012. "Do Structural Holes and Network Connectivity Really Affect Entrepreneurial Performance?," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 21(2), pages 253-268, September.
    9. Rauch, Andreas & Rosenbusch, Nina & Unger, Jens & Frese, Michael, 2016. "The effectiveness of cohesive and diversified networks: A meta-analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 554-568.
    10. Verena C. Hahn & Michael Frese & Carmen Binnewies & Antje Schmitt, 2012. "Happy and Proactive? The Role of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well–Being in Business Owners’ Personal Initiative," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(1), pages 97-114, January.
    11. Wei, Yueling & Kang, Di & Wang, Yizhong, 2019. "Geography, culture, and corporate innovation," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 310-329.
    12. Jayawarna, Dilani & Jones, Oswald & Marlow, Susan, 2015. "The influence of gender upon social networks and bootstrapping behaviours," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 316-329.
    13. Maria Lúcia Pato & Aurora A.C. Teixeira, 2013. "Twenty years of rural entrepreneurship: a bibliometric survey," FEP Working Papers 516, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    14. Kerr, Jon & Coviello, Nicole, 2020. "Weaving network theory into effectuation: A multi-level reconceptualization of effectual dynamics," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(2).

    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. Gregorio Rius-Sorolla & Sofía Estelles-Miguel & Carlos Rueda-Armengot, 2020. "Multivariable Supplier Segmentation in Sustainable Supply Chain Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-16, June.
    2. Gani, Azmat & Scrimgeour, Frank, 2014. "Modeling governance and water pollution using the institutional ecological economic framework," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 363-372.
    3. Gianluca Marchi & Giuseppe Nardin, 2014. "Alleanze internazionali e mercati emergenti: l?esperienza del distretto ceramico di Sassuolo," ECONOMIA E SOCIET? REGIONALE, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(2), pages 44-54.
    4. Luis Alfonso Dau & Aya S. Chacar & Marjorie A. Lyles & Jiatao Li, 2022. "Informal institutions and international business: Toward an integrative research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(6), pages 985-1010, August.
    5. Jeffery S. McMullen & Dimo Dimov, 2013. "Time and the Entrepreneurial Journey: The Problems and Promise of Studying Entrepreneurship as a Process," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(8), pages 1481-1512, December.
    6. repec:mje:mjejnl:v:12:y:2017:i:2:p:25-70 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Emil Evenhuis, 2017. "Institutional change in cities and regions: a path dependency approach," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 10(3), pages 509-526.
    8. Karla Hoff & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2010. "Equilibrium Fictions: A Cognitive Approach to Societal Rigidity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(2), pages 141-146, May.
    9. Joachim Ahrens & Patrick Jünemann, 2011. "Adaptive Efficiency and Pragmatic Flexibility: Characteristics of Institutional Change in Capitalism, Chinese-style," Chapters, in: Werner Pascha & Cornelia Storz & Markus Taube (ed.), Institutional Variety in East Asia, chapter 2, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Zelong Wei & Hao Shen & Kevin Zheng Zhou & Julie Juan Li, 2017. "How Does Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility Matter in a Dysfunctional Institutional Environment? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(2), pages 209-223, January.
    11. Etienne Farvaque & Alexander Mihailov & Alireza Naghavi, 2018. "The Grand Experiment of Communism: Discovering the Trade-Off between Equality and Efficiency," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 174(4), pages 707-742, December.
    12. Masahiko Aoki, 2013. "Institutions as cognitive media between strategic interactions and individual beliefs," Chapters, in: Comparative Institutional Analysis, chapter 17, pages 298-312, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Marletto, Gerardo, 2011. "Structure, agency and change in the car regime. A review of the literature," European Transport \ Trasporti Europei, ISTIEE, Institute for the Study of Transport within the European Economic Integration, issue 47, pages 71-88.
    14. Rodrigues Brás Gonçalo & Soukiazis Elias, 2019. "The Determinants of Entrepreneurship at the Country Level: A Panel Data Approach," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 9(4), pages 1-17, October.
    15. Teodor Sedlarski, 2019. "Political Economy Of Social Status - Economic And Socio-Psychological Effects Of Status Competition On 'Winner-Take-All' Markets," Yearbook of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski - Bulgaria, vol. 17(1), pages 211-277, June.
    16. Simon Hartmann & Thomas Lindner & Jakob Müllner & Jonas Puck, 2022. "Beyond the nation-state: Anchoring supranational institutions in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(6), pages 1282-1306, August.
    17. Aparicio, Sebastian & Urbano, David & Audretsch, David, 2016. "Institutional factors, opportunity entrepreneurship and economic growth: Panel data evidence," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 45-61.
    18. Tang, Ryan W., 2023. "Institutional unpredictability and foreign exit−reentry dynamics: The moderating role of foreign ownership," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    19. Ghulam, Yaseen, 2021. "Institutions and firms’ technological changes and productivity growth," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    20. Kozenkow, Judit, 2011. "Merre tart az új intézményi közgazdaságtan?. Összefoglaló a Douglass C. North tiszteletére St. Louisban 2010. november 4. és 6. között rendezett konferenciáról [Whither the new institutional econom," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(2), pages 190-194.
    21. didier chabaud & Parthenay Claude & Yannick Perez, 2005. "Environnement institutionnel et trajectoire des entreprises : une analyse northienne de l’industrie électrique," Post-Print hal-04297605, HAL.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:taf:entreg:v:22:y:2010:i:7-8:p:675-705. 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: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/TEPN20 .

    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.