Network Expectations as a Driver for Networking Behavior - Exploring the Expectations of Incubated Entrepreneurs on the Business Incubators’ Network Offering
(2020) BUSN09 20201Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- Problem: Literature yields ambiguous results regarding the effectiveness of the business incubators’ role as network intermediaries, which is reflected in the varying networking behavior of entrepreneurs. Network expectations as a driver for the networking behavior of entrepreneurs have not been studied within this context and present a void in current literature.
Purpose: This study seeks to explore the expectations on the network offering of the business incubator, how these expectations are formed, and how they relate the resulting networking behavior of incubated entrepreneurs. These insights serve as an explanation for varying networking behavior within the BI context.
Methodology: This multiple case study follows a qualitative... (More) - Problem: Literature yields ambiguous results regarding the effectiveness of the business incubators’ role as network intermediaries, which is reflected in the varying networking behavior of entrepreneurs. Network expectations as a driver for the networking behavior of entrepreneurs have not been studied within this context and present a void in current literature.
Purpose: This study seeks to explore the expectations on the network offering of the business incubator, how these expectations are formed, and how they relate the resulting networking behavior of incubated entrepreneurs. These insights serve as an explanation for varying networking behavior within the BI context.
Methodology: This multiple case study follows a qualitative abductive research approach. In total, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with incubated entrepreneurs from two business incubators in Skåne, Sweden.
Theoretical perspective: Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior builds the theoretical foundation of this study. The theory suggests that behavior is mostly determined by behavioral beliefs in the form of expectations.
Results/Conclusions: We found that entrepreneur’s expectations on the business incubator’s network offerings differ mainly in terms of their explicitness. Depending on this explicitness, the intentions when participating in networking events vary. Thus, the explicitness of expectations was found not to determine the participation frequency but the motive when participating in networking events. The entrepreneur’s self-awareness, which is influenced by various individual background factors like experience, was found to be key in forming explicit network expectations. Due to changing background factors, network expectations were found to be of dynamic nature and subject to constant change.
Implications: We contribute to academia by addressing the research void regarding entrepreneurs’ networking behavior and by suggesting an adaption of the Theory of Planned Behavior to a dynamic and circular model. Practically, we enable the business incubator management to adjust their network offering to the needs of entrepreneurs. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9014967
- author
- Gebhardt, Calvin LU and Godenrath, Thies LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- BUSN09 20201
- year
- 2020
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- Business Incubator, Entrepreneur, Network Expectations, Theory of Planned Behavior
- language
- English
- id
- 9014967
- date added to LUP
- 2020-07-08 11:43:48
- date last changed
- 2020-07-08 11:43:48
@misc{9014967,
abstract = {{Problem: Literature yields ambiguous results regarding the effectiveness of the business incubators’ role as network intermediaries, which is reflected in the varying networking behavior of entrepreneurs. Network expectations as a driver for the networking behavior of entrepreneurs have not been studied within this context and present a void in current literature.
Purpose: This study seeks to explore the expectations on the network offering of the business incubator, how these expectations are formed, and how they relate the resulting networking behavior of incubated entrepreneurs. These insights serve as an explanation for varying networking behavior within the BI context.
Methodology: This multiple case study follows a qualitative abductive research approach. In total, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with incubated entrepreneurs from two business incubators in Skåne, Sweden.
Theoretical perspective: Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior builds the theoretical foundation of this study. The theory suggests that behavior is mostly determined by behavioral beliefs in the form of expectations.
Results/Conclusions: We found that entrepreneur’s expectations on the business incubator’s network offerings differ mainly in terms of their explicitness. Depending on this explicitness, the intentions when participating in networking events vary. Thus, the explicitness of expectations was found not to determine the participation frequency but the motive when participating in networking events. The entrepreneur’s self-awareness, which is influenced by various individual background factors like experience, was found to be key in forming explicit network expectations. Due to changing background factors, network expectations were found to be of dynamic nature and subject to constant change.
Implications: We contribute to academia by addressing the research void regarding entrepreneurs’ networking behavior and by suggesting an adaption of the Theory of Planned Behavior to a dynamic and circular model. Practically, we enable the business incubator management to adjust their network offering to the needs of entrepreneurs.}},
author = {{Gebhardt, Calvin and Godenrath, Thies}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Network Expectations as a Driver for Networking Behavior - Exploring the Expectations of Incubated Entrepreneurs on the Business Incubators’ Network Offering}},
year = {{2020}},
}