The Impact of Network Capabilities on Entrepreneurial Resource Acquisition

Drawing on a database of 177 start-ups, we investigated the impact of network capability, defined as a firm's ability to develop and utilize inter-organizational relationships, on entrepreneurial resource acquisition. Not only do the results suggest that a firm's resource acquisition effectiveness is positively influenced by its NC, but also its resource acquisition outcomes. NC can set up strong resource base for start-ups, which, in turn, can bring competitive advantage for the new ventures. The results, to some extent, show that NC can facilitate the growth of start-ups. Suggestions and limitations are discussed at the end.