Entrepreneurs’ social networks and opportunity identification: Entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness as moderators

• Cuiping Ma

  Zhejiang University

• Jin Yang

  Southwest University of Science and Technology

• Ling Chen

  Zhejiang University

• Xialei You

  Zhejiang University

• Wei Zhang

  Zhejiang University

• Yuan Chen

  Zhejiang University

We examined the relationship between entrepreneurs’ social networks and opportunity identification, and the moderating roles of entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness in this relationship. Results from 142 entrepreneurs supported the hypothesis that both their business ties and their political ties would be positively related to opportunity identification, and these relationships would be moderated by entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness. Entrepreneurial passion weakened the relationship between business ties and opportunity identification, but amplified the relationship between political ties and opportunity identification. Further, entrepreneurial alertness strengthened the relationship between business ties and opportunity identification. The results suggest that the effect of entrepreneurs’ social ties on opportunity identification depends on the level of the individual’s entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness.

1. Cuiping Ma, Zhejiang University
   Department of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy, School of Management
2. Jin Yang, Southwest University of Science and Technology
   School of Economics and Management
3. Ling Chen, Zhejiang University
   Department of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy, School of Management
4. Xialei You, Zhejiang University
   School of Management
5. Wei Zhang, Zhejiang University
   School of Economics
6. Yuan Chen, Zhejiang University
   School of Economics

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