Journal of Enterprising Culture

In 1989 Mitton suggested that success for start-ups not only depends on who you are but also on whom you know. To study the importance of social capital and networks in relation to entrepreneurial activities, research in a Danish start-up context in two knowledge-intensive sectors has been carried out. The research methodology was based on a triangulation approach including a general questionnaire-based survey conducted through the Internet combined with a 85 in-depth interviews in purposefully sampled ventures. The analysis of the content and structure of social capital in relation to entrepreneurial networking activities in new technology-based small firms shows that teams are primarily composed of 'trusted alters', and that networking patterns and resource acquisition are highly influenced by entrepreneurs' attitude to and perception of networking.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of national cultures and different business policy models on the degree of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship orientations of managers in the Asia-Pacific: East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The results indicate that an economic policy, which is open and supportive of business development, stimulates greater entrepreneurship.

Demographic trends in the developed world indicate that older entrepreneurs will play an increasingly important part of economic activity as populations age, yet this cohort has been largely ignored in entrepreneurship research. This paper provides an overview of current research about the so-called "grey entrepreneur" (also known as senior, older, third age or elderly entrepreneurs), drawing on research from a number of nations.

The extant literature indicates that a majority of older entrepreneurs are male, although the number of older female entrepreneurs is increasing; they are also less likely to possess formal educational qualifications than younger entrepreneurs. Some of the advantages that such entrepreneurs possess include greater levels of technical, industrial and management experience; superior personal networks; and a stronger financial asset base. Some of the disadvantages or potential barriers faced by older entrepreneurs can include lower levels of health, energy and productivity; ageism; and the value that his or her society places on active ("productive") ageing.

Numerous issues still remain to be investigated in this field of research. These include the differences between younger and older entrepreneurs; their motives and success criteria; the impact of financial, knowledge and other resources on venturing behaviour; the role of government policies in fostering or hampering individual enterprise; and the significance of cultural differences amongst older entrepreneurs. Research in this field is currently also hampered by a multiplicity of terms and definitions, a lack of age-related data about different entrepreneurial cohorts, and the problems inherent in operationalising the concept of the "grey entrepreneur."

In a study of five entrepreneurs operating their business first in Hong Kong and later in the PRC, we examine the modes of entrepreneurship from the Kirznerian and Schumpeterian perspectives. The results showed that these entrepreneurs appeared basically Kirznerian in their strategy when their business focuses were in Hong Kong, and shifted toward a blend of the Kirznerian and Schumpterian modes when operating their businesses in the PRC. Such a shift can be explained by the adaptation of their competencies to the PRC context.