Abstract
The paper emphasizes the importance of social networks in the gestation of international new ventures, particularly through their impact on the perceptions of nascent entrepreneurs. Their contribution consists not only in providing new information to assist new venture founders in identifying international opportunities but, and perhaps more importantly, in assessing them. By modifying the way in which entrepreneurs perceive the feasibility and desirability of opportunities, networks trigger the enactment of international opportunities. Whereas opportunity evaluations by more experienced international entrepreneurs tend to be linked to their strong network ties, the international role models of novice entrepreneurs seem to be transformational.
Acknowledgments
Financial support to conduct this research received from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Project N N115 097635) and from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (Project ECO2010-21242-C03-01) is gratefully acknowledged.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Witold Nowiński
Witold Nowiński is Assistant Professor at the Department of Management, Institute of Economics, Wyższa Szkoła Bankowa (Poznan School of Banking).
Alex Rialp
Alex Rialp is Associate Professor at the Dep. de Economia de l'Empresa, Edifici B., Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).