Author(s): Simon Stephens
The importance of business networks for acquiring the support and resources needed for business creation is one of the main topics in entrepreneurship research. Therefore, this paper explores the experiences of graduates who are building an entrepreneurial business network. This paper reports the findings of a study examining the process of business network development by business graduates who became entrepreneurs. First, 156 graduate entrepreneurs completed a network audit, followed by a short questionnaire. Second, 17 entrepreneurs participated in follow up interviews. Data is presented characterizing: the entrepreneurs, their experience of business networks; and enablers and disablers to the development and maintenance of their business network. This study provides insights into the dynamics of entrepreneurs’ networks and provides novel accounts of the formations and communication that occur in business networks as a result of the proliferation of social media platforms.