Entrepreneurial networking: a blessing or a curse? Differential effects for low, medium and high performing franchisees

Maryse J. Brand (), Evelien P. M. Croonen () and Roger T. A. J. Leenders ()
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Maryse J. Brand: University of Groningen
Evelien P. M. Croonen: University of Groningen
Roger T. A. J. Leenders: Tilburg University

Small Business Economics, 2018, vol. 50, issue 4, No 8, 783-805

Abstract: Abstract Recent studies have called for a better understanding of the link between networking and entrepreneurial performance. We provide such understanding in three ways: by focusing on a specific entrepreneurial context (franchise systems), by developing a multi-faceted theoretical framework and by highlighting a contingency that may affect the networking-performance link. We combine knowledge and learning perspectives with a networking perspective to develop and test a multi-faceted framework on the effects of franchisee networking with peers within a franchise system (‘peer networking’) on franchisee unit performance. In particular, we argue that the performance benefits that franchisees draw from networking with their peers vary between low, medium and high performing franchisees. We use ordinary least squares (OLS) and Quantile Regression analyses to test our hypotheses with empirical data from a Dutch franchise system. Our results confirm that structural, resource and relational facets of franchisee peer networking affect unit performance, and that they benefit and harm low, medium, and high performing franchisees differently.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Franchising; Local knowledge; Organizational learning; Peer network (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C21 D83 D85 L25 L26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11187-017-9895-1

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