Start-up absorptive capacity: Does the owner’s human and social capital matter?

Jonas Debrulle

Working Papers of VIVES - Research Centre for Regional Economics from KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), VIVES - Research Centre for Regional Economics

Abstract: This study investigates how business owner human and social capital affect start-up absorptive capacity under different environmental conditions. From our analysis of a sample of 199 Flemish start-ups, we observe that the owner’s start-up experience and bridging social capital are positively and significantly related to the new venture’s ability to acquire, assimilate and exploit external information. In addition, our findings reveal a positive but decreasing effect of owner specific human capital as a function of environmental turbulence. Furthermore, we find that management experience significantly stimulates start-up absorptive capacity within highly dynamic environments, whereas it hinders it within stable environments. Finally, implications and opportunities for future research are provided.

Date: 2012
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ent, nep-hrm, nep-ino, nep-sbm and nep-soc
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ete:vivwps:30

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