Special issue on “The role of networks in entrepreneurial performance: new answers to old questions?

Maas, Seferiadis, Bunders, & Zweekhorst: “Bridging the disconnect: how network creation facilitates female Bangladeshi entrepreneurship” In this article the authors explore how female social entrepreneurs develop and use their social ties in Bangladesh, a highly resource constrained environment that is also socially restrictive for women. The article paints an intricate picture of how an “external actor” in the networks of female entrepreneurs, namely PRIDE, a non-government organization, may stimulate the development of business networks in partnership with entrepreneurs. The heart of the research comprised longitudinal data on the social ties of female Bangladeshi entrepreneurs which were gathered over three and a half years from the Social Entrepreneurial Leadership programme (SEL) of PRIDE, where SEL trains female entrepreneurs to build- where necessary from scratch- their own business networks. The research design involved several methods of data collection, chiefly written reports and interviews from a long-running monitoring programme. This monitoring programme produced monthly reports from PRIDE on the progress and use of the SELs’ network development, and the authors discuss a number of these reports with PRIDE staff and separately with female entrepreneurs and associated parties in a range of settings. In interpreting their findings, the authors adopt a social capital perspective on entrepreneurial networks to gain insights into the mechanisms that help to build networks for ultra-poor entrepreneurs, and into the ways in which those networks influence entrepreneurial outcomes. Based on their findings the article identifies a deeply engaged process in which the external actor PRIDE played an indispensable role in supporting and at times encouraging and prompting ultra-poor, village entrepreneurs in building their entrepreneurial networks. 450 Int Entrep Manag J (2014) 10:447–455 Author's personal copy Masango & Marinova: “Knowledge-based network ties in early rapidly internationalising small firms: a missing link?” In their article Masango & Marinova explore the specific characteristics, development patterns and functions of network ties facilitating the internationalisation of “early rapidly internationalising small firms” (ERISFs), an important type of firm in international entrepreneurship studies that is principally engaged in high technology and knowledge intensive businesses. Drawing on multiple case studies of the sources of network ties in ten high technology firms that are engaged in biotechnology, communications and gaming technology in South Africa, the authors suggest that founders’ pre-firm knowledge pools play a key role in establishing initial knowledge-based interpersonal ties in ERISFs’ cross border activities. The focus on high technology firms in South Africa seems topical given the emergence of a critical mass of these firms in and around several major cities, while the authors reflect on interview data mainly with founders of ERISFs in proposing an initial, prior interpersonal network tie set that is composed of predominantly strong knowledge-based contacts. Network ties of high technology firms are seen to conduct activities that the authors identify and group in three distinct types of activities, as knowledge creation, transfer, or adoption activities. In particular it is suggested that the research findings offer significant evidence of knowledge creation and transfer activities. Cautela, Pisano, & Pironti: “The emergence of new business model configurations from technology innovation: an analysis of 3-D printing ventures” By contrast with other studies in this special issue Cautela, Pisano, & Pironti view entrepreneurial networks in terms of a new business model that has emerged and is being used by designer-entrepreneurs as they seek to develop new types of businesses in the design service industry using 3-D printing technology. Four propositions are put forward on the nature of 3-D printing and its use in design ventures that may support the development of an effective, open business model for these ventures. The paper is based on case studies of the business models of three design firms. In addition to their case studies, the authors interviewed three professors of design technology in various environments (California, UK, and Italy) in seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the nature and possible applications of 3-D printing in design firms located in the respective locations. Three internet blogs on 3-D printing were also analyzed in seeking to learn how the design market views the development and use of this technology and whi