Title: 'From guanxi to WeChat?': new social networking technologies and digital entrepreneurship in Beijing

Authors: Birte Hansen

Addresses: Department of Social Sciences and Business, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark

Abstract: This paper explores how digital entrepreneurs utilise social networking technologies to develop and maintain networks in an increasingly digital environment. Despite the growing relevance and use of social networking technologies in entrepreneurship, few studies investigate the impact and outcome of social networking technologies in entrepreneurial processes. This paper addresses this research gap and explores the silent revolution instigated by new technological developments on contemporary networking practices. This paper is based on a case study involving 20 Beijing based digital entrepreneurs and presents empirical data contributing to the intersection of entrepreneurship and networking in the digital age. The paper applies a theoretical framework combining entrepreneurship and network theory, and offers new theoretical directions suited to explore networking in the digital dimension. The paper offers advanced insights to contemporary entrepreneurship and networking in the digital era, a field in need of future attention and extensive research.

Keywords: digital entrepreneurship; social networking technology; networks; guanxi; strong ties; weak ties; latent ties; WeChat; China; Beijing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2020.104978

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2020 Vol.39 No.3, pp.430 - 454

Received: 12 Feb 2018
Accepted: 09 Mar 2018
Published online: 10 Feb 2020 *

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