Title: Entrepreneurs' social capital and access to external resources: the effects of social skills

Authors: Amina Omrane

Addresses: The Institute of Business Administration, Jean Moulin Lyon III University, France; IHEC-Carthage, Sfax University, Tunisia

Abstract: This research investigates the relationship between social competencies, entrepreneur's success and access to essential resources. Compared to previous studies, in this paper we add new findings concerning the mediating role of the social capital which enhances the effects of several social skills. Results indicate that the entrepreneurs' proficiency at persuasiveness, ingratiation and personal emotional intelligence is significantly related to their access to vital resources, especially venture capitalists' financing and useful information. These effects are mediated by the entrepreneurial social capital, which is based on an extensive network involving weak and non-redundant ties. The implications of these findings assist entrepreneurs in the Tunisian high-technology field in understanding the process by which social skills increase the level of social capital to gain access to paramount resources and success at the survival/development stage of the entrepreneurial process.

Keywords: social skills; entrepreneurs; external resources; entrepreneurial social capital; high technology; high tech industry; entrepreneurship; persuasiveness; ingratiation; personal emotional intelligence; venture capital; entrepreneurial networks; Tunisia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2015.067463

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2015 Vol.24 No.3, pp.357 - 382

Received: 31 May 2014
Accepted: 10 Sep 2014
Published online: 13 Feb 2015 *

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