Does social network always promote entrepreneurial intentions? Part II: Empirical analysis

Abstract

As a further study of the first part of this paper, the second part is aiming to verify the theoretical model of social network and entrepreneurial intentions. Thus, a structural equation model is developed and several hypotheses are tested based on 157 Chinese College-graduate Village Officials' samples. Results showed that three social network dimensions, which are network size, network heterogeneity, properties of top node, affect entrepreneurial intentions significantly. Specifically, entrepreneurial intention is negatively correlated with properties of top node, and the size of the social network; a significant positive correlation is found between heterogeneity of social network and entrepreneurial intentions. Besides, Entrepreneurial desirability and entrepreneurial feasibility are two mediators between network heterogeneity and entrepreneurial intension. This work has also found that social networks sometimes may become an obstacle for College-graduate Village Official to start a business. The theoretical and practical implications of the study's findings are also discussed. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.