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

摘要

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.