Value creation as a picklock to understand business contexts

Actor-to-actor interactions in SMEs are relevant and entrepreneurs need to act by leveraging relationships to achieve positive performances for their firms. This process is based on entrepreneurial competencies, entrepreneurial orientations, and a cognitive activity leading to the perception of the entrepreneur about the context where businesses take place. Understanding business contexts is even more crucial when dealing with startups, due to the challenges to be faced by novice entrepreneurs. This research is based on multiple face-to-face interviews with entrepreneurs leading start-ups; the interviews were conducted to understand whether a focus on value creation can compel a driver to improve entrepreneur's competencies in depicting the network they shape and in improving awareness when carrying on a firm. Results show more insightful network representations when focusing on the processes favouring value creation; these network representations are meant as instruments to improve entrepreneur's awareness of the context and to support the decision-making.