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Outside Board Members in High Tech Start-ups

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  • Bart Clarysse
  • Mirjam Knockaert
  • Andy Lockett

Abstract

Board composition in large organizations has been subject to much empirical research, however, little attention has been focused on board composition in start-ups, and more specifically high tech start-ups. This lack of research is surprising given that many high tech start-ups have multiple equity stakeholders such as venture capitalists or public research organizations, such as universities. Given that high tech start-ups are commonly resource-poor these external stakeholders may play an important role in accessing critical external resources. Drawing on agency theory, resource dependence theory and social network theory we examine the tensions that exist between the founding team and external equity stakeholders in determining the presence of outside board members. In particular we focus on whether or not the outside board members have either complementary or substitute human capital to the founding team. We test our model on a sample of 140 high tech start-ups in Flanders. Our results indicate that high tech start-ups with a public research organization as an external equity stakeholder are more likely to develop boards with outside board members with complementary skills to the founding team. Conversely, in high tech start-ups where the founding team has had autonomy, or where a venture capitalist is an external equity stakeholder, the board tends to consist of outside board members with similar or substitute human capital to the founding team. Our findings the presence of an external equity stakeholder does not guarantee that outside board members have complementary human capital to the founding team.
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Suggested Citation

  • Bart Clarysse & Mirjam Knockaert & Andy Lockett, 2007. "Outside Board Members in High Tech Start-ups," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 243-259, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:29:y:2007:i:3:p:243-259
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-006-9033-y
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    1. Knockaert, M. & Ucbasaran, D. & Wright, M. & Clarysse, B., 2009. "How does tacit knowledge transfer influence innovation speed? The case of science based entrepreneurial firms," Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School Working Paper Series 2009-07, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School.
    2. David B. Audretsch & Erik E. Lehmann, 2013. "Corporate governance in newly listed companies," Chapters, in: Mario Levis & Silvio Vismara (ed.), Handbook of Research on IPOs, chapter 9, pages 179-206, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Hezun Li & Siri Terjesen & Timurs Umans, 2020. "Corporate governance in entrepreneurial firms: a systematic review and research agenda," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 43-74, January.
    4. Michael A. Abebe & Pingshu Li & Keshab Acharya & Joshua J. Daspit, 2020. "The founder chief executive officer: A review of current insights and directions for future research," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 406-436, November.
    5. Rama Iyer, Subramanian & Sankaran, Harikumar & Walsh, Steve T., 2020. "Influence of Director Expertise on Capital Structure and Cash Holdings in High-Tech Firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    6. Lorraine Uhlaner & Mike Wright & Morten Huse, 2007. "Private Firms and Corporate Governance: An Integrated Economic and Management Perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 225-241, October.
    7. Marcel Rolf Pfeifer, 2022. "Human Resources in Start-Ups: Expert Interviews with Managers on the Transition of Start-Ups from Academic to Private," Merits, MDPI, vol. 2(2), pages 1-20, May.
    8. Mirjam Knockaert & Mike Wright & Bart Clarysse & Andy Lockett, 2010. "Agency and similarity effects and the VC’s attitude towards academic spin-out investing," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 35(6), pages 567-584, December.
    9. Stephan Weemaes & Johan Bruneel & Ann Gaeremynck & Jonas Debrulle, 2022. "Initial external knowledge sources and start-up growth," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 523-540, January.
    10. Alex Coad & Bram Timmermans, 2012. "Two's Company: Human Capital Composition and Performance of Entrepreneurial Pairs," SPRU Working Paper Series 201, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    11. David Devigne & Tom Vanacker & Sophie Manigart & Ine Paeleman, 2013. "The role of domestic and cross-border venture capital investors in the growth of portfolio companies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 553-573, April.
    12. Knockaert, Mirjam & Bjornali, Ekaterina S. & Erikson, Truls, 2015. "Joining forces: Top management team and board chair characteristics as antecedents of board service involvement," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 420-435.
    13. Loane, Sharon & Bell, Jim & Cunningham, Isobel, 2014. "Entrepreneurial founding team exits in rapidly internationalising SMEs: A double edged sword," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 468-477.
    14. Ekaterina Bjørnåli & Sarosh Asad & Siri Terjesen, 2024. "Determinants of intra-board behavioral integration in high-tech start-ups," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 28(1), pages 215-236, March.
    15. Zabara, Tatiana, 2019. "Evolution of entrepreneurial teams in technology-based new ventures," Other publications TiSEM cc09d065-3811-47b6-9c93-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Wang, Luxia & Chong, Terence Tai Leung & He, Yiyao & Liu, Yuchen, 2018. "The Underpricing of Venture Capital Backed IPOs in China," MPRA Paper 92079, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Zeki Simsek & Justin J. P. Jansen & Alessandro Minichilli & Alejandro Escriba-Esteve, 2015. "Strategic Leadership and Leaders in Entrepreneurial Contexts: A Nexus for Innovation and Impact Missed?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 463-478, June.
    18. Petra Moog & Christian Soost, 2022. "Does team diversity really matter? The connection between networks, access to financial resources, and performance in the context of university spin-offs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 323-351, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    agency theory; board; board composition; corporate governance; founding teams; high tech start-up; resource dependency; university spin-off; venture capital; L2;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior

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