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Start-up absorptive capacity: Does the owner’s human and social capital matter?

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  • Jonas Debrulle

Abstract

This study investigates how business owner human and social capital affect start-up absorptive capacity under different environmental conditions. From our analysis of a sample of 199 Flemish start-ups, we observe that the owner’s start-up experience and bridging social capital are positively and significantly related to the new venture’s ability to acquire, assimilate and exploit external information. In addition, our findings reveal a positive but decreasing effect of owner specific human capital as a function of environmental turbulence. Furthermore, we find that management experience significantly stimulates start-up absorptive capacity within highly dynamic environments, whereas it hinders it within stable environments. Finally, implications and opportunities for future research are provided.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonas Debrulle, 2012. "Start-up absorptive capacity: Does the owner’s human and social capital matter?," Working Papers of VIVES - Research Centre for Regional Economics 30, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), VIVES - Research Centre for Regional Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ete:vivwps:30
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    Cited by:

    1. Qiuzhen Ren & Yingjie Xu & Ranran Zhou & Jingdong Liu, 2020. "Can CEO’s Humble Leadership Behavior Really Improve Enterprise Performance and Sustainability? A Case Study of Chinese Start-Up Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-25, April.
    2. Piera Centobelli & Roberto Cerchione & Emilio Esposito, 2017. "Knowledge Management in Startups: Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Marina Van Geenhuizen, 2016. "Capability factors in changing patterns of international knowledge relationships among university spin-off firms in Northwest Europe," ERSA conference papers ersa16p405, European Regional Science Association.
    4. 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.
    5. Anne Domurath & Holger Patzelt, 2019. "Founder non-international experience and venture internationalization," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 494-519, December.
    6. Viktorija Petrov & Đorđe Ćelić & Zorica Uzelac & Zoran Drašković, 2020. "Three pillars of knowledge management in SMEs: evidence from Serbia," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 417-438, June.
    7. Masatoshi Kato, 2017. "Founders’ human capital and external knowledge sourcing: An absorptive capacity perspective for innovative start-ups," Discussion Paper Series 162, School of Economics, Kwansei Gakuin University, revised Jun 2017.
    8. Bárbara Larrañeta & José Luis Galán González & Rocio Aguilar, 2017. "Early efforts to develop absorptive capacity and their performance implications: differences among corporate and independent ventures," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 485-509, June.

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