Title: Born global networks: the role of connectors

Authors: Adele R. Smith; Paul A. Ryan; David G. Collings

Addresses: Department of Management, Centre for Innovation & Structural Change (CISC), J.E. Cairnes Graduate School of Business & Public Policy, NUI, Galway, Ireland. ' Department of Management, Centre for Innovation & Structural Change (CISC), J.E. Cairnes Graduate School of Business & Public Policy, NUI, Galway, Ireland. ' Dublin City University Business School, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland

Abstract: The nature of born global firms which from inception, seek to derive significant competitive advantage from the use of resources and the sales of outputs in multiple countries remains poorly understood. Given the lack of resources which born globals tend to have compared with larger international competitors the importance of social capital and network ties in addressing their liabilities of newness and smallness have received some attention. However, how these network ties actually operate and the nuances inside of these networks are as yet not fully understood. This paper seeks to address this knowledge gap by attempting to unpack the black box of the social networks and connectors which born globals draw upon in their internationalisation efforts. Based on a study of the indigenous Irish digital, film and TV production industry, our research points to a suite of both weak and strong connectors which facilitate the internationalisation of the firms in our sample.

Keywords: born globals; connectors; international entrepreneurship; internationalisation; networks; social network analysis; social capital; network connections; network ties; digital production; film industry; TV production; television industry; Ireland.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2012.049642

European Journal of International Management, 2012 Vol.6 No.5, pp.566 - 589

Published online: 22 Nov 2014 *

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