Network Ties

Entrepreneurs' network ties are thought to provide numerous benefits. The purpose of this contribution is to describe some of the main network-tie characteristics frequently examined within the entrepreneurship literature. To set the stage for a review of network-tie characteristics, a few definitions are needed. First, a network is defined as a set of actors (such as individuals) that are connected by a set of ties (relationships between the individuals). The actors within networks have been discussed at many levels of analysis, including individuals, teams, organizations, groups of organizations, and so forth. The term network ties is used to describe the connection, or relationship, between actors in a network. Characteristics of network ties have been characterized primarily through their relative structure, the nature of the connections, ...