基于社会资本的企业间网络变迁

The Evolution of Inter-firm Networks Based on Social Capital

现有研究对于企业间网络由强关系向弱关系变迁的发展模式已经基本达成共识,而在网络变迁的内在机制上仍存在较大分歧。本文基于社会资本理论和资源依赖理论,分两个阶段深入研究了企业成长初期企业间网络变迁的内在机制。在单层egocentric强关系网络模式下,社会资本增加与资源积累的动态促进过程是网络变迁的内在机制;随着强关系网络层级的不断增加,社会资本仍然能够促进企业效用的提高和资源的积累,但其贡献程度不断降低。当合作关系网络扩张到规模边界时,企业应当摆脱路径依赖,加入灵活性较大的弱关系网络,以获得持续发展。

Many studies have agreed on the mode of the evolution of inter-firm networks from strong ties to weak ties, but disagree on the internal mechanism of the evolution. This paper studies the internal mechanism of inter-firm networks in the early growth of emerging firm by two phases respectively based on social capital theory and resource dependence perspective. In egocentric network mode, the dynamic interactive process of social capital and resource contributes the internal mechanism of the evolution. As the number of layers increases, social capital can still enhance the utility of emerging firm and the amount of resource, but the ratio of contribution is becoming lower and lower. When the inter-firm network comes to the boundaries grounded upon the net utility of the firm, the firm should choose to move out of the path dependence and join the weak ties, which is more diverse and benefit the permanent development.