Research On The Effect Of Entrepreneurial Network On Entrepreneurial Learning Based On Chinese Context

Because the theory about entrepreneurial learning has much gap, this paper createa theoretical model of entrepreneurial learning process and reveal the effects ofdifferent types of entrepreneurial learning (including experiential learning, cognitivelearning and action learning) on entrepreneurial knowledge based on Chinesetransitional economy context. More importantly, this paper analysis the impacts ofentrepreneurial network on entrepreneurial learning, proposes personal ties, businessties and political ties have different influences on entrepreneurial learning. At thesame time, we study the mediating role of experiential learning, cognitive learningand action learning in the relationship between entrepreneurial network andentrepreneurial knowledge.Subsequently, in order to test the hypothesis proposed by this paper, weinterviewed firms in Chang Chun and Hang Zhou and received216valid samples.Empirical research revealed that the theoretical model we proposed was supportedsuccessfully by date. The results shown that experiential learning, cognitive learningand action learning were the important learning styles which help entrepreneursaccess to entrepreneurial knowledge. The results also shown that entrepreneurialnetwork had positive influence on entrepreneurial knowledge. However, the effect ofpersonal ties on entrepreneurial knowledge was not significant when both businessties and political ties had positive influence on entrepreneurial knowledge.In the relationships between entrepreneurial network and different types ofentrepreneurial learning, personal ties, business ties and political ties all have positiveinfluence on experiential learning. The effects of business ties and political ties oncognitive learning are positive, but the effect of personal ties on cognitive learning isnegative. The results also revealed that personal ties, business ties and political ties allhad positive influence on action learning. The research also empirical tests themediating role of experiential learning, cognitive learning and action learning in therelationship between entrepreneurial network and entrepreneurial knowledge. The results shown that all the experiential learning, cognitive learning and action learninghad positive partly mediating role in the relationship between entrepreneurial networkand entrepreneurial knowledge.This research of entrepreneurial learning is based on the forefront researchquestion in the field of entrepreneurship. Based on the theoretical gap ofentrepreneurial learning, this paper analyzed the entrepreneurial learning process fromthree aspects including experiential learning, cognitive learning and action learning.Under the context of Chinese transitional economy, this paper also revealed thedifferent effects of entrepreneurial network on entrepreneurial learning process;examine the mediating role of experiential learning, cognitive learning and actionlearning in the relationship between entrepreneurial network and entrepreneurialknowledge. The research make up for the existing entrepreneurial learning relatedtheory. Therefore, our research has some innovation which can be reflected in thefollowing aspects.(1) This paper analyzes the definition of entrepreneurial learning in-depth, dividedentrepreneurial learning into three types including experiential learning, cognitivelearning and action learning and developed the measurement of these threeexperiential learning styles. Entrepreneurial learning is the forefront research questionin the field of entrepreneurship. It studies the new ventures’ creation in dynamic viewwhich is a newest research direction in entrepreneurship. However, the relatedresearch about entrepreneurial learning is on the stage of conceptual analysis.Therefore, most studies are conceptual analysis, and small part research is case study.There is still much dispute. In the definition and dimension of entrepreneurial learningdoes not disagree among researchers. Because of the complexity of entrepreneuriallearning, the measurement problem about it has plagued scholars. Therefore,researchers could not utilize empirical study.Based on this, this paper divided entrepreneurial learning into experientiallearning, cognitive learning and action learning and analyzed the definition and their relationships or differences among them. More importantly, this research develop themeasurement of the three entrepreneurial learning styles for the first time based onChinese new ventures’ samples, fill the lack of entrepreneurial learning researchprocess measurement system blank. This work creates the foundation for futureresearchers to study entrepreneurial learning from the empirical point of view.(2) Based on the gap of theoretical research about entrepreneurial learning, thispaper creates the model of entrepreneurial learning process to reveal the differentimpacts of three types of entrepreneurial learning on entrepreneurial knowledge. Theresearch about entrepreneurial learning is in the early startup stage, there is still muchdisagreement about entrepreneurial learning process. The existing dispute hasnegative influence on the research of entrepreneurial learning in-depth. Especially,entrepreneurial learning is a field of interdisciplinary and cross-over study. Scholarscoming from economic management and psychology still disagree with each other inthe theoretical model of entrepreneurial learning process. Therefore, it is critical forfuture research to combine these two different disciplinary researches to studyentrepreneurial learning.Based on this, according to experiential learning theory and cognitive learningtheory which come from psychology, this paper integrates the dynamic andcomplexity of entrepreneurial practice, proposes entrepreneurial learning is theprocess of using experiential learning, cognitive learning and action learning to accessto entrepreneurial knowledge. This definition of experiential learning combines theexisting researches and makes up the gap of theoretical study about entrepreneuriallearning process which will provide theoretical support for future researchers to learnentrepreneurial learning process.(3) This paper builds a theoretical model of the effect of entrepreneurial networkon entrepreneurial learning process to reveal how personal ties, business ties andpolitical ties influence on different entrepreneurial learning styles (experientiallearning, cognitive learning and action learning) and also analyzes the mediating role of experiential learning, cognitive learning and action learning in the relationshipbetween entrepreneurial network and entrepreneurial knowledge. Entrepreneuriallearning is a social process; only occur in a certain social context. Therefore, theexternal relational network owned by entrepreneur has significant influence onentrepreneurial learning. However, existing research has ignored the important role ofentrepreneurial network play in entrepreneurial learning process. Under Chinesecontext, entrepreneurs are influenced by the Confucian culture and the particularinstitution of transition economy; therefore, their entrepreneurial network is particular.For example, they emphases on the use of personal ties and focus on theestablishment of political ties in the entrepreneurial process. How different types ofentrepreneurial network including personal ties, business ties and political tiesinfluence on entrepreneur’ entrepreneurial learning process is still need studies toreveal it.Based on this, this paper divides entrepreneurial network into personal ties,business ties and political ties after analyzing the entrepreneurial environment ofChinese transitional economy and Chinese relational culture, and builds thetheoretical model of the effect of entrepreneurial network on entrepreneurial learningprocess, analysis the different impacts of personal ties, business ties and political tieson experiential learning, cognitive learning and action learning, reveals the mediatingrole of experiential learning, cognitive learning and action learning in the relationshipbetween entrepreneurial network and entrepreneurial knowledge. Meanwhile, thispaper empirical test the models using216valid samples come from Chang Chun andHang Zhou. The results show that the theoretical models are strongly supported bydate.Overall, from the results of our empirical study of entrepreneurial learning processand entrepreneurial network influence on entrepreneurial learning process we can seethat entrepreneurial learning is important for entrepreneur in entrepreneurial process.Entrepreneurial learning is a key path to identify opportunity, access to resource andcope with environmental uncertainty and complexity of entrepreneurial process for entrepreneurs. For new ventures, entrepreneurs’ entrepreneurial learning processdirectly determines whether they can survive and enter into early growth. For theventures which are better develop, the entrepreneurs often view entrepreneuriallearning process as great importance. They see learning as a daily required course inthe process of entrepreneurial activity and learning accompany by the whole newventure creation process and early growth process.More importantly, this study takes new ventures in Chinese transitional economyas samples to examine entrepreneurial learning mechanism. The entrepreneurialenvironment in Chinese context is very complexity. The institution in imperfect,disorderly competition in market is serious in transitional economy. Therefore,entrepreneurial activity and new ventures’ growth face a lot of difficulties in Chinesetransitional economy. Under this condition, how to cope with the high uncertaintyenvironment? How to compete with other firms? How to access to resources neededby entrepreneurs? How to grasp business opportunities? These all are significantdifficulties for entrepreneurs. So, continual learning is the best choice forentrepreneurs. Using learning process, entrepreneurs can obtain entrepreneurialknowledge by accumulating experience, observe other individuals or self-action.However, unfortunately Chinese new ventures and entrepreneurs still can not seen theimportance of entrepreneurial learning, can not understand entrepreneurial learning inentrepreneurial process, and can not grasp the problem of how to entrepreneuriallearning. Undoubtedly, our study of entrepreneurial learning opens a hopeful windowfor Chinese new ventures or entrepreneurs and guides them coping with thesedifficulties successfully.