The impact which social networks have upon the development of small professional business service firms

Shaw, Eleanor (1997) The impact which social networks have upon the development of small professional business service firms. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to acquire an understanding of the impact which the micro environment in which a purposive sample of small graphic design agencies are embedded has upon their development which will offer practical recommendations to the owner-managers of small professional business service firms as well as make suggestions for policy and future research. For the purposes of acquiring such an understanding the concept of a social network (Mitchell 1969) is used to guide the collection of data about participants' perceptions of the impact which the relationships in which small graphic design agencies are embedded has had upon their development. The findings to emerge from inductive analysis of this data suggest that one factor contributing to the development of a purposive sample of small graphic design agencies were the social networks in which they were embedded. Particularly this analysis identifies the multiplex relationships which case-firms shared within individuals holding 'broker' positions within these networks as having had an important impact on their development. Further, this analysis suggests that participants involvement in 'networking' activities and owner- managers' control of these were also important in the development of case-firms, This analysis also identifies a number of influencing factors which suggest that certain findings may be specific to small graphic design agencies. The thesis concludes that the social network concept was a useful construct for conceiving of the relationships in which case-firms were embedded and identifies a number of recommendations for the owner-managers of small professional business service firms as well as for research and policy.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Adviser: Rod Martin
• Keywords: Business administration.
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences
• Supervisor's Name: Martin, Professor Rod and Lewis, Dr. John
• Date of Award: 1997
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1997-71601
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 10 May 2019 14:09
• Last Modified: 07 Sep 2022 13:11
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.71601
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/71601