The shifting consultant involvement

Kim Klyver

15 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Small Business and Enterprise Development

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Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences Business Strategy and Innovation Migration, Ethnicity, and Economy

Abstract

Purpose This article aims to investigate the practice adopted by entrepreneurs regarding their use of consultants through the business life cycle. Design/methodology/approach A representative sample of Danish entrepreneurs was surveyed with response rates of 73 percent and 92 percent. The Danish GEM population survey was merged with own follow‐up surveys and statistically analyzed. Findings The survey results reveal that involvement of consultants increases as entrepreneurs move forward in the business life cycle. As entrepreneurs gain access to more resources, and as their problems become more fragmented, specialised, discrete and business oriented, the feasibility and benefit of consultant involvement becomes more viable. It was further found that older entrepreneurs have a higher tendency to involve consultants and that entrepreneurs mostly discuss economic and financial issues with consultants to whom they are mostly weakly connected. Research limitations/implications Compared to other people in entrepreneurs' social networks, entrepreneurs mostly discuss financial issues with consultants with whom they are mostly relatively weakly connected. Practical implications It is suggested that a publicly‐supported advisory system should continue its effort in the early stages where entrepreneurs have only scarce resources. Further it is suggested that this advisory should be even more concentrated towards other issues than financial issues such as marketing, strategy, coordination, and specific opportunity development. Originality/value The research extends previous studies by integrating advisory literature and social network literature. The introduction of the business life cycle is also new. The results are based on a very solid research design.

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References

2003The role of social and human capital among nascent entrepreneurs 1995Understanding the small business sector 2003Network-based research in entrepreneurship 1983Organizational Life Cycles and Shifting Criteria of Effectiveness: Some Preliminary Evidence 2003Social Networks and Entrepreneurship 2002The effects of embeddedness on the entrepreneurial process 2001The evolution of firm networks: from emergence to early growth of the firm 1999Response Rate in Academic Studies-A Comparative Analysis

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2014EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIRM SIZE AND EXTERNAL ADVICE ON LEGAL MATTERS AND HUMAN RESOURCES BY FAMILY BUSINESSES 2020An investigation on the need for business advisors who can respond to the changing needs of small business enterprises faced with a dynamic operating environment.2015ENTREPRENEURIAL NETWORKS AND GROWTH IN FEMALE-OWNED BUSINESSES: EVIDENCE FROM SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES IN ERITREA

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