Abstract:

Consistent  with  the  previous  studies  investigating  the  relationship  between  social competencies,  entrepreneurs’ success  and  access  to  essential  resources,  this  research respectively  intends  to  add  new  findings  concerning  the  mediating  role  of  social  networks which will enhance the effects of several social skills. 

Results indicate that the entrepreneurs’ proficiency at social influence and emotion reappraisal is  significantly  related  to their  access  to  vital  resources,  especially  venture  capitalists’ financing,  useful  information  and  human  resources. These  effects  are  mediated  by  the entrepreneurial  social  capital,  which  is  based  on  an  extensive  network  involving  weak  and non redundant ties. 

The  implications  of  these  findings  assist  seed-stage  entrepreneurs,  operating  in  the  High-Technology  field,  to  understand  the  dynamic  process  by  which  social  skills  enlarge  social networks to gain access to outside paramount resources and success.