ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst

Patterns of Managerial Ties in Entrepreneurial Firms in China: A comparative study of economy hotel chains of different ownership types

Through interviews with 15 top executives of economy hotel chains in China, this study aims to discover how the patterns and effects of managerial ties differ among state-owned, private, and foreign firms. Results indicate that managers in firms of different ownership types prefer different network tie combinations and differ in the extent to which they can benefit from managerial ties. The study contributes to both entrepreneurship and social network theories by summarizing different patterns of managerial ties and exploring the rationales for the variance. It also provides empirical evidence for understanding the important roles played by managers’ network ties in the entrepreneurial process. Entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry may be able to use the findings to help them select an optimal network tie mix and manage their network ties efficiently in the dynamic environment of a transitional economy.