Accessing external networks: the role of firm's resources and entrepreneurial orientation

Although a number of studies investigated the role of firm's internal resources and corporate entrepreneurship activities in determining the access to new resources through external networks, there is a lack of empirical research regarding their combined role. By using survey data from 224 Italian medium-size firms operating in manufacturing industries, we examine how internal resources and entrepreneurial orientation may be related to the use of networks and how entrepreneurial orientation may positively enhance such relationship by enabling the exploitation of new resources. Implications of our findings and directions for future research are discussed.