Meta-Analysis to Explain The Relationship between Social Networks and Organizational Entrepreneurship: Researches in the Period of 2011-2021

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Assistant Professor of Political Science-Development, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Education and Human Resources Improvement, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Management, Faculty of Management, Economics and Accounting, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jmek.2026.427563.1113
Abstract
Social media and social networks promote and develop entrepreneurship by increasing economic growth, improving productivity, and developing new technologies, products, and services. The main purpose of this research is to explain the relationship between social networks and organizational entrepreneurship through a meta-analysis of studies conducted during the period of 2011–2021. The research method is quantitative meta-analysis (CMA3). The data collection tool is a reverse questionnaire. The statistical population consists of 26 survey (scientific-research) studies, from which 14 studies were purposively selected based on validity, reliability, and quality of research, presence of correlation coefficient, sample size, and significance level of each study. The unit of analysis was research articles. To estimate the final effect size of each study and the overall effect size, the Fisher and Cohen formula was used. The research findings indicate that the effect size of social networks on organizational entrepreneurship was 0.714. In Cohen's interpretive system, this amount is evaluated in the medium-to-high range, indicating that a relatively high relationship exists between the two research variables. Furthermore, with 95% confidence, the effect size of all studies falls within the significant range. Based on the research results, the development of new technologies has led to the prominent role of social networks, turning them into a place for storing ideas, ideation, and information sharing, and has increased the interest of small and medium-sized businesses in social networks day by day.
Keywords
Subjects

 

Al-Dajani, H., & Marlow, S. (2013). Empowerment and entrepreneurship: A theoretical framework. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research.
Aghaei, B., & Aghaei, H. (2014). The role of information and communication technologies, computers, and the Internet in entrepreneurship development. Proceedings of the 2nd National Conference on New Technologies in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Aghabararian Hamzeh-Kalaii, A. (2016). The impact of social capital of virtual social networks on entrepreneurship development in Sistan and Baluchestan Province [Master's thesis, University of Sistan and Baluchestan].
Ahmadi-Nasab, E., Mozaffari, A., & Farhangi, A.-A. (2021). The impact of social networks on entrepreneurial skills and national development: A case study of Iranian startup managers. Media Studies, 52, 83–96.
Ali-Hassan, H., Nevo, D., & Wade, M. (2015). Linking dimensions of social media use to job performance: The role of social capital. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 24(2), 65–89.
Ansari, M., Azma, F., Samiei, R., & Tajari, T. (2020). Developing a model of the physical environment for entrepreneurship in Islamic Azad University units using a mixed-methods approach. Educational Leadership and Management, 52, 21–55.
Antonić, B. B., & Hisrich, R. D. (2001). Intrapreneurship: Construct refinement and cross-cultural validation. Journal of Business Venturing, 16(5), 495–527.
Baron, D. P. (2007). Corporate social responsibility and social entrepreneurship. Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, 16(3), 683–717.
Baron, R. A., & Tang, J. (2009). Entrepreneurs' social skills and new venture performance: Mediating mechanisms and cultural generality. Journal of Management, 35(2), 282–306.
Bartholomew, M. K., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., Glassman, M., Kamp Dush, C. M., & Sullivan, J. M. (2012). New parents' Facebook use at the transition to parenthood. Family Relations, 61(3), 455–469.
Bhardwaj, B. R., Sushil, & Momaya, K. (2007). Corporate entrepreneurship: Application of moderator method. Singapore Management Review, 29(1), 47–58.
Bahrami, S., et al. (2021). Professional ethics and efficiency in Iranian public organizations. Iranian Journal of Management, 8(2), 120–140.
Bahrevar, M. (2015). The impact of virtual networks on the growth and development of entrepreneurship [Master's thesis, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Central Branch].
Beyat, A. H., & Mousavi, S. E. R. (2022). A critical examination of the components of employee lifestyle in bureaucratic public organizations in Iran. Islamic Management Journal, (2), 129–167.
Burt, R. S. (2000a). Decay functions. Social Networks, 22(1), 1–28.
Burt, R. S. (2000b). The network structure of social capital. Research in Organizational Behavior, 22, 345–423.
Burt, R. S. (2002). Bridge decay. Social Networks, 24(4), 333–363.
Chou, Y. K. (2006). Three simple models of social capital and economic growth. The Journal of Socio-Economics, 35(5), 889–912.
Chung, L. H., & Gibbons, P. T. (1997). Corporate entrepreneurship: The roles of ideology and social capital. Group & Organization Management, 22(1), 10–30.
Çolakoğlu, N., & Gözükara, İ. (2016). A comparison study on personality traits based on the attitudes of university students toward entrepreneurship. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 229, 133–140.
Cope, J., Jack, S., & Rose, M. B. (2007). Social capital and entrepreneurship: An introduction. International Small Business Journal, 25(3), 213–219.
Cornwall, J. R., & Perlman, B. (1990). Organizational entrepreneurship. Irwin.
Craven, P., & Wellman, B. (1973). The network city. Sociological Inquiry, 43(3–4), 57–88.
Echols, A. E., & Neck, C. P. (1998). The impact of behaviors and structure on corporate entrepreneurial success. Journal of Managerial Psychology.
Etemadi-Nasab, E., Mozaffari, A., & Farhangi, A.-A. (2021). The impact of social networks on entrepreneurial skills and national development: A case study of Iranian startup managers. Media Studies, 52, 83–96.
Fayad, Y., & El Ebrashi, R. (2022). Social capital and corporate entrepreneurship: The role of absorptive capacity in emerging markets. Management Decision.
Ghorbani, B., & Ghandehari, O. (2017). Effective strategies for preventing crimes in virtual social networks from students' perspectives: A case study of Golestan University. Culture in the Islamic University, 22, 109–130.
Grezin, Z. (2018). The impact of online social networks on new product development performance mediated by entrepreneurial opportunity recognition in science and technology park companies in Semnan [Master's thesis, Semnan University].
Hosseini-Pour, D., & Zarei-Vash, F. (2010). A model of organizational entrepreneurship: A case study of the General Department of Cooperatives of Tehran Province. Cooperation and Agriculture, 216, 171–198.
Hornsby, J. S., Naffziger, D. W., Kuratko, D. F., & Montagno, R. V. (1993). An interactive model of the corporate entrepreneurship process. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 17(2), 29–37.
Hsu, C.-C., Tan, K. C., & Laosirihongthong, T. (2014). Antecedents of SCM practices in ASEAN automotive industry: Corporate entrepreneurship, social capital, and resource-based perspectives. The International Journal of Logistics Management.
Imani, A.-M., Hosseinifar, A., & Ahang, F. (2018). The impact of social networks on digital entrepreneurship with the mediating role of opportunity recognition: A study of knowledge-based companies located in Kerman Science and Technology Park. Public Management Research, 41, 290–312.
Imani, A.-M., Hosseinifar, A., & Mobaraki, M. (2017). The impact of social networks on digital entrepreneurship in knowledge-based companies. Smart Business Management Studies, 22, 1–22.
Jaghouri, M. (2018). Investigating the impact of social media functions on employee entrepreneurship with the mediating role of social capital: A case study of Shahrara newspaper employees [Master's thesis, Hakim Toos Higher Education Institute].
Jangi-Zehi, K., Pourghaz, A., & Jena-Abadi, H. (2019). The use of social networks and its relationship with identity styles and tendency toward risky behaviors among high school students in Saravan County. Recent Advances in Psychology, Educational Sciences and Education, 21, 18–31.
Kerr, S. P., Kerr, W. R., & Xu, T. (2018). Personality traits of entrepreneurs: A review of recent literature. Foundations and Trends® in Entrepreneurship, 14(3), 279–356.
Keykha, M., Zargar, A., & Ekati, M. (2016). Attention to entrepreneurship and resistance economy: A contemporary need of education and society. Management and Entrepreneurship Studies, 6, 138–153.
Kim, P. H., & Aldrich, H. E. (2005). Social capital and entrepreneurship. Foundations and Trends® in Entrepreneurship, 1(2), 55–104.
Kim, P. H., Aldrich, H. E., & Keister, L. A. (2006). Access (not) denied: The impact of financial, human, and cultural capital on entrepreneurial entry in the United States. Small Business Economics, 27(1), 5–22.
Kuhlke, O., Schramme, A., & Kooyman, R. (2015). Creating cultural capital: Cultural entrepreneurship in theory, pedagogy and practice. Eburon Uitgeverij BV.
Keneani, A. (2012). The impact of social networks on entrepreneurial opportunity recognition. Paper presented at the 2nd National Student Conference on Entrepreneurship.
Leyden, D. P., Link, A. N., & Siegel, D. S. (2014). A theoretical analysis of the role of social networks in entrepreneurship. Research Policy, 43(7), 1157–1163.
Ma, X., Ding, Z., & Yuan, L. (2016). Subnational institutions, political capital, and the internationalization of entrepreneurial firms in emerging economies. Journal of World Business, 51(5), 843–854.
Matlay, H. (2008). The impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial outcomes. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development.
Meydooshi, M., Zali, M. R., & Kardanaiij, A. (2021). Assessment of entrepreneurial characteristics among students: A case study of the University of Mazandaran. Management Research in Iran, 11, 81–113.
Morris, M. H., & Kuratko, D. F. (2002). Corporate entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurial development within organizations. South-Western.
Morris, M. H., Kuratko, D. F., & Covin, J. G. (2010). Corporate entrepreneurship & innovation. Cengage Learning.
Moin-Nia, M., & Mollamohammadi, M. (2020). Investigating corporate entrepreneurship strategies for company growth and survival. Journal of Management and Industrial Engineering, 4, 46–61.
Moqimi, D. (2005). Entrepreneurship in public organizations. Far Andish Publications.
Mesbah-Jahromi, N.-S., Adibzadeh, M., Nakhai, S., & Hosseini, S.-M. (2015). The impact of social capital on entrepreneurship and organizational citizenship behavior: Examining the moderating role of employees' emotional intelligence. Social Capital Management, 5(2), 367–392.
Malekian, E., Kamran-Rad, S., & Vafaei-Dizji, S. (2014). Entrepreneurship and innovation as the driving engine of economic growth and sustainable development. Paper presented at the 2nd National Conference on Entrepreneurship and Management of Knowledge-Based Businesses.
Mamiz, A.-A., Ghasemi, S. A., & Ghasemi, S. F. (2013). Investigating factors affecting women's entrepreneurship development. Scientific-Research Journal.
Oosterbeek, H., Van Praag, M., & Ijsselstein, A. (2010). The impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurship skills and motivation. European Economic Review, 54(3), 442–454.
Pempek, T. A., Yermolayeva, Y. A., & Calvert, S. L. (2009). College students' social networking experiences on Facebook. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 30(3), 227–238.
Poughahrmani, B., & Ghandehari, O. (2017). Effective strategies for preventing crimes in virtual social networks from students' perspectives: A case study of Golestan University. Culture in the Islamic University, 22, 109–130.
Raimi, L., Akhuemonkhan, I., & Ogunjirin, O. D. (2015). Corporate social responsibility and entrepreneurship (CSRE): Antidotes to poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment in Nigeria. Social Responsibility Journal.
Rezaei, M., & Gholamzadeh, M. (2018). An analysis of individualism in virtual social networks. New Media Studies, 15, 1–31.
Safaei-Kanjin, M., Seyed-Naqavi, M.-A., & Kameli, M.-J. (2021). Investigating factors influencing social networks on entrepreneurship development of home-based businesses mediated by social network characteristics: Evidence from food industries. Executive Management Research, 62, 193–208.
Safar-Begi, M. (2017). Investigating the impact of social networks on the selection of entrepreneurial financing methods among actual and potential entrepreneurs in Ilam [Master's thesis, Bakhtar Higher Education Institute].
Sakhdari, K. (2016). Corporate entrepreneurship: A review and future research agenda. Technology Innovation Management Review, 6(8).
Salamzadeh, A., Tajpour, M., & Hosseini, E. (2020). Investigating the impact of virtual social networks on entrepreneurial intention. Media Studies, 48, 111–124.
Sathiabama, K. (2010). Rural women empowerment and entrepreneurship development.
Schumpeter, J. (1983). The theory of economic development. Transaction Publishers.
Shahin, M. (2015). Investigating the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on export intensity with the mediating role of innovation performance and organizational learning capability: A case study of leading tile and ceramic export companies in Tehran [Master's thesis, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Central Branch].
Shahbazi, K., Hassanzadeh, A., & Jafarzadeh, B. (2014). Investigating the impact of entrepreneurship and innovation on economic growth: A panel data approach. Innovation and Value Creation, 5, 43–56.
Sik, E., & Wellman, B. (2018). Network capital in capitalist, communist, and postcommunist countries. In Networks in the global village (pp. 225–253). Routledge.
Sultan-Mohammadlou, E. (2016). The role of virtual social networks in students' entrepreneurial intention at Allameh Tabataba'i University [Master's thesis, Allameh Tabataba'i University].
Taheri-Attar, G., Pouranjenar, G.-B., & Namdar-Jooymi, E. (2020). The role of entrepreneurial network ability in discovering entrepreneurial opportunities: Entrepreneurial social networks active on Instagram and Telegram. Development Strategy, 61, 240–269.
Toledano, N., Urbano, D., & Bernadich, M. (2010). Networks and corporate entrepreneurship: A comparative case study on family business in Catalonia. Journal of Organizational Change Management.
Turner, R. S. (1999). Entrepreneurial neighborhood initiatives: Political capital in community development. Economic Development Quarterly, 13(1), 15–22.
Van der Sluis, J., Van Praag, M., & Vijverberg, W. (2008). Education and entrepreneurship selection and performance: A review of the empirical literature. Journal of Economic Surveys, 22(5), 795–841.
Vuong, Q. H. (2016). Impacts of geographical locations and sociocultural traits on Vietnamese entrepreneurship. SpringerPlus, 5(1), 1–19.
Yaghoubi Farani, A., Karimi, S., Izadi, N., & Ataei, P. (2019). Effect of virtual social networks on entrepreneurial behaviour of agriculture students in Iran. Applied Economics, 51(21), 2326–2335.
Zali, M. R., Madooshi, M., & Kardanaiij, A. (2021). Assessment of entrepreneurial characteristics among students: A case study of the University of Mazandaran. Management Research in Iran, 11, 81–113.
Volume 6, Issue 4
Winter 2026
Pages 78-94

  • Receive Date 29 October 2025
  • Revise Date 05 December 2025
  • Accept Date 16 January 2026