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PurposeThis study seeks to investigate whether there are gender differences in the importance placed on two types of network support among managers in organisations. Prior research indicates that it can be expected that female managers will not have their social contact needs satisfied to the same extent as their male colleagues and that female managers do not regard their nearest colleagues as friends to the same extent as male managers.Design/methodology/approachLarge scale survey of managers in Denmark.FindingsThe first hypothesis is neither supported nor rejected, since the gender differences are strongly influenced by age, when controlling for sector, marital status, and children living at home. While male managers tend to see their colleagues more as friends, the older they are, the reverse is true of female managers. The second hypothesis is clearly rejected, since no gender differences are found.Originality/valueThe paper identifies the crucial role of age in the gender differences in perception of social support, offering a new interpretation of female managers' use of workplace networks.

In 1989 Mitton suggested that success for start-ups not only depends on who you are but also on whom you know. To study the importance of social capital and networks in relation to entrepreneurial activities, research in a Danish start-up context in two knowledge-intensive sectors has been carried out. The research methodology was based on a triangulation approach including a general questionnaire-based survey conducted through the Internet combined with a 85 in-depth interviews in purposefully sampled ventures. The analysis of the content and structure of social capital in relation to entrepreneurial networking activities in new technology-based small firms shows that teams are primarily composed of 'trusted alters', and that networking patterns and resource acquisition are highly influenced by entrepreneurs' attitude to and perception of networking.

AbstractWhile industry leaders proactively address environmental issues as an integrated part of corporate strategy, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) often perceive it as a means of cost reduction. The aim of this paper is to track the development of motivators, environmental initiatives, and their perceived effects on competitive advantage among SMEs. For that purpose, we conducted a longitudinal analysis of 4 repeated surveys over a period of 14 years among Danish manufacturing SMEs. Results show that Danish SMEs have increasingly deployed environmental initiatives that are associated with both lower costs and a differentiation dimensions of competitive advantage. The study also shows that over managerial attitudes, strategic intent has been the main driver when adopting such initiatives. Furthermore, we found that despite some differences between small and medium‐sized firms in terms of the levels of environmental engagement, the competitive benefits are generally robust regarding firm size. Before concluding, implications for future research and corporate managers are pointed out. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment