ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIAL CAPITAL: Relationships and Start-ups in Indian ICT Industry

In the recent years, India has established its identity in the globalized world as a significant provider of services in the area of information and communication technology. While the fame has primarily come with development of large and respected Indian enterprises operating worldwide, what has widened the scope of this development is the extensive growth of small and medium entrepreneurship in this sector. Quite contrary to various other industries in India, community influences are yet unclear here. However, this does not mean that relationships play no role at all in operation of this industry. Instead, the idea of relationship is taking new meanings here. This book is an attempt to understand sociologically the experience of ICT entrepreneurs in starting up and running new enterprises. Based on rich qualitative data collected from founders of small and medium enterprises situated in different Indian cities, this book attempts to understand entrepreneurship using the framework of social capital. Primarily aimed at academic audience, this book will also be useful for civil society organizations and policy makers attempting to understand and promote entrepreneurship.

Anirban Sengupta is an Assistant Professor in the School of Development Studies at Ambedkar University, Delhi. His area of research includes entrepreneurship – society interrelationship, interaction between state policies and entrepreneurship, and methodological issues around entrepreneurship research. Articles written by him have been published in different journals including Sociological Bulletin, Journal of Entrepreneurship, and International Journal of Educational Development.