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NETWORK ENTREPRENEURS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF TRUST AND REPAIR IN GRAY MARKETS
  • Dean Shepherd,
  • VINIT PARIDA,
  • Jason Colquitt
Dean Shepherd
University of Notre Dame

Corresponding Author:dshepherd@nd.edu

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VINIT PARIDA
Luleå University of Technology
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Jason Colquitt
University of Notre Dame
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Abstract

Network entrepreneurs broker relationships as opportunity exploitation. These entrepreneurs rely on mechanisms for building trust. Although entrepreneurship scholars have learned a great deal about trust, much of that work is bounded in contexts that provide important tailwinds for the willingness to be vulnerable. In contrast, we conducted a qualitative study of trust (and trust repair) by network entrepreneurs in a gray market—a context between the poles of legal/legitimate/appropriate and illegal/illegitimate/inappropriate. Our theorizing uncovered network, heuristic, trustworthiness, and control sources of trust (and trust-repair efforts) that sometimes differ from dynamics seen in traditional and criminal ventures.
Submitted to Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice
23 Jun 2025Assigned to Editor
23 Jun 2025Submission Checks Completed
24 Jun 2025Reviewer(s) Assigned
23 Aug 2025Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
21 Oct 20251st Revision Received
04 Nov 2025Assigned to Editor
04 Nov 2025Submission Checks Completed
06 Nov 2025Reviewer(s) Assigned
11 Feb 2026Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
04 Mar 20262nd Revision Received
10 Mar 2026Submission Checks Completed
10 Mar 2026Assigned to Editor
03 Apr 2026Editorial Decision: Revise Minor