Entrepreneur’s human capital and business model innovation: The meditation role of access to start-up resources

Abstract

Based on human capital theory, this study aims to explain start-up resources formation and business model innovation. Thestudyexaminedtheeffectofentrepreneur’shumancapi-tal (includingmanagerial skillsandentrepreneurialskills) on businessmodel innovation via access to start-up resources as a mediator. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted with the size sample of 220 founders/co-founders of start-up firmsin Vietnam. The researchresultssupportedthepositivelinksfrommanagerial skills and entrepreneurial skills to businessmodel innovation through the mediating mechanism of access to start-up re-sources. The study explored the meditation role of access to start-up resources between entrepreneur’s human capital and business model innovation. In addition, the results provide practical value to entrepreneurs in improving managerial skills and entrepreneurial skills in order to facilitate theaccesstooutsidesupportresourcesandpromotebusiness model innovation. Finally, the study suggests some managerial implications for entrepreneurs, research limitations and further research directions.