Entrepreneurial Newcomers and Cognitive Divergence in Bridging Structures

Abstract

This chapter presents research findings from in-depth interview data in the form of narrative analysis and illustrative quotations. The data demonstrates how technical-professional entrepreneurial newcomers cognitively diverge from influential and powerful bridges and reflect on their lack of experience, inferiority and low status. In particular, the data demonstrates that technical-professional entrepreneurial newcomers attune their cognition and cognitively diverge from influential and authoritative bridges through out-group approximation, conflict avoidance and face-threat tolerance.