Abstract
We develop a process theory of network emergence focusing specifically on the effects of building key external ties in sequence and their influence on network outcomes. Central to this theory is the notion that the emergence of new firms’ network structure is not only influenced by past histories of focal agents but also by complex, semi-reversible interactions between ties. Using an inductive qualitative approach we induce a tie-order theory drawing on interviews with six new companies in the UK’s independent television production sector over three years. We find that establishing key ties in sequence enhances resource collation, and amplifies perceptions of influence, impacting in turn on network outcomes.