Title: Potential for opportunity recognition: differentiating entrepreneurs

Authors: Kishinchand Poornima Wasdani; Mary Mathew

Addresses: Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India ' Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India

Abstract: The potential for opportunity recognition (ORP) is a skill that single out successful entrepreneurs from unsuccessful ones. The entrepreneurs with high ORP were differentiated from the entrepreneurs with low ORP on the factors that influence their ORP. It was also found that the factors influencing ORP differed with the degree of potential to recognising opportunities. The ORP of entrepreneurs with high potential to recognise opportunities was influenced by bonding social capital, power motivation and level of education attained. Whereas, the ORP of entrepreneurs with low potential to recognise opportunities was influenced by their cognitive style. The implications of this study on mentoring of entrepreneurs are discussed.

Keywords: opportunity recognition; bridging social capital; bonding social capital; power motivation; cognitive styles; MSMEs; micro enterprises; demography; education; gender; work experience; entrepreneurship training; entrepreneurial self-efficacy; successful entrepreneurs; mentoring; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2014.065526

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2014 Vol.23 No.3, pp.336 - 362

Received: 08 Apr 2014
Accepted: 19 Apr 2014
Published online: 07 Nov 2014 *

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