Exploring the Link Between Entrepreneurial Capabilities, Cognition, and Behaviors

Abstract

The papers in this volume explore the links between entrepreneurial capabilities, cognition, and behaviors, adopting a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches. Mensah, Asamoah, and Saghedi perform extensive literature review regarding how cognitive skills and personal traits complement each other in affecting the entrepreneur’s decisions to discover or create opportunities in an uncertain environment. They contribute with an integrated approach to entrepreneurial choices, considering both cognitive and personal characteristics, as well as creation and discovery of opportunities. This conceptual basis for a comprehensive conditions in entrepreneurs choices has been specified in the form of propositions for future research. Flechas, Kozesinski, and Camargo focus on capability perspective in entrepreneurial choices, in particular, on the role of absorptive capacity (AC) in new ventures. Using a systematic literature review, they identify links between AC and knowledge, innovation, and performance dimensions. The study proposes theoretical input to the knowledge on the role of absorptive capacity in the context of newly created companies, and thus it broadens the entrepreneurship and innovation research. It is also informative for the practice of innovation processes in new firm, identifying potential firm strategies in this area. The paper by Kovanen explores collaborative approach in social entrepreneurship. A systematic literature review enabled knowledge accumulation and structuring the major theoretical approaches in the field. The author finds ambiguity in the construct of collaboration in social enterprise, and difficulties to measure this phenomenon. Besides the synthesis of the field, the study contributes with critical review of conceptual grounds of collaboration in social entrepreneurship. Nuryakin broadens extant confirmatory studies on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It supports significance and positive relationships between the referred constructs in the context of furniture SMEs in central Java. Structural equation modeling enabled additional identification of the mediating effect from relational capabilities on the core relationship studied. Nuryakin expands the extant evidence on the strategic role of entrepreneurial orientation in business performance and strengthens theoretical generalization in this regard. Doanh studies the entrepreneurial motivations and cognitions of Vietnamese students. The author investigates interrelations between selfefficacy, attitude towards entrepreneurship, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intention to run a business. Unlike the majority of extant research, this study finds entrepreneurial intention (EI) affected by subjective norms both directly and indirectly. Self-efficacy proved insignificant as moderator between subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. However, it performed this role between attitude towards entrepreneurship and EI. This study supports the theory of planned behavior by conforming and nuancing it in the context of Vietnamese would-be entrepreneurs. Following the focus on entrepreneurial intention, Liu and Liang offer indepth and qualitative investigation of EI’s antecedents with a focus on social entrepreneurial intention (SEI). Unlike the earlier referred studies, which adopted either literature reviews or quantitative approaches, this research uses the case study method. Based on a comprehensive theoretical framework of EI, entrepreneurial event theory and theory of planned behavior, the authors describe, illustrate and explain antecedents of SEI. The paper contributes with an analytical generalization and corroboration of the theoretical framework of SEI with two additional drivers of knowledge capital and work experience, as well as with related conceptual and practical implications. Another qualitative and in-depth investigation of entrepreneurial motivations and attitudes is focused on specialty coffee businesses in Bangkok, Thailand, and Penang, Malaysia. Azavedo and Gogatz use explorative interviews and they report findings that challenge classical economics assumptions on income and profit maximization. Instead, they find lifestyle and professional passion as dominant motivations. The study supports the view on non-monetary motivations of entrepreneurs and offers theoretical redefinition of entrepreneurial passion as professional excellence or craft passion. Moreover, it is informative for policy-makers and educators. This thematic issue also hosts two articles published based on the general call for papers. Although not directly linked with the major topics of the current volume, they are valuable for the understanding of entrepreneurship context. Rodríguez-Castro and Aparicio undertake the issue of measuring performance of higher education institutions. They adopt extensive literature review to identify the production models in higher education vis a vis related policy objectives. Moreover, the authors identify types of performance measures, however, they find the means of accomplishing objectives by universities largely underexplored. The paper contributes with the conceptual framework of evaluation functions and capabilities that might be relevant for educational policy and institutions of higher education. Pilelienė and Tamulienė investigate consumer choices, in particular the attitudes and behaviors towards organic products, as well as their determinants, in the context of the Lithuanian market. The research broadens the knowledge of consumer choices towards organic goods in the specific national context, and it shows discrepancy between the environmental awareness, the knowledge of qualities of organic products, and purchasing decisions. The results are informative both for business and consumer agents, as well as for policy-makers.