%0 Journal Article
%T A Dynamic Model of Entrepreneurial Uncertainty and Business Opportunity Identification: Exploration as a Mediator and Entrepreneurial Self
%A Antje Schmitt
%A Kathrin Rosing
%A Michael Leatherbee
%A Stephen X. Zhang
%J Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice
%@ 1540-6520
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/1042258717721482
%X This study focuses on the identification of business opportunities when entrepreneurs¡¯ perceived level of environmental uncertainty changes. We suggest that within persons, exploration mediates this relationship and entrepreneurial self-efficacy moderates whether entrepreneurs explore more or less with increasing uncertainty. To test our moderated mediation model we conducted a monthly field study with 121 early-stage entrepreneurs. Multilevel regression analyses reveal that an increase in the level of perceived uncertainty within entrepreneurs predicted the identification of opportunities through exploration for entrepreneurs high in self-efficacy, but not for those low in self-efficacy. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy acts as a personal resource that helps entrepreneurs to transform increasing perceptions of uncertainty into exploration and opportunity identification
%K entrepreneurship
%K uncertainty
%K business opportunity identification
%K exploration
%K entrepreneurial self-efficacy
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1042258717721482