International business opportunity recognition and development
基于创业认知研究，构建模型探讨社会网络、国际经验和主动心态如何驱动中小企业识别和开发国际商业机会，并用92家中小企业样本验证。
Purpose Understanding how international business opportunities (IBOs) are recognized and developed is critical to the study of international entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach We draw on entrepreneurial cognition research broadly and the entrepreneurial judgment perspective specifically to develop a model of the recognition and development of IBOs by considering three theoretically important sets of drivers – social networks, international experience and a proactive mindset. We use a sample of 92 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to test the model empirically. Findings We find robust support. Entrepreneurial judgment surrounding IBOs and uncertain international business environments entails tapping social networks, international experience and a proactive mindset to both recognize third-person opportunities for someone as well as to act upon and develop IBOs as first-person opportunities from which a focal firm can profit. Originality/value Conceptually and empirically, we peer inside the black box of IBO entrepreneurial judgment processes by jointly evaluating the abstract recognition of third-person opportunities as well as the concrete actions and interactions that develop the IBOs into first-person opportunities.