ETHICS AND RESEARCH
ETHICS AND RESEARCH
PROPOSAL APPLICATION
TOBoard of Studies
FROM
DATE PREPAREDClick here to enter a date. Choose date from down arrow.DATE OF MEETINGClick here to enter a date. Choose date from down arrow.All applications should be in Microsoft Word and submitted to research@wandw.ac.nzGENERAL INFORMATION
Research Number: (Request number from Research Administrator)
Project title: Entrepreneurial opportunity recognition: A systematic review
Principal researcher: Student Staff
Project Type
(only for student research): 90-Credit Thesis
60-Credit Dissertation 45-Credit Praxis/Applied Research Project
Other researcher(s)/ Consortium/Project participants: School:
School of Business
Supervisor/Project sponsor: If applicable Proposed start date and duration (Ethics approval is valid for between 12 and 24 months)
Click here to enter a date.
3 months
SECTIONS COMPLETED
Section 1: Proposal details YES NO Section 2: Self-assessment of ethical risk YES NO Result of Self-assessment: Ethics is not necessary
Section 3: Ethical approval N/A YES NO APPROVALS
PROPOSAL APPROVAL
Applicant must obtain signature/approval of their Head of School to indicate support for the research.
Approval can be in the form of a signature, electronic signature, email, or letter of support.
The Chair will sign this application when it has been approved by the Ethics and Research Committee.
Principal Researcher: Date:
Click here to enter a date.
Researchers Head of School:
(for employees of WelTec, Whitireia and subsidiaries only please have your Head of School sign here) Date:
Click here to enter a date.
Supervisors approval
(Please have your supervisor sign. Supervisors must read the final application) Date: External research partners
(Please list) Chair, Ethics and Research Committee or Board of Studies: Research Office use only Date:
Click here to enter a date.
Will this application proceed to an external Ethics Committee? YES NO Name and institution of Ethics Committee(s) Recommendations:
Choose and edit a Resolution.
1095375-508000
ETHICS AND RESEARCH PROPOSAL
APPLICATION FORM
SECTION 1: PROPOSAL DETAILS Research No:
1.1. Research question What is the aim of your research? What are the objectives of your research? What do you hope to achieve?
This project systematically reviews the literature on entrepreneurial opportunity recognition to identify the key factors influencing entrepreneurs' recognition of opportunities.
Aim:
To conduct a systematic literature review on entrepreneurial opportunity recognition.
Objectives:
Explore the conceptualisation of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition.
Assess the impact of the factors that impact entrepreneurial opportunity recognition.
Based on the findings of this study, I hope to achieve to:
Expound managerial implications for entrepreneurs.
Discuss the theoretical implications for entrepreneurial opportunity recognition in entrepreneurship.
1.2. Background to the study and literature review Give some background about your study or creative process linking it to the literature or previous work with relevant references. If relevant, provide the theoretical framework within which your research will be proposed.BACKGROUND AND STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
In the pursuit of success, it is essential to identify and seize opportunities as they arise. For entrepreneurs, recognizing and capitalizing on business opportunities is central to their success (Kwon et al., 2018). A business opportunity can be defined as a favorable circumstance that leads to action. To identify business opportunities, one can examine the current product or service delivery processes and methods (Ardichvili et al., 2003). According to Davidsson (2015), opportunities play a crucial role in discovering new methods of production and new combinations of resources. Therefore, entrepreneurs must be alert and proactive in identifying potential business opportunities. According to Kirzner's (1979), Cohen & Winn (2007), Holcombe (2003) analysis, market imperfections serve as critical sources of economic profit opportunities. A wide array of literature has acknowledged that business opportunities entail diverse value-creation processes. Identifying such opportunities can establish favorable circumstances that foster positive outcomes and drive business actions. Recognizing business opportunities is a prominent topic in the field of entrepreneurship studies. However, the pace of development in this area poses difficulties in the accumulation and systematization of research, making it challenging to gain a comprehensive understanding of this concept. Therefore, the objective of this study is to conduct a thorough review of the literature on opportunity recognition.
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The success of any business hinges on the availability of viable business opportunities, which provide a platform for establishing, expanding, and developing a brand. In essence, the primary objective of a business opportunity is to catalyze driving revenue and profit growth for the individual or organization involved in the business (Sjdin et al., 2020).
Entrepreneurial recognitionIn the competitive world of business, identifying the right opportunities can be the difference between success and failure (Aldrich & Cliff, 2003). Mary et al. (2016) said successful entrepreneurs recognize and capitalize on market demands by providing valuable solutions and innovative ways to cater to societal needs. Davidsson (2015) agreed that opportunities can be discovered or created through creativity. Entrepreneurs who identify gaps in the market and create new products or services from scratch are more likely to succeed (Aldrich & Cliff, 2003). By capitalizing on emerging trends and markets, entrepreneurs can enhance their revenue streams and create value for their businesses (Ramoglou & Tsang, 2016). Remember that recognizing and seizing business opportunities is crucial to success in today's dynamic marketplace (Baron, 2006).
To identify opportunities in business, Ardichvili et al (2003) said that business opportunities are favorable conditions including circumstances, objectives, direction, and financing to make a profit. Business opportunities come from business ideas with aspirations to seek profits in the future (Davidsson, 2015). Those ideas can come from a customer complaint, a product review, solving a problem in meeting a customer, or in life. Sometimes, ideas can also come from success, including the failures of competitors or the business itself (Popescul, 2017). Ideas that come from inside or outside the business are necessary, the problem is how the organization collects and turns those ideas into business opportunities for themselves (Sarasvathy et al, 2003).
Essential factors bearing great importance in recognizing opportunities
2. a Prior knowledge (PK)
Vaghely & Juli (2010) highlighted that the ability of individuals to identify business opportunities is largely due to the PK they have accumulated over time. Prior knowledge is crucial in identifying and discovering the potential of such opportunities. However, Popescul (2017) posits that lacking knowledge and skills can hinder recognizing opportunities. Grgoire et al. (2010a) suggested that PK is an individual's cognitive resource and forms the foundation of the opportunity identification process. However, Chandra et al. (2009) argue that PK alone cannot aid individuals in recognizing, seeking, and creating opportunities. Other sources of information such as education and social connections are also integral. Individuals can recognize and exploit opportunities by applying their acquired PK to specific niche situations (Ko & Butler, 2006). These studies demonstrate the importance of accumulating knowledge and skills to recognize business opportunities (Corbett, 2007).
2. b Social awareness/capital
Entrepreneurs need information and resources to validate, find, and recognize opportunities, which can be achieved using social capital (Ardichvili et al., 2003). Social capital can help entrepreneurs connect with people from different sectors and locations, tap into and access scarce resources to earn opportunities from different situations (Fuentes et al, 2010). Corbett (2007) acknowledged that strong relationships provide entrepreneurs with important strategic opportunities and resources. However, Ardichvili et al. (2003) suggest that individuals identify opportunities better when relationships are weak. Social capital is an intermediary between human capital, opportunity recognition, and resource mobilization (Bhagavatula et al., 2010). Tang (2010) said that entrepreneurs' social capital and social skills can help them overcome setbacks to explore opportunities. Thus, social capital is an important factor in opportunity recognition research.
2. c Cognition/personality traitsResearch by Ardichvili et al. (2003) focused on individual characteristics and suggested that they influence the recognition and exploitation of opportunities that facilitate the creation of new companies. Personality traits discussed in psychology include creativity, self-efficacy, tendency to take risks, achievement needs, independent needs, and locus of control. Wood & Pearson (2009) determined that self-efficacy motivates entrepreneurs to achieve higher goals. Risk-taking individuals less afraid of failure may be aware of the many opportunities around them. Optimism is a positive approach to every situation that leads individuals to identify opportunities (Baron, 2006). Foo (2011) has shown that high levels of intelligence and creativity are essential to identifying a niche opportunity. According to Shane et al (2010), curiosity, imagination and open-mindedness are essential qualities for validating opportunities. Baron (2006) considers opportunity recognition a cognitive process through which individuals ultimately identify opportunities. This process showed that an individual is willing to work hard, taking risks to create opportunities. Thus, perception is considered a factor influencing the study of opportunity recognition.2. d Environmental factors
Environmental factors such as technology, social norms, politics, demographics, and culture are vital in influencing entrepreneurs to identify business opportunities (Kickul et al., 2010). Changes in technology, social norms, political environment, and demographic conditions also play a significant part in discovering or creating opportunities (Singh et al., 2008). It is important to note that the existing environmental conditions can impact recognizing entrepreneurial opportunities. The availability of information about society's resources is a crucial aspect of a business opportunity (Ireland et al., 2003). Furthermore, government regulations and policies can influence the opportunity recognition process. Tang (2010) said that possessing distinct cultural knowledge can provide a competitive edge when exploring or creating opportunities. In conclusion, environmental conditions are the foundation for individuals to take action on business opportunities.
2. e Entrepreneurial alertnessEntrepreneurial alertness refers to the ability to identify business opportunities. According to Ardichvili et al (2003), individuals with high entrepreneurial alertness can immediately recognize opportunities, even without actively searching for them, simply by observing phenomena. Research has found that entrepreneurs possessing sobriety have unique qualities that enable them to identify opportunities from new perspectives and situations that others may not have noticed. Furthermore, some argue that sobriety can lead entrepreneurs to exploit opportunities in the market using their knowledge, although there is no practical formula for creating opportunities (Fiet, 2007). Conversely, other studies suggest that individuals do not actively seek opportunities, but rather stumble upon them by chance through the valuable information they receive (Ardichvili et al., 2003). Dyeret al (2008) posited that systematic searching is not always the opposite of sobriety. Most research agrees that recognizing or rejecting opportunities is reliant on an individual's cognitive capacities, and entrepreneurial sobriety is a crucial factor influencing opportunity recognition.
References:
Aldrich, H. E., & Cliff, J. E. (2003). The pervasive effects of family on entrepreneurship: toward a family embeddedness perspective. Journal of Business Venturing, 18(5), 573596.
Ardichvili, A., Cardozo, R., & Ray, S. (2003). A theory of entrepreneurial opportunity identification and development. Journal of Business Venturing, 18(1), 105-123.
Baron, R. A. (2006). Opportunity recognition as pattern recognition: how entrepreneurs connect the dots to identify new business opportunities. Academy of Management Perspectives, 20(1), 104119.
Bhagavatula, S., Elfring, T., van Tilburg, A., & van de Bunt, G. G. (2010). How social and human capital influence opportunity recognition and resource mobilization in Indias handloom industry. Journal of Business Venturing, 25(3), 245260.
Bonney, F. L., & Williams, B. C. (2009). From products to solutions: the role of salesperson opportunity recognition. European Journal of Marketing, 43(7), 10321052.
Chandra, Y., Styles, C., & Wilkinson, I. (2009). The recognition of first-time international entrepreneurial opportunities: evidence from firms in knowledge-based industries. International Marketing Review, 26(1), 3061.
Chen, M., & Yang, Y. (2009). Typology and performance of new ventures in Taiwan: a model based on opportunity recognition and entrepreneurial creativity. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 15(5), 398-414.
Cohen, B., & Winn, M. I. (2007). Market imperfections, opportunity, and sustainable entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing, 22(1), 29-49.
Cooper, S. Y., & Park, J. S. (2008). The impact of incubator organizations on opportunity recognition and technology innovation in new, entrepreneurial high-technology ventures. International Small Business Journal, 26(1), 27-56.
Corbett, A. C. (2007). Learning asymmetries and the discovery of entrepreneurial opportunities. Journal of Business Venturing, 22(1), 97118.
Daidj, N., & Egert, C. (2018). Towards new coopetition-based business models? The case of Netflix on the French market. Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, 20(1), 99-120.
Davidsson, P. (2015). Entrepreneurial opportunities and the entrepreneurship nexus: A re-conceptualization. Journal of Business Venturing, 30(5), 674-695.
Dyer, J. H., Gregersen, H. B., & Christensen, C. (2008). Entrepreneur behaviors, opportunity recognition, and the origins of innovative ventures. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 2(4), 317-338.
Fiet, J. O. (2007). A prescriptive analysis of search and discovery. Journal of Management Studies, 44(4),
Foo, M. D. (2011). Emotions and entrepreneurial opportunity evaluation.Entrepreneurship theory and practice,35(2), 375-393..Fuentes, M. D. M. F., Arroyo, M. R., Bojica, A. M., & Prez, V. F. (2010). Prior knowledge and social networks in the exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 6(4), 481501.
Garcia-Cabrera, A. M., & Garca-Soto, M. G. (2009). A dynamic model of technology-based opportunity recognition. Journal of Entrepreneurship, 18(2), 167-190.
Gordon, S. R. (2007). Interpersonal trust, vigilance, and social networks roles in the process of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 4(5), 564-585.
Gorling, S., & Rehn, A. (2008). Accidental ventures - a materialist reading of opportunity and entrepreneurial potential. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 24(2}, 94-102.
Grgoire, D. A., Barr, P. S., & Shepherd, D. A. (2010a). Cognitive processes of opportunity recognition: the role of structural alignment. Organization Science, 21(2), 413-431.
Grgoire, D. A., Shepherd, D. A., & Lambert, L. S. (2010b). Measuring opportunity-recognition beliefs: illustrating and validating an experimental approach. Organizational Research Methods, 13(1), 114-145.
Hansen, D. J., Lumpkin, G. T., & Hills, G. E. (2011). A multidimensional examination of a creativity-based opportunity recognition model. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 17(5), 515533.
Hayton, J., Chandler, G. N., & DeTienne, D. R. (2011). Entrepreneurial opportunity identification and new firm development processes: a comparison of family and non-family new ventures. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 13(1), 12-31.
Kickul, J., Liao, J., Gundry, L., & Iakovleva, T. (2010). Firm resources, opportunity recognition, entrepreneurial orientation and performance: the case of Russian women-led family businesses. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 12(1), 52-69.
Kirzner, I. (1979). Perception, opportunity, and profit. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Kirzner, I. M. (1983).Perception, opportunity, and profit. Chicago, IL, USA: Chicago University Press.
Ko, S., & Butler, J. E. (2006). Prior knowledge, bisociative mode of thinking and entrepreneurial opportunity identification. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 3(1), 3-16.
Koellinger, P. (2008). Why are some entrepreneurs more innovative than others? Small Business Economics, 31(1), 21-37.
Kontinen, T., & Ojala, A. (2011a). International opportunity recognition among small and medium-sized family firms. Journal of Small Business Management, 49(3), 490-514.
Li, X. (2023). Analysis of Netflixs Strategic Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities.Highlights in Business, Economics and Management, 22, 5359.
Mahnke, V., Venzin, M., & Zahra, S. A. (2007). Governing entrepreneurial opportunity recognition in MNEs: aligning interests and cognition under uncertainty. Journal of Management Studies, 44(7), 1278-1298
Mary George, N., Parida, V., Lahti, T., & Wincent, J. (2016). A systematic literature review of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition: insights on influencing factors. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 12, 309350.
McMullen, J. S., Plummer, L. A., & Acs, Z. J. (2007). What is an entrepreneurial opportunity? Small Business Economics, 28(4), 273283.
Patzelt, H., & Shepherd, D. A. (2011). Recognizing opportunities for sustainable development. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 35(4), 631-652.
Pech, R. J., & Cameron, A. (2006). An entrepreneurial decision process model describing opportunity recognition. European Journal of Innovation Management, 9(1), 61-78.
Plummer, L. A., Haynie, J. M., & Godesiabois, J. (2007). An essay on the origins of entrepreneurial opportunity. Small Business Economics, 28(4), 363-379.
Popescul, L. (2017). Entrepreneurship. The Road to Ideas to Opportunities and Business Success. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 23(5), 839-841.
Ramoglou, S., & Tsang, E. W. (2016). A realist perspective of entrepreneurship: Opportunities as propensities. Academy of Management Review, 41(3), 410434.
Rayna, T., & Striukova, L. (2016). 360 Business Model Innovation: Toward an Integrated View of Business Model Innovation: An integrated, value-based view of a business model can provide insight into potential areas for business model innovation. Research-Technology Management, 59(3), 21-28.
Korri, S. A., & Yu, J. S. (2005). Cognition and international entrepreneurship: implications for research on international opportunity recognition and exploitation. International Business Review, 14(2), 129-146.
Sarasvathy, S. D., Dew, N., Ramakrishna Velamuri, S., & Venkataraman, S. (2003). Three views of entrepreneurial opportunity. In Z. Acs & D. B. Audretsch (Eds.), Handbook of entrepreneurship research (pp. 141-160). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Schwartz, R. G., Teach, R. D., & Birch, N. J. (2005). A longitudinal study of entrepreneurial firms opportunity recognition and product development management strategies: implications by firm type. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 11(4), 315-329
Sjdin, D., Parida, V., Jovanovic, M., & Visnjic, I. (2020). Value creation and value capture alignment in business model innovation: A process view on outcomebased business models. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 37(2), 158-183.
Tang, J. (2010). How entrepreneurs discover opportunities in China: an institutional view. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 27(3), 461479.
Vaghely, I. P., & Julien, P. (2010). Are opportunities recognized or constructed? An information perspective on entrepreneurial opportunity identification. Journal of Business Venturing, 25(1), 73-86.
Wang, Y. L., & Ellinger, A. D. (2009). Examining the relationships between information acquisition, entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, and innovation performance through the development and validation of a new measure to assess information acquisition in the high technology sector in Taiwan. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 9(3), 313-342.
Wood, M. S., & Pearson, J. M. (2009). Taken on faith? The impact of uncertainty, knowledge relatedness, and richness of information on entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 16(2), 117-130.
1.3. Method / study design Describe your methods, e.g. How do you create your work? How will you carry out the study? How will you collect the data? How will you analyse the data? Attach any questionnaires, surveys, interview guides etc.Systematic Literature Review Process
This systematic literature review aimed at investigating entrepreneurial opportunity recognition by using the System Literature Review (SLR) guidelines to understand the process of recognizing business opportunities. This review is conducted via bibliographic analysis and synthesis of prior research contributions on opportunity identification (Denyer & Neely, 2004). The SLR method is widely utilized in management and entrepreneurship to provide reliable information by enhancing the legitimacy and authority of the resulting evidence (Tranfield et al., 2003). Systematic reviews enhance the quality of the review process and results through a transparent and reproducible process (Crossan & Apaydin, 2010).
According to Theo Snyder's (2019) definition, SLR is a research methodology that entails a rigorous process of identifying, evaluating, and analysing research data to provide answers to specific research inquiries or hypotheses. Boland et al. (2017) argue that SLR has several benefits, such as comprehensive data aggregation, and is effective because it combines multiple research findings. This search process can find gaps that need further study and limit it from repeating in subsequent studies (Boland et al., 2017). Conclusions drawn from systematic reviews are often evidence-based (Crowther et al., 2010). The objective of my SLR is to provide researchers with clues and keys to recognize opportunities in entrepreneurship. The fundamental steps to systematic review are a clear methodology with specific, repeatable goals, a systematic search to find studies that meet the eligibility and criteria, and evaluation and discovery of relevant information in studies (Shamseer et al., 2015). This SLR aims to explore and discuss the factors that play a role in opportunity recognition for entrepreneurs.
2.1 How is This Work Created?
I have studied business courses at WelTec/Whitireia since 2022 and have more than 15 years of work experience in large, medium, and small enterprises in New Zealand and overseas. This diverse work experience and my business studies have inspired me to establish my own business. Hence, I wanted to learn more about spotting business and investment opportunities in a free market economy like New Zealand. This research would give me the necessary knowledge and courage to pursue my dream.
2.2 How will This Study be Carried Out? (Technique for Search and Extraction)
Having established my aim and objectives, followed by my inspiration for this study, my next step will be to do a systematic literature review, which involves searching for peer-reviewed articles from credible resources. The reason for this is that the articles that appeared in peer-reviewed journals contain scientifically validated knowledge. Hence, presumably, they have made a noticeable impact in the field of research (Podsakoff et al., 2005; Reim et al., 2014). To find these research outputs that augmented the extant literature on entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, I will use the WelTec/Whitereia Library database. Specifically, the databases used are, EBSCOHost, ProQuest Academic, and Wiley Online Library.
To reflect the current state of knowledge and keep up to date with the latest information on the topic, searching for sources and research materials is limited from 2014 to 2024, as older sources may contain outdated information. Focusing on recent papers can reveal emerging trends, new theories, and innovative methods.
The articles searched for this study must be published in English because of the medium of teaching and learning in English at Weltec/Whitireia. Furthermore, this improves my opportunity to find and read large deposits of publications and citations worldwide in my field.
Closely following the recommendations by Short et al. (2010), I have established the keywords that are closely associated with the topic of this research. Specifically, I used the following keywords as criteria for inclusion: "entrepreneurial opportunity recognition" OR "opportunity recognition"; "entrepreneur*" OR "identifying opportunities"; "discovering opportunities" OR "creating opportunities; AND business opportunities." The scope of these keywords is wide, and this is deliberate because it is suggested that this be done "to cover as many articles as possible in the first search and to produce a significant number of articles, even if many were less relevant to the present study (Mary et al., 2016). In addition, I will limit the subject areas to social science, accounting, business, economics, and management because these topics are closely related to the subject of this study.
Table 1 below demonstrates this research's search details and keywords.
WelTec Library Criteria Filters and limits Comments
Wiley Online Library
Title: "entrepreneurial opportunity recognition" OR "opportunity recognition"; "entrepreneur*," "identifying opportunities"; "discovering opportunities OR keyword: "opportunity recognition" OR "opportunity" AND all field: "entrepreneur*"
Full text: "Yes";Peer Reviewed: "Yes";
Publication date: "2014- 2024";Language: "English
EBSCOHostTitle: "entrepreneurial opportunity recognition" OR "opportunity recognition; "creating opportunities" and "business opportunities" OR keyword: "opportunity recognition" OR "opportunity" AND all field: "entrepreneur*" Full text: Yes;Peer Reviewed: Yes;
Publication date: "2014- 2024";Language: English ProQuest Academic Title: "entrepreneurial opportunity recognition" OR "opportunity recognition", "entrepreneur*; "identifying opportunities," "discovering opportunities" "creating opportunities," and "business opportunities" " OR abstract: "entrepreneurial opportunity recognition" OR "opportunity" OR keyword: "opportunity recognition" OR "opportunity" AND all field: "entrepreneur*" Full text: Yes;Peer Reviewed: Yes;
Publication date: "2014- 2024";Language:
English Table 1: Research approach in selected databases for this study
The search criteria were refined using a targeted approach to ensure that the search results are precise and relevant. After removing duplicate articles found by searching different strings, the filtering process continued by limiting the language of the articles, subject, publication title, and year from 2014 to 2024.
Furthermore, I selected articles that investigated entrepreneurial opportunities or similar ones, such as opportunity recognition. In addition, what I will look for in the articles is that they must discuss or show their understanding of the specific factors that have an impact on entrepreneurial opportunity. Then, I will remove the duplicate articles and secondary studies. Specifically, only reports that contain the keywords "entrepreneur*," "opportunity," and "recognition" in either their title or abstract were considered. Finally, I will carefully read the remaining articles and review their content. After reviewing the headlines and summaries and skimming through the entire article where appropriate, I will narrow my analysis to the most relevant articles. During this process, I will exclude any articles that do not provide a theoretical framework for identifying business opportunities or discussing factors that influence the process of EOR. I will exclude articles that did not relate to the topic of interest and articles that did not address the research question. Figure 2 shows the flow diagram of the selection criteria application.
56692874245Identification of studies via databases and registers
00Identification of studies via databases and registers
303946677064Records removed before screening:
Duplicate records removed (n = )
Records marked as ineligible by automation tools (n = )
Records removed for other reasons (n = )
00Records removed before screening:
Duplicate records removed (n = )
Records marked as ineligible by automation tools (n = )
Records removed for other reasons (n = )
55961377064Records identified from*:
ProQuest
Wiley Online Library
EBSCOHost
Databases (n = )
Registers (n = )
00Records identified from*:
ProQuest
Wiley Online Library
EBSCOHost
Databases (n = )
Registers (n = )
-403543222567Identification
00Identification
24542509550
1400175128905
582295128270Records screened
(n = )
00Records screened
(n = )
304800074930Reports not retrieved due to title and abstract review (n = )
00Reports not retrieved due to title and abstract review (n = )
2479040152400
144272021590
3095625102235Reports excluded:
Not related to the topic
(n= )
Not address the research question
(n = )
Secondary research (n= )
00Reports excluded:
Not related to the topic
(n= )
Not address the research question
(n = )
Secondary research (n= )
-1160940140495Screening
00Screening
543560112395Reports assessed for eligibility
(n = )
00Reports assessed for eligibility
(n = )
24790405080
143891082550
540385110795Studies included in the review
(n = )
00Studies included in the review
(n = )
-133509170656Included
00Included
Figure 1: Databases Search to Identify Relevant Studies
From: Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372: n71. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n71
My preliminary searches pointed out that some terminology has been used interchangeably when discussing opportunity recognition. These are opportunity identification, -discovery, -exploration, -seeking, -formation, -enactment, -assessment, and -construction.Selection Criteria
The inclusion and exclusion criteria will be considered during the study selection process to obtain relevant studies that fall within the scope of this study. The following inclusion criteria will apply:
The Inclusion Criteria are:
The English language articles.
Articles are available in full text and appear in peer-reviewed journals.
Articles have been published in the past 10 years.
Articles focused on entrepreneurship opportunity recognition
The Exclusion Criteria are:
Duplicated studies.
Secondary studies.
Articles that are not relevant to the stated research topic.
Articles lack adequate detail to answer the research questions.
Published works that fail to meet these conditions will be excluded.
2.2.1 Critical Appraisal
Critical appraisal is required to alleviate the risk of a possible bias and personal limitation in completing this research; I will work closely with my supervisor and seek constant direction and advice on my progress, especially during the critical appraisal process. Critical appraisal concerns a systematic and thorough examination of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition to establish credibility and accuracy (Tod et al., 2022). To ensure the reliability of my research and my resources are relevant to my research topic, I will follow the following two steps: First, I will show and explain my above-mentioned research process with my two classmates who have gone through a similar process to mine (one wrote a thesis and the other a dissertation) and obtained their Masters degrees already. Secondly, I will consult a PhD holder whom I happened to know personally in preparation for my methodology for this research to advance the inter-rater reliability of this research. Furthermore, to ensure the validity of my resources for this study, I will ask my supervisor to check the resources I found using the above search process.
As suggested by Boland et al. (2017) and Crowther et al. (2010), this will benefit me further in my identification of relevant articles and readings, in choosing the current sources, in selecting the references from varied resources, in ensuring that my research output is line with aims and objectives of this study. This will also be beneficial in writing a coherent dissertation consistent with the findings of this study. Further, to augment the findings' reliability, the findings will be presented in a table format, which will be regularly verified against the checklist.
How will Data be Analysed?
The data will be analyzed using two analyses: descriptive and thematic. After an exhaustive and review of the literature and synthesis of the content obtained as a result of my research, a range of themes will be identified using the categories outlined above.
Descriptive Analysis
The descriptive analysis will encompass the type of business or industry researched, the methodology adopted, and the background of the research. This data will be assessed in line with the research questions to make sure that it is aligned with the research objectives and questions of this study. This will be followed by identifying the factors that impact entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, which will be grouped together, tabulated, and summarized graphically and numerically in a table.
Thematic Analysis
Furthermore, this research will utilise thematic analysis since it offers several advantages when conducting a systematic literature review like this one (Caton & Chapman, 2016). By applying thematic analysis, I will detect and assess the dataset and determine its meanings (and themes) as far as the objectives of this research (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The thematic analysis will enable me to determine which themes are important in answering my research questions and in the description of the entrepreneurship opportunity recognition phenomenon (Daly et al., 1997).
Hence, this analysis will lead me to categorize my findings under themes aligned with the phenomenon of entrepreneurship opportunity recognition. This categorization will include the following details:
The publication year.
The study's genesis geography.
Authors' geographic location.
Research techniques.
Research design.
To create a comprehensive systematic literature review and address the research question effectively, the following essential information will extracted and summarised:
1)Author name
2)Year of publication
3)Publishing periodical
4)Country of study
5)Research objectives
6)Methods and techniques used, and
7)Main findings
By adopting this systematic approach, all critical details from each study were collected, presented, and analysed.References
Boland,A.,Dickson,R.,&Cherry,G.(2017).Doingasystematicreview:Astudent's guide.Doing a Systematic Review, pp. 1304.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77101.
Caton, S., & Chapman, M. (2016). The use of social media and people with intellectual disability:Asystematicreviewandthematicanalysis.Journalofintellectualand developmental disability,41(2), 125-139
Crossan, M. M., and M. Apaydin. 2010. A Multi-Dimensional Framework of Organizational Innovation: A Systematic Review of the Literature: A Framework of Organizational Innovation. Journal of Management Studies 47 (6): 11541191
Crowther,M.,Lim,W.,&Crowther,M.A.(2010).Systematicreviewandmeta-analysis methodology.Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology,116(17),31403146.
Daly, J., Kelleher, A., & Gliksman, M. (1997). The public health researcher: A methodological approach. Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.
Denyer, D., and A. Neely. 2004. Introduction to Special Issue: Innovation and Productivity Performance in the UK. International Journal of Management Reviews 5 (34): 131135.
Mary George, N., Parida, V., Lahti, T., & Wincent, J. (2016). A systematic literature review of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition: insights on influencing factors.International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal,pp. 12, 309350.
Podsakoff, P. M., Mackenzie, S. B., Bachrach, D. G., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2005). The influence of management journals in the 1980s and 1990s. Strategic Management Journal, 26(5), 473-488.
Reim, W., Parida, V., & rtqvist, D. (2014). Product-Service Systems (PSS) business models and tactics-a systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.07.003.
Short, J. C., Ketchen, D. J., Jr., Shook, C. L., & Ireland, R. D. (2010). The concept of opportunity in entrepreneurship research: past accomplishments and future challenges. Journal of Management, 36(1), 4065.
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of business research, pp. 104, 333339.
Tod, D., Booth, A., & Smith, B. (2022). Critical appraisal. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 15(1), 5272.
Tranfield, D., D. Denyer, & P. Smart. (2003). Towards a Methodology for Developing Evidence-Informed Management Knowledge by Means of Systematic Review. British Journal of Management 14 (3): 207222.
c1.4. Significance and benefits of the study What is the importance of this study in your research area? How does it fit within your teaching area? Will this research inform your teaching? If so, how?
The findings of this study:
- will be useful for would-be entrepreneurs in New Zealand to recognize entrepreneurial opportunities
- will contribute to future entrepreneurship research, specifically in entrepreneurial opportunity recognition.
1.5. Responsiveness to Mori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi
This section must be completed by all researchers.
How does this research demonstrate one of the following three broad descriptions of responsiveness to Mori?
Description Tick one
Notional use/s Mori words that is/are not the name of a place, person or organisation minimal recognition of tikanga Mori, te reo Mori, kaupapa Mori, whakatauki. Mori may be participants.
V
Bi-Cultural use of Mori phrases, whakatauki are explicated and relevant to the research, the research objectives, design, methodology, methods, dissemination and benefits include Mori models and processes and Mori participants are sought. The relationship between the researcher and the Mori Community is evident.
Kaupapa Maori - May be entirely in te reo, usually conceived, designed and conducted by Mori, uphold kawa and tikanga Mori, are authorised by tangata whenua, and may contribute to the survival and well-being of Mori as a people.
Explain how this research is of relevance to Mori?
All research is relevant to Mori, so do not leave this section blank.
This research would provide insights into the factors that play a role in the EOR. Mori are significant players in New Zealand economy as entrepreneurs hence, the findings will benefit them.
1.6. Responsiveness to Mori
Does the research involve Mori participants or the Mori community? YES NO Give details and ensure section 1.5 is completed fully. Tick yes on self-assessment.
1.7. Responsiveness to Pacific
Does the research involve Pacific participants or the Pacific community? YES NO Give details and ensure section 1.5 is completed fully. Tick yes on self-assessment.
1.8. Will this study contribute to an academic qualification? Give details-list qualification
Yes this research will contribute to my Masters in Applied Management qualification
1.9. Project timeframe How long will the study take? Give start/end dates and milestones.
About one semester. Feb 2024 21 June 2024
26 Feb 3 March: Refining research topic, questions & literature survey
20 March: Proposal completed and submitted to BOS
21-31 March: Methodology (Chapter 2) completed
1 20 April: Findings & Data Analysis (Chapter 3) completed
21 30 April: Introduction (Chapter 1) completed
1 May 10 May: Discussion, Limitation, and Future Study (Chapter 4) completed
11-15 May: Complete the final review and submit for examination.
1.10. Dissemination of research How will you tell others about your work? Dissemination can include journal article, trade magazine article, conference presentation, exhibition, etc.
Conference presentation. Additionally, a copy of the completed thesis will be kept in the WelTec/Whitireia library.
1.11. Is there other information you wish to provide to support your application? Do you already have support for this study, e.g., support from other interested parties? Attach letters of support, etc
No other information
SECTION 2 SELF-ASSESSMENT OF ETHICAL RISK
Applicants need to be familiar with The National Ethics Advisory Committees Standards for ResearchSELF-ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST OF POTENTIAL ETHICAL RISKS
Criteria Description Yes/No
Personal information The project uses or collects personal information from an individual, e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, personal stories etc. No
Conflict of interest The project has a potential conflict between the researcher and others involved in the study that may cause risk, e.g., the people you are researching have a relationship with you (friends, students, colleagues, or family etc). No
Privacy, confidentiality and anonymity The project has the potential to breach the privacy of an individual or organisation which may identify them in the completed research. No
Physical or psychological stress The project has the potential to cause physical or psychological stress. No
Participant or researcher potential discomfort or harm The project includes a situation or activity which might cause discomfort or harm to the participants or researchers No
Human tissue The project involves taking tissue or fluid samples from humans or cadavers. No
Children or vulnerable participants The project involves children, Whitireia or WelTec students under 16 years, or other vulnerable participants (including those who are unable to give informed consent). No
Administration or restriction of food, fluid or drug The project involves the administration or restriction of food, fluid or drug to a participant. No
Deception The project involves deception or potentially illegal activity, which might cause emotional, physical or psychological stress. No
Social and Cultural Sensitivity The project involves recruiting participants from specific social and cultural groups, including but not limited to Mori, Pacific No
Patients/clients/staff of external health service providers The project involves participants who are patients/clients/staff of any external organisation providing health or disability services (e.g., District Health Board) and the researcher is a staff member or a partner organisation of Whitireia or WelTec.
If Yes, Ethical Approval must be sought from a Health and Disability Ethics Committee.
If you are a student of Whitireia or WelTec you do not have to proceed to a Health and Disability Committee; select No here. No
If human participants are involved in your research, this proposal must progress to the Whitireia and WelTec Ethics and Research Committee for approval
SECTION 3 ETHICAL APPROVAL
For more information on completing this section, see Guidelines for completing Ethics Approval section.
Applicants should also be familiar with The National Ethics Advisory Committees Standards for Research and Te Ara Tika3.1. Will Whitireia or WelTec staff or students be asked to be participants, or could they potentially be part of your study? YES NO If Yes, provide details about the participants.
3.2. Who will participate in the study?
Describe the inclusion criteria for participants taking part in this study
N/A
3.3. What is your relationship to the study participants?
Are you a colleague, tutor, or other, or is there no relationship? If you have a relationship of any sort you must tick yes to Conflict of Interest
N/A
3.4. How will the participants be recruited? How many do you anticipate recruiting?
Attach recruitment posters or letters of invitation to this document
N/A
3.5. What procedure will the participants be involved in?
N/A
3.6. Will payments be made, or participants expenses reimbursed? YES NO
If yes, provide details e.g., transport costs.
3.7. Will other assistance be provided to participants? YES NO If yes, provide details, e.g., meals or transport
3.8. How will informed consent be obtained from the participants?
Attach consent forms and information sheets.
N/A
3.9. Will there be any potential discomfort to participants or researchers? YES NO
If Yes, explain how discomfort will be minimised. Tick yes on self-assessment.
3.10. Are there any real or potential conflicts of interest? YES NO If Yes, explain how these will be handled. If you know, work with or have a relationship of any type with the research participants there is a potential conflict of interest. Tick yes on self-assessment.
3.11. Is there any potential breach of privacy or issues of confidentiality? YES NO How will privacy and confidentiality be maintained or handled?
A researcher must report their data; however, they cannot keep everything participants say private. If you
know even the name of the person or anything specific about a person, you have a responsibility to keep
their identity, workplace and any identifying detail confidential in all stages of the research. This includes if
you are using third parties to help you with your research (such as transcribers). Please note, there are
potential studies in which the identity of the participants is intentionally maintained as part of the study
design; this should be briefly explained here and in section 3.12.
Tick yes on self-assessment.
3.12. How will anonymity of the participants be maintained?
Anonymity describes the processes of either collecting data without the researcher knowing exactly who the person is that is providing the data (e.g., a blind survey of participants) or reporting the data in a way that the identity of the person remains confidential. Researchers must explain how they will be keeping informed consent forms separate from any data collected. Please note there are potential studies in which anonymity is intentionally not maintained; this should be briefly explained here if this is the case.
N/A
3.13. What is the procedure for handling the data and its storage?
Who will have access to it? How will it be destroyed? How long will it be kept?
The data collected will be securely stored in such a way that only the researcher/s and supervisor will be able to access to it. NOTE: Supervisors should not store data for students.
Any raw data [for example, audiotapes, paper questionnaires] will be destroyed immediately after the research has been completed, but other data on which the research depends [such as computer transcripts] may be kept in secure storage for up to five years, after which it will be destroyed. In the case of student research, all data will be destroyed on the completion of the qualification.
Please note that only secondary data will be gathered for this study. The collected secondary data will be securely stored in a locked and password-protected file, with access restricted to the researcher (myself) and my supervisor. The data will be retained until the completion of the qualification.
3.14. How will participants obtain information about the findings from the study?
N/A
3.15. Do you have approval for this study from other Ethics Committees? YES NO If Yes, attach to this application
APPROVAL & APPLICATION FORM CHECKLIST
Check that all relevant sections have been completed and all accompanying documentation is attached.
ATTACHMENTS ATTACHED COMMENTS, if relevant
Application forms from relevant previously approved projects N/A Information Sheet N/A Consent Form* N/A Questionnaire/survey Not applicableRecruitment poster Not applicableRecruitment letter Not applicableConfidentiality Agreements Not applicableEthical Approval from other institution(s) Not applicableEthical Approval from Health & Disability Ethics Committee Not applicableLetters of support Not applicableApprovals, e.g., email approvals Not applicableOther, please specify Not applicable*If a consent form is not included, please give FULL DETAILS in section 3.8
GUIDELINES FOR THIS APPLICATION FORM
To Choose an item from the pull-down menus, click on the shaded text, pull down the menu, then select your option. For Yes/No answers, click on the appropriate tick box to select your option.
Expand the length of the textboxes as required.
For help with this application form, contact the Research team at research@wandw.ac.nz
Delete these guidelines from your final application before submitting to the Teaching, Innovation and Research Administrator at HYPERLINK "mailto:research@wandw.ac.nz" research@wandw.ac.nzPlease send all attachments as one WORD document when you submit
Guidelines for completing Ethical Approval section
3.1. Will Whitireia or WelTec staff or students be asked to be participants? Whitireia and WelTec need to know if their staff or students are involved in your study.
3.2. Who will participate in the study? describe the type of participants you want to recruit for this study. What is special about them that you want to study?
3.3. What is your relationship to the study participants? describe the relationship between you and the participants. Are you colleagues, or their lecturer/tutor, or is there no relationship?
3.4. How will the participants be recruited? How many do you anticipate recruiting? - describe how you will find participants? Where will you find them? How will they be approached to participate in your study?
3.5. What procedure will the participants be involved in? what do you want the participants to do in your study, including when, where and how often? This needs to be outlined when you write your information sheet as well as in this section.
3.6. Will payments be made or expenses reimbursed to participants? will participants have their costs covered e.g., travel costs? Will they receive a small gift in appreciation of their participation?
3.7. Will other assistance be provided to participants? e.g., you may provide transport or meals. This assistance cannot be an inducement.
3.8. How will informed consent be obtained from the participants? explain how you will seek informed consent from the participants. Provide copies of the information sheet and consent form you have designed. The information sheet must state that participation is voluntary and that they have the right to decline to participate in the research project/programme and withdraw from it at any time without providing a reason for withdrawal. In the event where the timing of withdrawal may pose challenges to the completion of the research, this will be negotiated between the researcher and participant. If participants will be completing an anonymous online survey, they have the right to decline to participate and withdraw at any time without providing a reason for withdrawal, up until the time they press Submit. As answers to this online survey are anonymous, it will be impossible for the researcher to identify their answers to remove them from the data set once submitted.
3.9. Will there be potential discomfort to the participants or researchers? describe any potential discomfort and how it may be minimised or managed. There is an obligation of the researcher to be available to participants throughout the study in case any concerns may arise. Is there any possibility of potential harm to Whitireia/WelTec?
3.10. Are there any real or potential conflicts of interest? - is there a relationship between researcher and participant, e.g., tutor/student or practitioner/client, friends, family, workplace employees or workplace colleagues? Could this relationship potentially be at risk? How will this be handled?
3.11. Is there any potential breach of privacy or issues of confidentiality (non-disclosure of personal information)? - will any information be disclosed to a third party, or will they have access to the data, such as those involved in recording and transcribing?
3.12. How will anonymity (non-disclosure of identity) of the participants be maintained? describe how the identity of a participant will be maintained. Will the data be coded so that individuals cannot be identified?
3.13. What is the procedure for handling the data and its storage? - who will have access to it? How will it be destroyed? How long will it be kept? Data should normally be securely stored for at least 5 years, accessible only to the researchers, and securely disposed of. A Whitireia or WelTec student should be responsible for the data, not a staff member. In the case of student research, all data will be destroyed on the completion of the qualification.
3.14. Responsiveness to Mori Are Mori a focus of your research or are they part of the group you are studying (e.g., a classroom)? Does this project contribute to the needs of Mori? Why is this research important to Mori? If your project has implications for Mori you should consult with Mori advisors. The purpose of any consultation is to ensure that research practices are appropriate and acceptable. Consultation should begin as early as possible in the project and should continue throughout its duration.
Researchers, whether their research is health related or not, might find the HRC Guidelines for Researchers on Health Research Involving Mori, helpful (Te Ara Tika).
3.15. Responsiveness to Pacific Are Pacific people a focus of your research or are they part of the group you are studying (e.g., a classroom)? If your project has implications for Pacific peoples consult a Pacific researcher or representative for advice.
3.16. How will participants obtain information about the findings from the study? participants should be able to obtain a copy of the findings of this study. How will you make contact when the research is complete? How will you give them this information, e.g., will you give them a summary or make a presentation?
3.17. Do you have approval for this study from other Ethics Committees? If you have approval from another tertiary institution or a NZ Health and Disability Ethics Committee, attach it to this application.
