Opportunity has emerged as a focal point in the field of entrepreneurship and recognizing potential opportunities is the first step of new venture creation. A number of studies acknowledge the contributions of prior knowledge and social networks in explaining opportunity recognition. However, previous research ignored the importance of cognitive process. Thus, the purpose of this study is filling the research gap of the mediation mechanism in this process. Through the entrepreneurial cognitions view lens, this research goes a step further by asking:¡¨how do individuals conclude that an opportunity from their prior knowledge and information?¡¨ Entrepreneurial alertness, first used by Kirzner (1973) has been identified as a major factor in the process of opportunity recognition. We equate this cognitive ability with entrepreneurial alertness, proposing that this bridges the gap between knowledge/information and the innovativeness/number of opportunities. There are 3 studies in this research; first, Study 1 developed a scale of entrepreneurial alertness. Secondly, Study 2 conducted an experimental design research to test the relationships between prior knowledge, entrepreneurial alertness, and the number of opportunities. Thirdly, Study 3 collected large numbers sample to test the full model. Results indicate that prior knowledge and social networks had positive effects on entrepreneurial alertness. Moreover, entrepreneurial alertness was positively associated with the innovativeness and number of opportunities. In the mediating effect, interpretation ability was partially mediated the relationship between prior knowledge of markets, professional networks and opportunity recognition. This study contributed theoretical and practical implications. Future directions for research are described, and its practical implications for entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurs are examined.

Yes / An ability to act upon an entrepreneurial opportunity has been noted to be a major driver of new venture success. However, scholarly knowledge is limited on how and when entrepreneurs’ alertness to entrepreneurial opportunities drives new venture success. The current study addresses this gap in the entrepreneurship literature by arguing that variations in new venture performance are a function of levels of entrepreneurial alertness and networking capabilities. Using primary data gathered from 203 new ventures operating in a sub-Saharan African economy, Ghana, the study finds that increases in the levels of entrepreneurial alertness are related to increases in new venture performance. Additionally, the study finds that, under conditions of increased use of social and business networking capabilities, the potency of entrepreneurial alertness as a driver of new venture success is amplified. Theoretical, managerial and policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Le concept de vigilance entrepreneuriale introduit par Kirzner (1973) joue un rôle clé dans le processus de détection d’opportunités d’affaires. Depuis les travaux conduits par l’école autrichienne, ce concept a été largement développé et a soulevé un certain nombre de questionnements par les chercheurs. L’approche cognitive a permis d’apporter quelques éléments de réponses en affinant le concept. En s’inspirant des travaux initiaux de Kirzner (1973, 1989) et de ceux de l’approche cognitiviste, Tang et al. (2012) ont proposé une nouvelle définition plus intégratrice. Ces auteurs ont modélisé et opérationnalisé la vigilance entrepreneuriale autour de trois dimensions : la veille et la recherche d’informations, la capacité à faire des associations et des connexions entre les informations, et celle de les évaluer et de les juger. La question des antécédents potentiels de la vigilance entrepreneuriale restait en suspens (Valliere, 2013). En réponse à la remarque de Valliere (2013) et aux besoins de connaissances et de statistiques du champ de la santé entrepreneuriale, nous avons étudié les effets du sommeil sur ce processus. À cet effet, la théorie de l’attention a permis de faire des liens entre les champs de l’entrepreneuriat et du sommeil. Afin de répondre à la problématique, une posture positiviste, associée à un mode de raisonnement hypothético-déductif, a été adoptée. Treize hypothèses de recherche ont été proposées à partir desquelles le modèle conceptuel a été construit. Afin de le valider, une étude quantitative en coupe instantanée de deux mois a été conduite auprès de dirigeants de PME. À l’issue de cette enquête, 238 questionnaires ont été récoltés. Ces derniers ont été analysés par la méthode des équations structurelles basée sur les moindres carrés partiels (PLS). Les résultats soulignent l’importance du sommeil dans le maintien des capacités cognitives, attentionnelles et entrepreneuriales pour un dirigeant de PME. / The concept of entrepreneurial alertness introduced by Kirzner (1973) plays a critical role in the process of business opportunities detection. Since the work conducted by the Austrian school, this concept has been widely developed and has raised numerous questions by researchers. The cognitive approach has pointed to some answers by refining the concept. Inspired by the initial work of Kirzner (1973, 1989) and those conducted by the cognitive approach, Tang et al. (2012) proposed a more inclusive definition. These authors modeled and operationalized entrepreneurial alertness by three dimensions: alert scanning and search, alert association and connection and evaluation and judgment. The issue of potential antecedents of entrepreneurial alertness remained unresolved (Valliere, 2013). In response to the comments of Valliere (2013) and the entrepreneurial health field’s needs for knowledge and statistics, we proposed to study the effects of sleep on this process. To this end, the theory of attention allowed to make the links between the fields of entrepreneurship and sleep. To meet the problematic, a positivist posture associated with a hypothetical-deductive approach was adopted. Thirteen research hypotheses were proposed from the conceptual model was built. To validate this model, a cross sectional quantitative study of two months was conducted among SME owners/directors. At the end of this survey, we collected 238 questionnaires. These were analyzed by the structural equation method based on Partial Least Squares (PLS). The results highlight the importance of sleep in maintaining cognitive, attentional and entrepreneurial abilities for SME owners/directors.

750 000 emplois à sauvegarder. Ce nombre – mis en avant par l'ancienne députée de l'Hérault, Fanny Dombre-Coste, – souligne toute l'influence de la reprise de PME dans le développement de l'économie locale voire nationale. Toutefois, le repreneur, qui est un entrepreneur à part entière, est un acteur encore peu étudié, tant par les organismes professionnels que par les universitaires. Nous engageons alors une recherche pour combler ce manque et, sous une perspective entrepreneuriale, essayons de mieux comprendre le profil du repreneur. Pour circonscrire la question du profil, nous utilisons un concept central en entrepreneuriat : l'opportunité. Dès lors, en prenant appui sur la logique de Kirzner, la fonction du repreneur devient plus claire : il doit identifier des opportunités. Comment peut-il faire ? Il va utiliser sa vigilance. Cela nous amène à poser la problématique suivante : comment la vigilance entrepreneuriale du repreneur influence-t-elle la performance financière de la reprise ? Pour apporter des éléments de réponse, nous utilisons un raisonnement hypothético-déductif et réalisons une recherche quantitative. Cela nous amène à formuler des hypothèses pour in fine construire un modèle de recherche. Nous posons ainsi un lien entre la vigilance entrepreneuriale (Tang et al., 2012) et deux variables médiatrices : l'identification des opportunités (Ozgen et Baron, 2007) et l'orientation entrepreneuriale (Covin et Slevin, 1989). Ces deux variables sont ensuite reliées à la performance financière de la reprise – qui est une mesure subjective quant à l'évolution de huit indicateurs. Après avoir montré que la procédure MICIOM autorise une démarche comparative, nous testons notre modèle sur tous les repreneurs (n = 278) et procédons à une comparaison – qualitative puis grâce à une analyse multigroupe – entre les repreneurs mentorés (n = 199) et non mentorés (n = 79), et entre les repreneurs mentorés avant (n = 79) et après la reprise (n = 120). Les résultats de cette recherche montrent que la vigilance entrepreneuriale est un antécédent de la performance financière. Par ailleurs, ce travail souligne que le mentorat permet de mieux comprendre comment un entrepreneur réussit – au moins sur un plan financier – une reprise de PME. Dès lors, il semble pertinent de développer un volet cognitif dans les programmes d'accompagnement du repreneur mais également de travailler sur la relation de mentorat dans ce contexte singulier. / 750 000 employments to keep. This number, highlight by the former deputy of Herault, Fanny Dombre-Coste, underline influence of SME takeovers on development of local economy. However, buyer, an entrepreneur, is understudied. We then engaged an academic research in order to fill in this gap and, using an entrepreneurial perspective, we try to better understand buyer profile. To confine profile question, we use a central concept in entrepreneurship: opportunity. Then, leaning on Kirzner logic, buyer function become clearly: he has to identify opportunity. How can he do it? He is going to use his alertness. So, we ask the following problematic: how does buyer entrepreneurial alertness influence takeover financial performance? To answer, we use an hypothetico-deductive reasoning and realise a quantitative research. This lead us to formulate hypotheses and build a research model. We put a link between entrepreneurial alertness (Tang et al., 2012) and two mediator's variables: opportunity identification (Ozgen et Baron, 2007) and entrepreneurial orientation (Covin et Slevin, 1989). Then, this two variables are linked to takeover financial performance – which is a subjective measure of the evolution of height indicators. After used MICOM procedure, we test our model on all buyers (n = 278) and make a comparison – qualitative and using a multi-group analysis – between buyers supported by a mentor (n = 199) and non-supported (n = 79), and between buyers supported before (n = 79) and after takeover (n = 120). Firstly, results show that entrepreneurial alertness is an antecedent of financial performance. On the other hand, our research underline that mentorship has the potential to add substantially to our understanding of how buyer succeed – at least on an financial plan – SME takeover. Consequently, it seems relevant to develop a cognitive part in buyer support program and to work on mentorship in this singular context.

Yes / Although scholars have recognized that alertness is critical in identifying and exploring opportunities, empirical studies exploring when alertness drives innovation are lacking. Drawing insights from the cognitive and contingency perspectives, the current study addresses this gap in by arguing that variations in firm product innovativeness is a function of degree of entrepreneurial alertness and levels of internal firm capabilities and environmental conditions. Data were collected from from 385 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. This study used the hierarchical regression estimation technique to analyses the data and found that a significant positive relationship between entrepreneurial alertness and firm product innovativeness. Moreover, the findings showed that entrepreneurial alertness is beneficial for firms to innovate when pressures from customers and competitors are intense. Finally, the results revealed that stronger market information sharing and technological opportunism also amplify the alertness-innovativeness relationship.