IJMB Journal – August 2011 – Abstract

IJMB Journal – Abstracts

International Journal of Management and Business

IJMB Volume II, Issue 1

 

Evolution of Shared Cognitive Structures in Entrepreneurial Teams and their Impact on Opportunity Identification and Exploitation
Daniela P. Blettner

University of Southern Mississippi
daniela.blettner@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

In the pursuit of opportunity identification and exploitation, entrepreneurs develop cognitive structures. Although the classical view in entrepreneurship suggests that these cognitive structures are mainly developed by a single individual, they oftentimes span across the entire entrepreneurial team [1, 2, 3]. West [4] recently examined collective cognition in entrepreneurial teams.

This paper analyzes the differences in team members’ cognitive structures and their contributions to a shared cognition of the entrepreneurial team. Furthermore, this study is interested in the evolution of cognitive structures. In this respect, the paper responds to calls for more entrepreneurial process research (e.g., [5]). Finally, this study examines the relationship between the change in shared cognition in the entrepreneurial teams and the identification and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities. Hence, the research questions are: (1) How do shared cognitive structures of entrepreneurial teams evolve over time? (2) How do these shared cognitive structures relate to opportunity identification and exploitation?

Keywords: entrepreneurship, teams, shared cognition, cognitive map

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