Susana Correia Santos

Cognitive maps in early entrepreneurship stages: From motivation to implementation

The purpose of this research is to contribute to the explanation of cognitive maps during early entrepreneurship stages. Three groups were selected to represent different developmental states in early entrepreneurship. Individual interviews were conducted, the data were computer content analysed and cognitive maps were extracted. The results show that entrepreneurship experience develops the structure of cognitive maps, increasing clarity, richness and experience-based features. The originality of the research resides in the inclusion of entrepreneurial motivation in business opportunity recognition and the decision to launch a venture model. Through a cross-sectional design, a temporal perspective is captured by including different entrepreneurship stages.

Recognizing Opportunities across Campus: The Effects of Cognitive Training and Entrepreneurial Passion on the Business Opportunity Prototype

We analyze the effects of the program Cognitive Entrepreneurial Training in Opportunity Recognition on the accurate assessment of prototypical viability of business opportunities. The training integrates the principles of experiential learning and is designed to reach students across campus. We also investigate the moderating role of entrepreneurial passion on opportunity recognition learning. We use a quasi‐experimental design with pre‐test, post‐test in two European universities. The results demonstrate that the training has positive significant effects on the accurate identification of business opportunities prototypical viability. Intense positive feelings about entrepreneurship moderate the learning process. We provide insights into entrepreneurship education practice across campus.

A Contribution Toward the Adaptation and Validation of the Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy Scale in Italy and Portugal

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) seems to play a key role in the entrepreneurial career choice. The main goal of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of the ESE Scale proposed by McGee, Peterson, Mueller, and Sequeira both in Italy and Portugal. In particular, this study aims to strengthen and extend previous evidence of the Italian version of the ESE Scale and to assess its psychometric properties in Portugal. Furthermore, it aims at investigating the differences between two groups of participants both in Italy and Portugal: entrepreneurs and students. Construct, convergent, and discriminant validity of the ESE Scale were assessed through confirmatory factorial analysis and multigroups confirmatory factorial analysis using structural equation modeling. Configural, full metric, and partial scalar invariance were achieved. Moreover, correlational analysis, reliability analysis, and one-way analysis of variance were conducted. The findings support the use of the ESE Scale in Italy and Portugal for research and practical purposes. Limitation and suggestion for further research are also discussed.

The social organization of entrepreneurial ecosystems

This study attempts to develop our understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem as a complex social system. Using in-depth interviews, we model the entrepreneurial ecosystems of two municipalities through a diverse network of entrepreneurs, investors, institutional leaders and staff. The two ecosystems were characterized and compared on a set of measures related to the level of connectivity between actors, the existence of social boundaries, the role and position of actors with certain attributes (e.g. women, minorities) and the presence of ties in multiple social contexts (e.g. friend and investor). We found that social boundaries formed along venture type (e.g. high-growth/technology, lifestyle), type of support institution (e.g. university, government agency), gender, and ethnicity. High-growth/technology entrepreneurs, for example, were predominantly white, male and strongly connected to technology commercialization and acceleration programs. We also found that women and minorities are less embedded in the high-growth community than their male and ethnic counterparts.

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy in Italy: an empirical study from a gender perspective

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) is a key factor for the promotion of entrepreneurship. Literature emphasizes the need for and, indeed, recommends a gender perspective in the study of ESE. The aim of this study is twofold: to begin analyzing some of the psychometric properties of the McGee, Peterson, Mueller, and Sequeira (2009) ESE scale in the Italian context, and to explore the gender differences in the ESE levels in an Italian sample of entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs. Confirmatory factor analysis, multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and a 2 × 2 MANOVA were conducted. The results support the possible use of McGee et al.’s ESE scale in the Italian context. Furthermore, they reveal that the gender difference in the sample of non-entrepreneurs is greater than in the entrepreneur sample. The main practical implication is that women entrepreneurs should receive specific training both before and after creating a new venture.

Contributions on entrepreneurial behaviour research

This is the seventh book in the book series ‘European Research in Entrepreneurship’, which continues to contribute to advance entrepreneurship research in Europe. In the book series a rich variety of European research in the field of entrepreneurship is presented, and in this volume of the book series we focus in particular on our knowledge of entrepreneurial behaviour. The aim of the book is to provide new insights on entrepreneurial behaviour from young European scholars in entrepreneurship, and the book will provide university teachers, researchers but also policymakers with a lot of novel insights within the field of entrepreneurial behaviour. The content of the book is based on the contribution from scholars and doctoral students involved in the European University Network on Entrepreneurship (ESU – http://www.esunetwork.eu/). The ESU Network is a common space for those who are interested in sharing knowledge and experience about entrepreneurship research and education within the European culture. In existence for fifteen years, ESU is a relevant constructive and collaborative platform that has been making a difference in entrepreneurship research and doctoral education in Europe. This book series is an output of this joint research community that has been established in Europe. The chapters in the book are divided into three parts. In the first part of the book we pay particular attention to the entrepreneur as an individual, and present three chapters (Chapters 2 to 4) on entrepreneurial intentions. The focus on the individual will continue in the second part of the book, but we centre our interest on how entrepreneurship behaviour could be trained and learnt. In these four chapters (Chapters 5 to 8) the authors discuss different aspects of entrepreneurship education. Finally, in the third section of the book, we change the level of analysis from the

The gap between research and professional practice in work and organizational psychology: Tensions, beliefs, and options

The development of work and organizational psychology (WOP) was partially due to the effort toward trying to solve concrete problems resulting from the dynamics of the social systems within the framework of work organizations. However, for many decades, there has been a significant gap between scientific knowledge that has been produced and the professional practices implemented in the organizations. This chapter briefly analyzes this problem in its different dimensions. It analyzes the tensions at stake, either between knowledge produced in the research and its applicability in professional practice or at the academic community level and the teaching practices at the university. It also explains some of the main factors that influence the dynamic of the current situation. Taking into account the debate and the evolution in other subjects, it also presents alternatives to build and solidify bridges to reduce the gap between the two worlds, in order to increase (a) the relevance of research to the professional practice and its actual efficacy and (b) the contribution of professionals to the development and practical relevance of research and the advance of scientific knowledge in this field.

ADAPTATION OF THE ATTITUDE TOWARD ENTERPRISE TEST IN THE ITALIAN HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY CONTEXTS

The development of sound evidence-based entrepreneurial potential assessment tools is particularly recommended to foster entrepreneurship and to evaluate specific entrepreneurial training initiatives in schools and universities. The present study is aimed at examining construct, convergent and discriminant validity of the Attitude Toward Enterprise test (ATE test) in Italy. Configural and measurement invariance were conducted for testing construct validity using Structural Equation Modeling on three groups of students: high school; university undergraduate; and university postgraduate. Correlational and reliability analyses were conducted to test convergent, discriminant and consistency of the scale. Results show that the Italian version of the scale is a valuable tool for research and practical purposes in Italy. Limitations and suggestions for further research are also discussed.

Entrepreneurship as a Career Option: Do Temporary Workers Have the Competencies, Intention and Willingness to Become Entrepreneurs?

This study analyses the entrepreneurial intentions and the willingness of temporary workers to consider entrepreneurship as a career option. Specifically, we analyse the self-perception of entrepreneurial competencies of a group of temporary workers. A total of 184 temporary workers participated in the study. We performed a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to identify profiles of entrepreneurial competencies according to temporary workers’ entrepreneurial intention and willingness to consider entrepreneurship as a career option. We conclude that temporary workers do not always perceive themselves as having the necessary competencies to choose for entrepreneurship in their occupational paths. The self-perception of different levels of entrepreneurial competencies is also associated with different intentions and willingness to consider entrepreneurship as a career option. Finally, we provide insights for practice, which can be considered as a starting point for activities aiming to develop entrepreneurial competencies at the individual or organisational levels.