The Role of Organizational Learning in the Opportunity–Recognition Process

Abstract

451Firms engage in entrepreneurship to increase performance through both strategic renewal and the creation of new venture opportunities. Organizational learning (OL) has become an effective avenue for strategic renewal. But what of creating venture opportunities-can OL enhance the process of recognizing and pursuing new ventures? This article argues that OL can strengthen a firm's ability to recognize opportunities and help equip them to effectively pursue new ventures. First, we identify three approaches to OL-behavioral, cognitive, and action. Then, we introduce a creativity-based model of opportunity recognition (OpR) that includes two phases-discovery and formation. Next, we show how each of the three types of learning is linked to the two phases of OpR. We suggest propositions that support our claim that OL enhances OpR and offer examples of firms that have used these organizational-learning approaches to more effectively recognize and pursue venture opportunities. These insights have important implications for entrepreneurial firms seeking to advance the venture-creation process.

Responsabilidade Social Corporativa e Empreendedorismo: Evidências e fragilidades

“…Os críticos de Schumpeter concordam com ele quando se argumenta que existiria uma convergência em suas afirmativas entre os ambientes das organizações no que tange às questões de oportunidades (Martes, 2010), que é considerado o conceito central do campo do empreendedorismo (Short et al, 2010;Dutta;Crossan, 2005;Lumpkin;Lichtenstein, 2005). Inicialmente chama a atenção para a questão das características do empreendedor que está associada com a noção de reconhecimento de novas oportunidades, criação de novas organizações Hardy, 1999;Gibb, 2002), inovação (Schum-(Clegg;Hardy, 1999;Gibb, 2002), inovação (Schum-, inovação (Schum-(Schum-Schumpeter, 1934, 1942Tidd, 2006;Tidd;Bessant;Pavitt, 2001;Dougherty, 1999; Ano 11 • n. 24 • set./dez.…”

Strategic thinking in family businesses

“…Clearly, the involvement of the family in strategic thinking is a critical factor and can be both positive and negative. For example, in the quest for competitive advantage, family involvement can be invaluable in evaluating the external environment and deriving options for advancement (Corbett, 2005;Lumpkin and Lichtenstein, 2005). On the other hand it can also lead to tensions that can lead to negative impact (Kellermanns and Eddleston, 2004).…”

Differences in students’ understanding of opportunity process matters for their learning!

“…This indicates that not only does the opportunity define the learning process, but also the importance of understanding individual learning modes. In a similar vein but in organizational context Lumpkin and Lichtenstein (2005) identified three modes of learning that generate opportunities in entrepreneurial firms. These behavioral, cognitive and action learning approaches each provides different potential opportunities for learning.…”

“…However, even though opportunities are regarded as a core element, process or competence in entrepreneurship, only recently has the question of how to teach or learn these opportunity-related competences started to attract scholars (Saks and Gaglio 2002, Corbett 2005, Lumpkin and Lichtenstein 2005. For Kirby (2007), for example, entrepreneurship education requires the development of the abilities to perceive opportunities.…”