IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/entthe/v29y2005i6p653-679.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Untangling the Intuition Mess: Intuition as a Construct in Entrepreneurship Research

Author

Listed:
  • J. Robert Mitchell
  • Paul N. Friga
  • Ronald K. Mitchell

Abstract

Entrepreneurs often use intuition to explain their actions. But because entrepreneurial intuition is poorly defined in the research literature: the “intuitive†is confused with the “innate,†what is systematic is overlooked, and unexplained variance in entrepreneurial behavior remains high. Herein we: (1) bound and define the construct of entrepreneurial intuition within the distinctive domain of entrepreneurship research; (2) apply a levels–of–consciousness logic and process dynamism approach to; (3) organize definitions, antecedents, and consequences; and (4) produce propositions that lead to a working definition of entrepreneurial intuition. Our analysis renders intuition more usable in entrepreneurship research, and more valuable in practice.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Robert Mitchell & Paul N. Friga & Ronald K. Mitchell, 2005. "Untangling the Intuition Mess: Intuition as a Construct in Entrepreneurship Research," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 29(6), pages 653-679, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:29:y:2005:i:6:p:653-679
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6520.2005.00102.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2005.00102.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2005.00102.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Philip D. Olson, 1985. "Entrepreneurship: Process and Abilities," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 10(1), pages 25-31, July.
    2. Ronald K. Mitchell & J. Brock Smith & Eric A. Morse & Kristie W. Seawright & Ana Maria Peredo & Brian McKenzie, 2002. "Are Entrepreneurial Cognitions Universal? Assessing Entrepreneurial Cognitions across Cultures," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 26(4), pages 9-32, July.
    3. C. Marlene Fiol & Anne Sigismund Huff, 1992. "Maps For Managers: Where Are We? Where Do We Go From Here?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 267-285, May.
    4. Ian Clarke & William Mackaness, 2001. "Management ‘Intuition’: An Interpretative Account of Structure and Content of Decision Schemas Using Cognitive Maps," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 147-172, March.
    5. Harvey, Michael & Evans, Rodney, 1995. "Strategic windows in the entrepreneurial process," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 10(5), pages 331-347, September.
    6. Gaglio, Connie Marie & Katz, Jerome A, 2001. "The Psychological Basis of Opportunity Identification: Entrepreneurial Alertness," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 95-111, March.
    7. Hisrich, Robert D. & Jankowicz, A. D., 1990. "Intuition in venture capital decisions: An exploratory study using a new technique," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 49-62, January.
    8. Shepherd, Dean A. & Zacharakis, Andrew & Baron, Robert A., 2003. "VCs' decision processes: Evidence suggesting more experience may not always be better," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 381-401, May.
    9. Agor, Weston H., 1984. "Using intuition to manage organizations in the future," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 49-54.
    10. Manimala, Mathew J., 1992. "Entrepreneurial heuristics: A comparison between high PL (pioneering-innovative) and low PI ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 7(6), pages 477-504, November.
    11. Ronald K. Mitchell & Lowell Busenitz & Theresa Lant & Patricia P. McDougall & Eric A. Morse & J. Brock Smith, 2004. "The Distinctive and Inclusive Domain of Entrepreneurial Cognition Research," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 28(6), pages 505-518, November.
    12. Covin, Jeffrey G. & Slevin, Dennis P. & Heeley, Michael B., 2001. "Strategic decision making in an intuitive vs. technocratic mode: structural and environmental considerations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 51-67, April.
    13. James P. Walsh, 1995. "Managerial and Organizational Cognition: Notes from a Trip Down Memory Lane," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(3), pages 280-321, June.
    14. Shapiro, Stewart & Spence, Mark T., 1997. "Managerial intuition: A conceptual and operational framework," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 63-68.
    15. Elaine Mosakowski, 1998. "Entrepreneurial Resources, Organizational Choices, and Competitive Outcomes," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(6), pages 625-643, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Matthew S. Wood & David W. Williams, 2014. "Opportunity Evaluation as Rule-Based Decision Making," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 573-602, June.
    2. Allal-Chérif, Oihab & Costa Climent, Juan & Ulrich Berenguer, Klaus Jurgen, 2023. "Born to be sustainable: How to combine strategic disruption, open innovation, and process digitization to create a sustainable business," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    3. Litz, Reginald A., 2010. "Jamming across the generations: Creative intergenerational collaboration in the Marsalis family," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 1(4), pages 185-199, December.
    4. Sara Sassetti & Giacomo Marzi & Vincenzo Cavaliere & Cristiano Ciappei, 2018. "Entrepreneurial cognition and socially situated approach: a systematic and bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 116(3), pages 1675-1718, September.
    5. Warnick, Benjamin J. & Kier, Alexander S. & LaFrance, Emily M. & Cuttler, Carrie, 2021. "Head in the clouds? Cannabis users' creativity in new venture ideation depends on their entrepreneurial passion and experience," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(2).
    6. Zellweger, Thomas & Zenger, Todd, 2022. "Entrepreneurs as scientists, Bayesian inference, and belief revision," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 18(C).
    7. de Freitas Michelin Claudia & Minello Italo Fernando & Siluk Julio Cezar Mairesse & Gerhardt Vinícius Jaques & Savian Fernando de Souza & Garlet Taís Bisognin, 2023. "Analysis of Entrepreneurial Behaviour in Incubated Technology-Based Companies," Business Systems Research, Sciendo, vol. 14(1), pages 54-71, September.
    8. Christophe Bonnet & Peter Wirtz, 2011. "Investor Type, Cognitive Governance and Performance in Young Entrepreneurial Ventures:A Conceptual Framework," Working Papers CREGO 1110301, Université de Bourgogne - CREGO EA7317 Centre de recherches en gestion des organisations.
    9. Hadjielias, Elias & (Lola) Dada, Olufunmilola & Discua Cruz, Allan & Zekas, Stavros & Christofi, Michael & Sakka, Georgia, 2021. "How do digital innovation teams function? Understanding the team cognition-process nexus within the context of digital transformation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 373-386.
    10. Pérez-Centeno, Victor, 2018. "Brain-driven entrepreneurship research: Expanded review and research agenda towards entrepreneurial enhancement," Working Papers 02/18, Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn.
    11. Karagiannis, Dimitris & Metaxas, Theodore, 2015. "Culinary Tourism in Greece: Can the past define the future? A comparative analysis by using 10 case studies," MPRA Paper 66846, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Wood, Matthew S. & McKelvie, Alexander & Haynie, J. Michael, 2014. "Making it personal: Opportunity individuation and the shaping of opportunity beliefs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 252-272.
    13. Christian Linder & Michael Nippa, 2019. "Jumping in at the deep end! The role of motivational forces in starting a new venture," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1363-1391, December.
    14. Wiltbank, Robert & Read, Stuart & Dew, Nicholas & Sarasvathy, Saras D., 2009. "Prediction and control under uncertainty: Outcomes in angel investing," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 116-133, March.
    15. Mohammad Fakhar Manesh & Giulia Flamini & Damiano Petrolo & Rocco Palumbo, 2022. "A round of dancing and then one more: embedding intuition in the ballet of entrepreneurial decision making," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 499-528, June.
    16. Ekaterina Y. Litau, 2019. "Concept of entrepreneurship anti-ideology," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 7(2), pages 1308-1318, December.
    17. Omonigho Simon Umukoro & David Efevogho Okurame, 2017. "Exogenous determinants of entrepreneurial intuition and the mediatory role of psychological capital among potential youth entrepreneurs," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, December.
    18. Dayan, Mumin & Di Benedetto, C. Anthony, 2011. "Team intuition as a continuum construct and new product creativity: The role of environmental turbulence, team experience, and stress," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 276-286, March.
    19. Frank M. Fossen & Levent Neyse, 2024. "Entrepreneurship, Management, and Cognitive Reflection: A Preregistered Replication Study With Extensions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 48(4), pages 1082-1109, July.
    20. Blume, Brian D. & Covin, Jeffrey G., 2011. "Attributions to intuition in the venture founding process: Do entrepreneurs actually use intuition or just say that they do?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 137-151, January.
    21. Somnuk Aujirapongpan & Yaninee Songkajorn & Yuttachai Hareebin & Sirichai Deelers & Jaturon Jutidharabongse, 2020. "Indicators of strategic intuition for SMEs' entrepreneurs: evidence from Thailand," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 8(2), pages 51-63, December.
    22. C. Troise & D. Matricano & E. Candelo & L. Schjoedt, 2022. "A ten-year cross-national examination of the dance between intuition and rationality in entrepreneurial processes," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 663-692, June.
    23. Ksenia Podoynitsyna & Hans Van der Bij & Michael Song, 2012. "The Role of Mixed Emotions in the Risk Perception of Novice and Serial Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(1), pages 115-140, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ronald K. Mitchell & Lowell W. Busenitz & Barbara Bird & Connie Marie Gaglio & Jeffery S. McMullen & Eric A. Morse & J. Brock Smith, 2007. "The Central Question in Entrepreneurial Cognition Research 2007," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 31(1), pages 1-27, January.
    2. Blume, Brian D. & Covin, Jeffrey G., 2011. "Attributions to intuition in the venture founding process: Do entrepreneurs actually use intuition or just say that they do?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 137-151, January.
    3. Schaffernicht, Martin F.G. & Groesser, Stefan N., 2014. "The SEXTANT software: A tool for automating the comparative analysis of mental models of dynamic systems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 238(2), pages 566-578.
    4. Božidar Vlačić & Inês G. Almeida Santos & Susana C. Silva & Miguel González-Loureiro, 2022. "Entrepreneurial cognition and internationalization speed: towards a potential moderating effect of experiential and rational information processing," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 603-636, June.
    5. Dimo Dimov, 2007. "Beyond the Single-Person, Single-Insight Attribution in Understanding Entrepreneurial Opportunities," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 31(5), pages 713-731, September.
    6. Sonia Adam-Ledunois & Sébastien Damart, 2016. "The art of collective "making do"... When silos are gone!," Post-Print hal-01362382, HAL.
    7. Dean A. Shepherd & Jeffery S. Mcmullen & William Ocasio, 2017. "Is that an opportunity? An attention model of top managers' opportunity beliefs for strategic action," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 626-644, March.
    8. Vandor, Peter & Franke, Nikolaus, 2016. "See Paris and… found a business? The impact of cross-cultural experience on opportunity recognition capabilities," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 388-407.
    9. Robert A. Baron & Thomas B. Ward, 2004. "Expanding Entrepreneurial Cognition's Toolbox: Potential Contributions from the Field of Cognitive Science," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 28(6), pages 553-573, November.
    10. Clarysse, B. & Knockaert, M. & Lockett, A., 2005. "How do early stage high technology investors select their investments?," Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School Working Paper Series 2005-21, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School.
    11. Dean A. Shepherd & Dawn R. DeTienne, 2005. "Prior Knowledge, Potential Financial Reward, and Opportunity Identification," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 29(1), pages 91-112, January.
    12. Loock, Moritz & Hinnen, Gieri, 2015. "Heuristics in organizations: A review and a research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 2027-2036.
    13. Ángela González-Moreno & Francisco Sáez-Martínez, 2008. "Rivalry and strategic groups: what makes a company a rival?," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 12(3), pages 261-285, August.
    14. Serge Lenga, 2013. "Un effet modérateur des processus cognitifs de l'entrepreneur sur les opportunités d'affaires situées dans l'espace géographique," Working Papers hal-00832027, HAL.
    15. Caldart, Adrian & Ricart, Joan E., 2003. "Corporate strategy revisited: A view from complexity theory," IESE Research Papers D/528, IESE Business School.
    16. Haynie, J. Michael & Shepherd, Dean & Mosakowski, Elaine & Earley, P. Christopher, 2010. "A situated metacognitive model of the entrepreneurial mindset," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 217-229, March.
    17. J. Brock Smith & J. Robert Mitchell & Ronald K. Mitchell, 2009. "Entrepreneurial Scripts and the New Transaction Commitment Mindset: Extending the Expert Information Processing Theory Approach to Entrepreneurial Cognition Research," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(4), pages 815-844, July.
    18. Malin Malmström & Jeaneth Johansson & Joakim Wincent, 2015. "Cognitive Constructions of Low–Profit and High–Profit Business Models: A Repertory Grid Study of Serial Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(5), pages 1083-1109, September.
    19. Jeffery S. McMullen & Katrina M. Brownell & Joel Adams, 2021. "What Makes an Entrepreneurship Study Entrepreneurial? Toward A Unified Theory of Entrepreneurial Agency," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(5), pages 1197-1238, September.
    20. Giuseppe Labianca & Barbara Gray & Daniel J. Brass, 2000. "A Grounded Model of Organizational Schema Change During Empowerment," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(2), pages 235-257, April.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:29:y:2005:i:6:p:653-679. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.