Title: Developing and validating opportunity creation as a construct: a preliminary study

Authors: Adamu Ado Makama; Murali Sambasivan; Mohani Abdul; Raja Nerina Raja Yusof

Addresses: Department of Accountancy, School of Business Education, Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe, Ashaka Bajago Rd, Nigeria ' Taylor's Business School, Taylor's University Subang Jaya, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia ' Faculty of Economics and Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia ' Faculty of Economics and Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract: In this research, we develop and validate the construct, opportunity creation. We outline the theoretical foundations of opportunity creation. A review of research on opportunity creation gave rise to 21 manifest variables and three potential dimensions: 1) action and reaction; 2) individual differences; 3) socially created. These variables were subjected to various validity tests using entrepreneurs from Nigeria. Initial data from 231 entrepreneurs from Nigeria was used to conduct exploratory factor analysis and identify the dimensions of opportunity creation and their items. In order to validate the construct and its dimensions, data was collected from 360 entrepreneurs from Nigeria and was subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. Based on the findings, we argue that opportunity creation is a reflective construct with three dimensions and 13 variables.

Keywords: opportunity creation; opportunity recognition; measurement validity; reflective construct.

DOI: 10.1504/JIBED.2018.098721

Journal for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 2018 Vol.11 No.4, pp.363 - 380

Received: 13 Apr 2018
Accepted: 09 Oct 2018
Published online: 01 Apr 2019 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article