What is Opportunity Development

Nascent entrepreneurship plays an important role in the study of entrepreneurship. It has been studied from different angles, especially from the psychological and sociological perspective as nascent entrepreneurs have distinctive traits and competencies. Other important foci of research are the investigation of the environment in which nascent entrepreneurs operate, as well as the way both the identification and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities have emerged. The main objective of this chapter is to address (1) the main individual characteristics that entrepreneurs have in common; (2) the environmental factors contributing to new venture creation; and (3) the steps in the creation process. The chapter departs from the fundamental process of nascent entrepreneurship, which is centered on opportunity recognition, evaluation, and exploitation, and is complemented by the way how contextual factors and personal characteristics and competencies influence the new venture creation process.