The Concept of “Opportunity” in Entrepreneurship Research: Past Accomplishments and Future Challenges

Abstract

Opportunity is a central concept within the entrepreneurship field, and there is now a critical mass of literature centered on the concept. The authors seek to make two main contributions to this literature. First, we provide a detailed review of research on the opportunity concept and the processes surrounding it, highlighting extant insights and future needs. Second, we describe ways that the entrepreneurship literature’s insights about the opportunity concept could be enhanced by research in other fields, both inside and outside business-related domains.