From hobby to business: Exploring environmental antecedents of entrepreneurial alertness using fsQCA

Abstract

Through a tailored survey targeting homebrewing communities in the United States, this research investigates environmental factors---feedback, collaboration offers, and awards received---triggering individuals who are not yet entrepreneurs to develop intentions of starting a business based on their hobby. The study specifically focuses on the role these factors play in influencing the three dimensions of entrepreneurial alertness phenomenon: scanning and search; association and connection; and evaluation and judgment. The results of a series of hierarchical regressions complemented by a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) show that receiving positive feedback or collaboration offers from fellow hobbyists can stimulate individuals’ entrepreneurial alertness.