Influence of subjective interpretation, causation, and effectuation on initial venture sale

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of subjective interpretations of strategy-relevant cues, specifically, perceived control/uncontrol and perceived gain/loss, on the relationship between causation or effectuation approach and the likelihood of initial venture sales. The results support the greater likelihood of initial sales when the entrepreneur increasingly relies on causation (albeit at low to medium levels) and has a greater perception of control. Similarly, perceived gains (instead of losses) strengthen the positive relationship between effectuation and initial sales. These results extend previous research on influence of the perceptions of control/uncontrol and gain/loss by supporting the influence of such subjective interpretations for strategic decision making. Furthermore, this study responds to recent calls for research on the different interpretations of the same environmental conditions and the resulting consequences for entrepreneurs.