Unpacking entrepreneurial alertness: How character matters for entrepreneurial thinking

Abstract

ABSTRACT Over centuries and across cultures, scholars have consistently highlighted the role of character for achieving personal and societal good. Yet we know little about how character matters for entrepreneurship. This study builds upon the theory of character strengths to extend our knowledge about personal antecedents of entrepreneurial thinking. Specifically, we examine how character strengths of valor, industriousness, and critical thinking can affect different dimensions of entrepreneurial alertness: scanning and search, association and connection, and evaluation and judgment. We use two samples of 412 students and 145 entrepreneurs to test the study’s hypotheses. The results shed light on how strengths of character may have varying relationships with different dimensions of entrepreneurial alertness. We discuss our contributions to the entrepreneurship literature and suggest future research directions.