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A Tale of Two Kirzners: Time, Uncertainty, and the “Nature†of Opportunities

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  • Steffen Korsgaard
  • Henrik Berglund
  • Claus Thrane
  • Per Blenker

Abstract

This paper discusses the influence of Israel Kirzner on the field of entrepreneurship research. We review Kirzner's work and argue that it contains two distinct approaches to entrepreneurship, termed Kirzner Mark I and Kirzner Mark II. Mark I with its focus on alertness and opportunity discovery has exerted a strong influence on entrepreneurship research in the last decade, and helped catapult the field forward. We propose that Mark II, with its emphasis on time, uncertainty, and creative action in pursuit of imagined opportunities, complements the discovery view and can provide an alternative conceptual grounding for the decade to come.

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  • Steffen Korsgaard & Henrik Berglund & Claus Thrane & Per Blenker, 2016. "A Tale of Two Kirzners: Time, Uncertainty, and the “Nature†of Opportunities," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(4), pages 867-889, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:40:y:2016:i:4:p:867-889
    DOI: 10.1111/etap.12151
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    4. Hirokazu Kano, 2021. "The dilemma and its solution of deep uncertainty in the dynamic capabilities framework: Insights from modern Austrian economics," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(3), pages 605-611, April.
    5. Sorgner, Alina & Wyrwich, Michael, 2022. "Calling Baumol: What telephones can tell us about the allocation of entrepreneurial talent in the face of radical institutional changes," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(5).
    6. Erikson, Truls & Korsgaard, Steffen, 2016. "Knowledge as the source of opportunity," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 6(C), pages 47-50.
    7. Shuai Meng & Jiayan Yan & Xuebing Cao, 2019. "Heterogeneity in top management teams and outward foreign direct investment: evidence from Chinese listed companies," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-28, December.
    8. Per L. Bylund & Mark D. Packard, 2022. "Subjective value in entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(3), pages 1243-1260, March.
    9. Thomas P. Kenworthy & W. Edward McMullan, 2018. "In consideration of entrepreneurship theory," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 115(2), pages 767-783, May.
    10. Ludvig Levasseur & Jintong Tang & Masoud Karami & Lowell Busenitz & K. Michele Kacmar, 2022. "Increasing alertness to new opportunities: the influence of positive affect and implications for innovation," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 27-49, March.
    11. Lanivich, Stephen E. & Smith, Adam & Levasseur, Ludvig & Pidduck, Robert J. & Busenitz, Lowell & Tang, Jintong, 2022. "Advancing entrepreneurial alertness: Review, synthesis, and future research directions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1165-1176.
    12. Emami, Amir & Yoruk, Esin & Jones, Paul, 2023. "The interplay between market need urgency, entrepreneurial push and pull insights and opportunity confidence in the course of new venture creation in the developing country context," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    13. Erik Lundmark & Anna Krzeminska & Dean A. Shepherd, 2019. "Images of Entrepreneurship: Exploring Root Metaphors and Expanding Upon Them," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(1), pages 138-170, January.

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