La conceptualisation par l’entrepreneur de ses moyens pour atteindre un but. Une heuristique effectuale

In the entrepreneurial process, the approach is said to be causal when one starts from a desired effect (goal) and looks for the means to achieve it. If a necessary means is not available, however, the goal can no longer be achieved. To solve this difficulty, the authors propose to mobilise the effectual approach, which is limited to the means available. They develop a heuristic that allows them to be conceptualised, i.e. to identify them and find their usefulness in achieving the goal. They contribute to goal theory by showing how pre-existing goals can be achieved with the effectual approach, to effectuation by extending its field of application, and to entrepreneurship by proposing a more nuanced articulation of the causal and effectual approaches.