Schmitt, A.Rosing, K.Zhang, S.X.Leatherbee, M.2020-07-092020-07-092018Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 2018; 42(6):835-8591042-25871540-6520http://hdl.handle.net/2440/126497This study focuses on the identification of business opportunities when entrepreneurs’ perceived level of environmental uncertainty changes. We suggest that within persons, exploration mediates this relationship and entrepreneurial self-efficacy moderates whether entrepreneurs explore more or less with increasing uncertainty. To test our moderated mediation model we conducted a monthly field study with 121 early-stage entrepreneurs. Multilevel regression analyses reveal that an increase in the level of perceived uncertainty within entrepreneurs predicted the identification of opportunities through exploration for entrepreneurs high in self-efficacy, but not for those low in self-efficacy. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy acts as a personal resource that helps entrepreneurs to transform increasing perceptions of uncertainty into exploration and opportunity identification.en© The Author(s) 2017Entrepreneurship; uncertainty; business opportunity identification; exploration; entrepreneurial self-efficacyA dynamic model of entrepreneurial uncertainty and business opportunity identification: Exploration as a mediator and entrepreneurial self-efficacy as a moderatorJournal article100001382410.1177/10422587177214820004472123000022-s2.0-85059351490518862Zhang, S.X. [0000-0001-6123-1193]