| This dissertation tests whether four distinct cognitive mechanisms, including alertness, overconfidence, counterfactual thoughts, and self-efficacy, can reliably distinguish between technical entrepreneurs and technical non-entrepreneurs. In order to advance theory development and conceptual understanding in the field of entrepreneurship, hypotheses were derived from two distinct theoretical paradigms: the entrepreneurial discovery theory and the social cognitive framework. Likewise, to obtain reliable and comparable data, the research method was designed based on an extensive pilot study with 78 patent inventors, "active interviews" with 10 patent inventors, and a large-scale survey of 197 patent inventors (46 technical entrepreneurs and 151 technical non-entrepreneurs). All the participants had developed one or more patents (in 10 distinct patent classes) during 1997 and 1998.; For the purpose of this study, technical entrepreneur are individuals who, alone or with others, attempt to use their invention to start or continue building a new business. Results obtained were compelling. While the groups were highly similar in terms of age, education, personal income, and number of patents invented, as well as on their alertness and overconfidence levels, they did differ significantly on their self-efficacy. That is, technical entrepreneurs had significantly higher self-efficacy than technical non-entrepreneurs. Another important finding was counterfactual thoughts: while participants from both groups were equally unregretful, the content of their regrets differed significantly. More to the point, analysis of the qualitative accounts of participants' regrets regarding their entire life suggested that technical entrepreneurs' regrets center on business opportunities, but technical non-entrepreneurs' regrets focus on career and education decisions they had made in the past. Implications, limitations, and suggested future research based on a multi-lensed approach to the study entrepreneurs' cognitive mechanisms are discussed. |
