Disentangling the emergence of perceived environmental uncertainty among technology entrepreneurs

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how network externalities impact on perception of environmental uncertainties. Design/methodology/approach – The source of sample comes from the Science & Technology Parks database, a major association of corporate information of new technology ventures in Iran. The sampling frame comprises a wide range of industry segments including electronics, chemicals, agriculture, computer equipment, pharmaceuticals and medicines, telecommunication equipment, and others. The author used the conventional method of back-translation to translate the measures from English to Persian. There were 380 NTVs that the author could reach to send the survey. Among 380 NTVs, 177 entrepreneurs fully completed all the items (46 percent response rate). Findings – The findings showed that what might decrease the state uncertainty perception, at same time it can give arise to other types of uncertainty. Thus, the result confirmed that the three types of uncertainty are differentiable. Research limitations/implications – In the study, the author used cross-sectional self-report data, which cannot suggest causal relationships very well. Practical implications – Investigating factors that influence the perception of environmental uncertainty may help explain why organizations, under the same environment, can behave heterogeneously. Originality/value – By providing a clear picture about the relationship between market with network effect and perception of environmental uncertainty, this study contributes to the theoretical and empirical understanding of the emergence of environmental uncertainty perception.